Is it Time to Check Your Air Conditioning?

It’s finally here! The summer heat you’ve been waiting months for. You can head outside for a bike ride, get yard work done, or take the family on a camping trip. You may want to take the family to the ‘Y’ for a cool-down dip in the pool or check out a Kansas City Royals game at Kauffman Stadium. But a drive in your car, no matter how short the trek, can be uncomfortable if your air conditioning isn’t up to par.

Your Toyota’s air conditioning is designed to keep you comfortable. It cools the air and draws out moisture, which makes you feel cooler. It’s possible you may experience issues with your A/C system through conditions that aren’t actually A/C part failures.

The A/C belt. Some vehicles have a single belt, known as a serpentine belt, that drives all the engine components. Others have a serpentine belt PLUS an extra belt that operates just the A/C compressor. If this belt breaks or becomes stretched, the compressor won’t perform its role well and your air conditioning performance will suffer.

Cabin air filter. It’s a filter inside your car that removes airborne pollutants and allergens such as pollen and dust. Many people don’t know their vehicle even has a cabin air filter! Over time the cabin air filter will get full and plug up, restricting the airflow through your vents. It feels like no cool air is blowing, but no air is blowing at all!

Low A/C refrigerant charge. Over time and without a part failure, your air conditioning refrigerant (often referred to as freon) seeps out. It’s a normal condition and you can lose as much as 5% A/C refrigerant in a year. Over just a few years, the air conditioning just doesn’t seem to get as cold as it used to because of this.

When the temperature spikes in Kansas City, it can be unbearable. Daytime highs over 100F mean your car’s interior could be much higher yet – up to 160F if you’re parked in the sun! That means you want your air conditioning to be on point, cooling your interior as quickly as possible.

Whether you need a new A/C belt, your cabin air filter replaced, your A/C refrigerant recharged, or another air conditioning problem diagnosed, you can trust the experts at Jay Wolfe Toyota. Our technicians are factory trained and know your Toyota better than anyone else. Call us or drop in today for your A/C service.