Free AC Check – Auto AC Inspection

Arizona has 4 seasons – pre-summer, summer, post-summer and fall. It gets freakin’ hot here! According to USclimatedata the following are the average high temperatures each month in the Phoenix metro area:

• January – 67ºF
• February – 71ºF
• March – 77ºF
• April – 85ºF
• May – 95ºF
• June – 104ºF
• July – 106ºF
• August – 104ºF
• September – 100ºF
• October – 89ºF
• November – 76ºF
• December – 66ºF

In the Winter it’s a favorite pastime of some Arizonans to call up relatives back east and ask how the weather is when we know they’ve been snowed in so deep they can’t get out of the driveway. Yet, in the summer it’s hard for Arizona residents to fathom that in areas up north or out of state some people don’t even have air conditioning in their homes or vehicles.

With a record high of 122ºF and temperatures that can exceed 100ºF seven or eight months of the year, it’s no wonder that a free auto ac inspection is one of our most popular services.

What Is Included With The Free AC Check?

The free AC check includes a visual inspection of the AC system and a temperature measurement at the vents. This description may seem simple. However, it’s the best place to start since the air conditioning system should not be opened unless there is a problem.

After the free inspection is completed we will present you with a quote that outlines if the AC system needs repairs. Learn more about Auto AC Services.

When there is poor AC performance, we use a diagnostic machine with gauges to evaluate the AC system. For a low refrigerant level, an AC dye will be installed with refrigerant to help identify a leak. If the leak is small and does not show up right away, then you’ll take the vehicle and return when the system is not cooling well. By that time the dye should show where the leak is.

Avoid These Bad Practices For The AC System

Every time the AC system is opened there is a small amount of refrigerant loss which will eventually lead to poor AC performance. Often when a schrader valve or service port is opened it can create a leak.

Other service shops may try to sell an AC recharge even when the there has been no change in air conditioning performance. If they do this, it is a HUGE red flag. Stay away from that shop. Recently we’ve also heard of shops that purposely drain refrigerant in the Winter months when the owner is not using the AC very often or doesn’t need it to be as effective as during the Summer. Then they expect the customer to bring it back for an AC recharge when the weather gets hotter. This is also a dishonest practice.

Another problem that we find is sometimes people have tried to stop an AC leak with a can of “AC Stop Leak”. This can destroy the entire air conditioning system. Often there is a large amount of oil and seal conditioner in the fix-it-yourself cans. The amount of oil in an AC system is critical to the cooling performance and with extra oil the compressor will fail.

There are some repairs that non-professionals can do at home, and we often describe those in the Auto Ed section of this website. However, the AC system is not for the beginning mechanic. It’s a complicated system that only trained technicians should handle.

Get Honest, Quality AC Work At Crawford’s Auto Repair

At Crawford’s Auto Repair we avoid opening the AC system unless there is indication that requires it. We don’t pay staff with commissions and we don’t try to sell unnecessary services.

Other shops may use a “free AC check” as a bait and switch promotion. This means that they’ll lure customers into the shop and then charge them for services that aren’t necessary. The only preventative maintenance on an AC system is replacement of the cabin air filter. While we may have “free AC checks” to allow our marketing to compete, we do not do bait and switch advertising. We just explain the findings that were revealed with the inspection.

Then after a no-pressure and straightforward presentation of findings we will only proceed with repairs upon your approval. During the inspection and repairs, we treat the vehicle as if it belonged to our own mother.

Call 480-201-0740 To Schedule An Appointment Today

Whether you’d like to pro-actively check the AC system before driving a lot in the heat or if the AC just isn’t doing it’s job when you’re driving around the East Valley then bring your vehicle in for a Free AC Check today. A free auto ac inspection will help you discover the current condition of your vehicle air conditioning. Call 480-201-0740 to schedule an appointment today.