Now that the summer cooling season is long gone, lots of drivers forget to keep the A/C compressors in their cars lubed and ready to go by running them at least 5-10 minutes a week through the cooler months. This is very important because it keeps the compressor seals, bearings, and shaft lubed, prevents freon leaks, and adds to the life of the unit.

And, with most modern cars, when the compressor is on, you don't have to put up with a cold draft in the winter like in the old days......most modern A/C systems allow you to mix in heat while the compressor is on so you don't have to ride around like an Eskimo. If your car has a manual rotary temperature **** or slide lever with red/blue markings (like most do), when you turn the compressor on (after the engine is warm, of course), just rotate the **** clockwise or slide the lever to the right (towards the red) and you will get some nice toasty heat instead of an Arctic breeze. You can even direct the heat out the dash vents if you want......gone are the days when hot air came only out of the floor vents (or out of my mouth) .


Most modern cars, even with manual climate systems, also have the windshield defrost connected to the A/C compressor, which comes on automatically when you turn on the defrost. In that case, of course, you don't have to turn the compressor on separately.....but you still should add a little heat to keep the windshield from chilling down with the cold air blowing on it...if the glass chills down too much, moisture will condense on the outside of the glass, and you will have to use the wipers.

Fully automatic climate-control systems, of course, limit your ability to run spearate features in separate modes, but the idea is still the same....try to make sure the A/C compresor runs at least about 10 minutes a week or so to keep it from deteriorating. Turning on the defrost will probably accomplish that. And, both manual and automatic A/C systems sometimes prevent the compressor from operating at temperatures substantially below freezing (32 degrees)...check your Owners' Manual for details. That is done to keep the system from freezing up. Of course, in that case, there isn't much you can do but wait for the outside temperature to warm up a little.

And, last, NEVER use the defroster with the recirculate-mode on. That will screw it up to no end because you just circulate the same moisture around the cabin and never get rid of it....the windows are guaranteed to get fogged up. Always make sure the button or lever is set to fresh-air-intake, not recirculate. Again, in many modern cars, when you switch on the defroster, it automatically goes to fresh-air to keep the windows from fogging up.

 

I was told this a couple of years ago when I had to fix a freon leak. I hadn't realized it before then. Factory manuals don't seem to mention it.

Good advice for everyone.

 

Thanks for posting I always figured the less I use my ac system, the longer it will last .

 

Most Owners' Manuals do mention it somewhere...or at least they should. That is where I myself first learned of this necessity....from an Owners' Manual, although of course there are many other sources as well.

 

I don't see how you COULDN'T run the A/C unit. It is part of the defrost command on any car made after the turn of the century and higher end cars from about 92 forward. My Mercedes never turns the compressor off in any way. You have to give it an EC off command to make the compressor turn off.

My '92 SC400 always turns the a/c on with the defrost command.

 

Well technically, you're not wrong. What you say is true to an extent. Everything eventually does wears out with use.....but can also wear out, in some cases, with disuse. And, in this case, we're only talking 5-10 minutes a week.....that's all.
Just that small amount of running through the colder months will keep the system in shape for the summer, when you REALLY need it..........or for those miserable damp days in other months when all the windows fog up.

It's like your car's battery and charging system, or even the muscles in your own body............let them sit from disuse long enough, and they deteriorate.

 

Yes, I mentioned that. Many cars, both with manual and automatic climate systems, have a defroster-A/C connect.
In that case, all you have to do, depending on how the system is designed, is add a little heat so you don't have to put up with the Arctic Express coming out the vents. And, over and above that, with your SC, it may (?) all be automatic, heat and all, depending on where you set the cabin temperature.

But, in dry areas like in the Southwestern states, you're not using the defroster very often as it is, because of the climate. My thread was just a friendly reminder to run the compressor at least 5-10 minutes a week, that's all. it will prolong the life of the system.

Defrost-A/C systems go back, on some cars, even lower-level ones, a lot further than 1992. My late mother's 1977 Plymouth Volare had it...but in those days you couldn't add always heat to the system when the compressor kicked on....after the initial defrost, the windshield would chill down from the compressor's cold air, and moisture would condense on the outside, requiring the wipers.

The advancement of climate-control systems to allow joint heat/AC use and warm air blowing out the dash vents, IMO, was one of MAJOR advances in auto climate control. It has vastly improved both defogging and passenger comfort.

 

Well the air conditioner compressor acts as a dehumidifier in the winter so it makes sense to run them too so your windows don't fog up.

 

Yes, we run our AC pretty much 24/7 12 months of the year. There is rarely a time when the AC is not on. Now, on cold/cooler months we do raise the temp setting, but otherwise the rest of the time it says on the coldest available setting and at most just vary the fan speed. If it gets too cold, just use the low fan speed. Too hot, it goes on full blast. Not sure how long AC systems typically last, but generally they last at least 10+ years easy. That is pretty much the life of most cars.

 

Sorry I'm a bit confused here. Are you trying to say to run your A/C system once in a while? or is it run the defrost once in a while? or run your A/C on the coldest setting once in a while?

 

Basically run the AC. As long as the compressor is running, then you're good to go.

 

Yea, just turn on your AC no matter what heat rage the setting is on. You want to always have the refrigerant running through the compressor and system since the refrigerant carries lubrication as well for the entire system.

 

Oh ahah, I do that all the time. I thought it was some kind of special method

 

Yeah, if it's not the ac for the summer, then it's ac for the defroster.
I guess were ok then

Same goes for the house right???

 

Thanks for the tip mmarshall!!! I could of used this tip about 10 years ago. My old pick up fell victim to the non-use demise of the A/C system. Now, I always use the A/C in all my vehicles.