Car guide: air conditioning not maintained-compressor gone?The AGVS

I was a bit careless with the maintenance of my car air conditioning. When it stopped cooling, I drove to the workshop. It was found there that there was no more coolant in the system. I was told that the compressor might now be damaged. is this correct?

Answer from the AGVS:

Dear John

Thank you for your question. This can be very annoying for you in the summer temperatures. For me, it is a nice through ball to once again point out the importance of regular maintenance. It makes sense for an air conditioner for a number of reasons.

Regular maintenance maintains the performance of the air conditioning system. This means that the system cools really well and extracts moisture from the air. This is not only important in midsummer, it is also useful at lower temperatures. For example, a fogged-up window can be made “transparent” again as quickly as possible.

Furthermore, dirt accumulates over time on the air conditioning filter and evaporator: bacteria, mold or plant spores. Regular maintenance of the air conditioning system is also recommended to prevent this undesirable and sometimes even harmful dirt from getting into the vehicle interior.

The heart (piece) is the compressor. It contains moving parts that need to be lubricated so that the compressor is not damaged. The oil used for lubrication is added to the refrigerant and is therefore also transported via the refrigerant. If there is no refrigerant, the oil can no longer be transported and the compressor can be damaged. Depending on the type of refrigerant leak (either gradual in the form of "evaporation" or, for example, due to a rupture in a hose), the refrigerant escapes alone or together with the oil. I strongly suspect that such a refrigerant leak is the reason why your car's air conditioning went out.

AGVS is the association of Swiss garage owners. 4,000 companies with 39,000 employees (including 9,000 trainees and trainees) ensure that we are safe, reliable and energy-efficient on the road. And this team of experts provides perspective: Markus Aegerter (trade and services), Olivier Maeder (education), Markus Peter (technology and environment) and AGVS lawyer Olivia Solari (law).

If the compressor has been damaged or is imminent, metal chips usually get into the air conditioning circuit and damage other components such as the expansion valve, throttle, evaporator or condenser. In such cases, the system should definitely be cleaned (this is referred to as flushing the air conditioning system). There are also corresponding small and fine protective screens that are used in a suitable place to keep the metal chips away from the other components.

Caution: There are different refrigerants and refrigerant oils to be mixed with the refrigerant on the market. Air conditioning service and repairs therefore belong in the hands of professionals.

Have a good trip!

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