Air Conditioning
Relax in your car’s cool interior as the summer sun beats down. Sunset VW’s air conditioning specialists make that happen.
The air conditioning system takes the heat and moisture from incoming air, using refrigerant to transfer it away into the atmosphere. Instead of the airlessness of a hot and humid airflow, we get a cool, dry breeze blowing at us through the vents. Lovely. However, air conditioning requires maintenance and servicing, just the same as any other automotive component. And that’s where we come in.
What is an automotive air conditioning service?
Do you notice that turning your car’s air conditioning on doesn’t lead to the same ice-cold blast it had a few summers ago? What about foul smells and stale odours? If your car experiences either of these, it’s time for some work on the air conditioning system. There are two ways to address these problems. The simplest is an air conditioning refresh, which involves adding anti-bacterial cleaning agents to the system. These eliminate any growth and remove bad smells.
However, if there’s a more severe problem or your AC hasn’t seen any attention in a few years, then an air conditioning service might be more appropriate.
Your car’s AC system contains a refrigerant – depending on its age, either R134a or R1234yf. Most newer cars use the latter, which is much less damaging to the environment when it leaks. These leaks occur in most systems, and up to 10% of the system’s gas can seep out in a year. As the gas releases, the air conditioning can’t ‘exchange heat’ as well, so it becomes less effective.
This is more in-depth than a refresh, re-gassing the system with new refrigerant through a specially engineered machine that attaches through the high- and low-pressure ports. At the same time, qualified specialists inspect the pipework with ultraviolet light to find the source of any leaks. With these repairs, the AC’s efficiency will be restored.
Benefits of an air conditioning service on your VW
If you notice warm air coming out through the fans when the AC is on or experience nasty odours, bring your vehicle in to our air conditioning specialists. We’ll use advanced tools, machines and workspaces to investigate the fault and find the solution. Taking your car to our air conditioning specialists offers the following benefits:
- Restore cooling power
- Eliminate bad smells
- Improve fuel efficiency
- Enhance the AC system’s durability
- Avoid paying for unneeded work
- Find underlying faults
- Expert understanding of air conditioning
- Spot minor issues early on
- Transparent pricing
Working on air conditioning is a specialist field. Technicians must pass a dedicated course to even handle the refrigerant. That’s because it’s so damaging to the environment if it leaks and escapes – especially the older chemicals. While it might be tempting to re-gas your air conditioning yourself, we don’t recommend it. As alluded to earlier, spilling the gas is illegal and getting everything done correctly requires expensive machinery and training.
With this in mind, use an established automotive air conditioning specialist, like Sunset VW, when it’s time for AC adjustments and repairs.
How Sunset VW in Derby approaches air conditioning services
Here at Sunset VW, we’ve been servicing VW group vehicles in Derby and the surrounding East Midlands region for almost 40 years. Our air conditioning specialists are dedicated to getting the job done quickly, smoothly and cost-effectively.
Sunset VW has invested heavily in the most up-to-date equipment on the market. This includes our air conditioning setup. With the latest technology and machines capable of working with all common types of refrigerant, we’re here and ready to help you.
Most crucially, we’re committed to finding and addressing the source of the problem. Where others might be content to re-gas and call it a day, we’ll take the time to conduct a full inspection. Using ultraviolet light and our expert knowledge of these systems, we’ll identify where your problem stems from and fix it, ensuring long-term durability and performance.
Why choose Sunset VW in Derby?
Sunset VW has been operating in Derby since 1986. Back then, we specialised in Volkswagen Beetles and camper vans. Since our first day, we’ve been learning and developing, including addressing the various air conditioning challenges and legislative changes introduced over time.
Today that means our experience is unparalleled. You can trust that your air conditioning service will be performed by fully trained and qualified individuals with expertise in finding deep-rooted issues and nipping them in the bud.
You’re our valued customer. We promise always to treat you with respect, take your concerns seriously and do everything in our power to get you back on the road quickly. We’ll always listen and explain what’s wrong (if anything) without using jargon, ensuring you understand exactly what’s wrong and why we recommend certain actions.
Get in touch
Our air conditioning setup is market-leading. If you live in Derby or the surrounding area, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to chat with us about your car, and we’d be delighted to book you in. You can contact us on 01332 346 688 or by emailing info@sunset-derby.co.uk. Alternatively, fill out the web form at the bottom of the page.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Some cars are bought without air conditioning to save the first buyer money. You likely don’t have air conditioning if you can’t see an AC button in your car’s interior. If you’re unsure, please don’t hesitate to swing by. We’d be happy to check for you.
We recommend servicing your air conditioning at least every two years, with a simple anti-bacterial refresh yearly. This should be enough to keep it operating at close to peak efficiency. However, if you notice more regular problems, bring your car in for a deeper inspection.
A simple anti-microbial refresh usually takes less than half an hour. However, a full service takes a few hours because of the level of detail. Of course, the total time depends on whether we discover deeper underlying faults.
A car’s air conditioning service consists of a thorough examination of the unit, which involves cleaning the evaporator, verifying refrigerant levels, testing the system’s performance and replacing any worn-out parts. We also examine it for leaks or problems affecting the system’s efficiency.
The cost of car air conditioning service is determined by the type of service needed and the extent of repairs required. For a quote, please get in touch with us. We offer competitive prices and will provide a clear breakdown of all costs.
The air conditioning systems on almost all vehicles operate on the same principles and setup. Therefore, despite being a Volkswagen-specific garage, we service all types of AC systems, including those found in most mainstream cars, vans and trucks. We’ll undoubtedly be able to help you with your car’s air conditioning.