Checking the air conditioning system

Every 16,000 km or 12 months.

Warning: The air conditioning system is under high pressure. It is possible to disassemble connections or remove system components only after its depressurization. The refrigerant must be carefully drained into a suitable container. Depressurization of the air conditioning system should be carried out at a station equipped to work with R134a refrigerant. Disconnected system connections, always protect eyes.

1. To ensure the reliable operation of the air conditioner, the following checks should be carried out regularly:

• A) Inspect the accessory drive belt. If it is worn or damaged, replace it (paragraph 5).
• b) Inspect the system hoses for cracks, bulges, curing, or breakage. Check all hoses and connections for bubbles and seepage. Replace hose if worn, leaking or damaged (And).
• V) Check for leaves, insects or dirt in the fins of the condenser. Clean the condenser with a special scraper or compressed air.
• G) Check the condition of the evaporator drain tube. If it is working, then when the air conditioner is running, clean water should flow out of it. After a long parking of the car, a puddle of considerable size may form under the tube - this is normal.

Attention! Protect your eyes when working with compressed air!

2. It makes sense to turn on the system to work at least once a month for 30 minutes, especially in winter. If the system is not used for a long period of time, this can lead to curing and subsequent failure of the seals.

3. Due to the complexity of the system and the special equipment required to maintain it, a detailed description of diagnostics and repair is not provided in this book. If you need detailed information about the air conditioning system, then you need to refer to the HAYNES Automotive Heating and Air Conditioning Manual.


4. The most common cause of poor cooling is insufficient refrigerant in the system. If you notice that the air leaving the system is not cooling enough, perform the quick check below to see if the coolant level has dropped.

5. Warm up the engine to normal operating temperature.

6. Set the air conditioning system temperature selection knob to the maximum cooling position and turn on the system fan at maximum speed. Open the doors to ensure the system does not interrupt the cycle while it cools the interior of the vehicle.

7. When the compressor is on (a click should be heard from engaging its clutch, and the center of the clutch should rotate) feel the inlet and outlet pipes of the compressor. One of them should be cold and the other hot. If you do not feel a noticeable difference in the temperature of these two pipes, then there is a malfunction in the compressor or in the system. It could be caused by low refrigerant or something else. In this case, you need to send the car to specialists for inspection.