air conditioning repair in minneapolis mn

Air Conditioning Repair

Keep Cool in the Summer

When the temperatures outside creep up, air conditioning keeps you cool all summer long. If your AC is broken, don’t spend another day sweating it out on your commute. Bring your car in to your local air conditioning experts. We’ll have you back on the road with your AC at full blast.

Want to bring your car in but need to get around? No problem. We offer complimentary loaner cars so your day doesn’t have to stop just because your car’s in the shop.

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 Alexander’s Import Auto Repair did an amazing job with my car. They provided great customer service – even setting me up with a complimentary loaner car so I didn’t have to miss any work. 

Griffin R          

Your Car’s A/C Does More than Keep You Cool

It’s a common misconception that you do not need air conditioning in the winter! Besides cooling the air in your cabin, the air conditioning system also dries the incoming air. This is important for keeping your windows fog-free. Many vehicles automatically turn on the air conditioning when turning on the defrost, so if your air conditioning is not working you may not even realize you’re losing out on the nice, dry air that will quickly clear your windshield.

With that in mind, we all know the air conditioning is what you turn on when the thermometer starts rising. It blows that much-needed cold air through your car’s vents. Although the air conditioning system is not essential to drive, it does add a lot of comfort!

How Your Vehicle’s Air Conditioning System Works

The air conditioning system is rather complex. In order to make cold air when the outside air is hot, a specific chemical called “refrigerant” is forced to expand and compress. This process requires a sealed system with the compressor, evaporator core, condenser, lines, and a series of valves and sensors.

The most common type of refrigerant in modern cars is R134A. The old standard was R12, which was often called Freon due to the brand name that first sold most R12. Over the last few years many car manufacturers switched to a refrigerant called R1234YF. This new refrigerant is designed to be safer and better for the environment. All refrigerants have CFCs, which harm our atmosphere, but R1234YF is less toxic than previous refrigerants.

Do I Have to Get My A/C Repaired?

The EPA gives vehicle manufacturers a specification for how much refrigerant is allowed to escape the system over a period of time. As a consumer this means that your air conditioning system may lose efficiency as your vehicle ages. If your car gradually stops making cold air you may just need the air conditioning system refilled. If this isn’t done the system will slowly make less and less cold air.

An air conditioning system with a leak won’t create cold air, and you’ll have no air conditioning. You don’t need to fix it, but why wouldn’t you?

How We’ll Repair Your Vehicle’s A/C System

Refilling the air conditioning system requires special equipment and an experienced technician. When we have a vehicle that comes in with poor air conditioning output there are a number of steps we take in order to identify and repair the issue.

Our first step is always a test drive to confirm that the air conditioning is not cold. We also record the output vent temperature. Our next step is to connect a scan tool, as well as a set of gauges. The scan tool will tell us if there are any faults in the air conditioning or climate control system. The set of gauges will let us know if the refrigerant level is low. If the system is low on charge it will need to be evacuated. The refrigerant is bad for the environment and must be contained and disposed of properly.

Once the system is empty we can recharge the it with the exact amount of refrigerant needed. Too much or too little refrigerant will cause the air conditioning system to not work properly, and could actually cause damage to it. Along with this recharge we add a small amount of fluorescent dye to the system. The dye allows us to identify any leaks that are present. Because the refrigerant is a gas at room temperature, it won’t leave any visible traces of a leak like oil or coolant would.

Many times the leak is not immediately apparent and we send the car on its way. If the air conditioning starts to lose efficiency again we reinspect the vehicle. If there’s a leak present, we’ll be able to identify it because of the dye. To repair a leak, the system must again be evacuated and recharged once the repair is completed.

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We Have the Know-How to Fix Your Car’s A/C System

In order to work on A/C systems, technicians are legally required to complete and pass a course. Here at Alexander’s we have multiple technicians with air conditioning certification. We also have the tools required to properly service air conditioning systems and stand behind our work with a 12 month/12,000 mile warranty.

Make an appointment or stop in today for honest service at a fair price on your air conditioning system.