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Tip of the Month

Air Conditioning
 

How well your air conditioning works has a lot to do with the amount of refrigerant in the system. Too much or too little refrigerant is a major cause of poor A/C performance and compressor failure.          A/C Compressor

Today's air conditioning systems do not have a way to visually check the refrigerant level and the only accurate way to get the proper amount into the system is to recover the refrigerant, measure how much taken out and then put the proper amount back in.

Running the system low on refrigerant not only causes poor performance but also will eventually cause compressor failure as the system lubricant flows with the refrigerant. Low refrigerant flow means poor lubrication. If your A/C system works but just does not seem cold enough, it is a good idea to get it looked at sooner than later.

If the system is overfilled it will raise system pressures and temperature which will cause poor cooling performance and possible eventual failure of compressor or other components.

When using those small cans you can buy usually result in under or over charging at best.  Many of the cans of refrigerant you can buy off the shelf contain a sealer. Using sealers can be harmful to your air conditioning system.

Bad smells from your A/C ducts is usually caused by bacteria that grows from the moisture and warmth after you shut off the car.

Moisture is created when the air is cooled and normally drains from a little hose from your air box. If this drain becomes plugged with debris the water sits in the case and can leak on the floorboard and promote of bacteria. If you're getting moisture on the passenger floorboard and it doesn't smell like antifreeze you may have a plugged drain.   

How the A/C system works.

 

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Visit Wayne's Garage for your car repair and service in the Eugene and Springfield area. We are an AAA Approved Automobile Repair Facility and have been awarded the Blue Seal of Excellence by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. Warning Lights

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Automotive Recalls

We often hear about auto recalls when they become big news, but recalls happen quite often and are not always publicized. Many cars running around out on the road have recalls that have never been addressed.

For those who bought used vehicles or have moved since a vehicle purchase, they may not get a notice.

How do you find out if there is a recall on your car? Go to Carfax and enter your make and VIN#. If your car is not listed you can check with a dealer or go to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA.

Millions of drivers could be endangered by operating vehicles that have been recalled but have not been repaired, according to an investigation conducted by Edmunds. They found there were at least 2.7 million vehicles listed for sale last year that still were subject to unfulfilled recalls. There are no laws that require a car's owner to notify a potential buyer that the car being sold is the subject of a recall. More about recalls and 14 of the largest.

Ignoring that Check Engine Light
Check Engine Light When the first GM cars with onboard computers and diagnostic capabilities came out in the early 80's, they could recognize a limited amount of problems and could store less than 20 trouble codes. It's not unusual for an average car today to recognize and set 125 codes or more just for the engine and transmission.

Then there is Anti-lock Brakes, Traction Control, Air Bag, suspension and other systems that have their own codes.

Some of these engine and transmission codes are for problems that usually won't cause problems we notice while driving. We often hear, "that light has been on for years, I don't worry about it anymore" or "Since this is a minor problem, can I continue driving it and not fix it right now?"
Unfortunately you only have one check engine light. If you ignore the light because of a problem that doesn't seem to affect the way the car drives, something else might crop up that will cause big problems and you may not know until it's too late because the light is already on.

Some problems that the light can come on to warn you about can cause poor mileage or be a warning that you may be left by the side of the road soon. Other warnings can be about things that can cause catalytic converter, transmission or engine failure.

See more Automotive Service and Repair Tips at Wayne's Garage

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Many of today's cars have more than 100 million lines of software code running everything from navigation systems to braking systems.



Wayne's Garage - serving Eugene and Springfield, Oregon car and light truck needs.

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333 Q Street
Springfield, Oregon