AC Broke ?

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Does your air conditioner need service ?

How often does an AC system need to get recharged?

Your car’s air conditioning system is a lot like your home’s central heating and air, and even more closely resembles the system that keeps your refrigerator cool. It relies on refrigerant to operate – when the refrigerant gets low, the system won’t cool properly, and it might not work at all.

First, understand that your system may never need to be recharged. While some amount of refrigerant loss is possible, even normal with some systems, it’s a minute amount, and it shouldn’t affect system operation.

With that being said, most of us aren’t that lucky and you’ll find that your system begins to perform less and less as the years pass.

To get back to the question of how often an AC system needs to be recharged, the answer is, “it depends.” There’s no service or maintenance schedule here – you don’t need to recharge your air conditioning system every year, or even every two years. The best indicator that you need to recharge the refrigerant is when the system begins to cool less than it used to, but before it stops cooling completely.

When your system doesn’t blow as cold as it once did, you need to have it inspected. Auto Aces will check the system for refrigerant leaks, and then perform an “evac and recharge” service (if no leaks are found – if they find a leak, the damaged components will need to be replaced). An “evac and recharge” service consists of connecting your car’s AC system to a special machine, which vacuums all the old refrigerant and oil from the system, and then refills it to the proper level. After the service is complete, the mechanic will test the system’s operation and verify that the air conditioner is cooling to the automaker’s original specifications (by measuring the temperature of the air produced at the dash vents).

- Jason Harris; Service Manager at Auto Aces Express

2666 N. Packerland Dr., Green Bay, WI., 54313; ( 920 ) 499 - 4424

" Your Problem Solved ! "

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Wheel alignment schedule

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How often should the wheel alignment be done

What is the wheel alignment?

The wheel alignment is the process of checking and adjusting the angles of the wheels relative to each other and to the car body. To perform the wheel alignment, the vehicle is placed on an alignment rack. Special sensors are mounted on each wheel. The computer controlled device measures the actual angles of the wheels. Based on the measurements, a technician adjusts the wheel angles (called toe, camber, caster, etc.) that are adjustable to the specifications. Before doing the wheel alignment, the technician will typically test drive the vehicle, adjust the tire pressure, as well as check the ride height and basic suspension and steering components (e.g ball joint, tie rod, strut, etc.). If any steering or suspension component is found to be bad, it should be replaced before doing the wheel alignment. After the alignment is done, you will usually get a printout showing the wheel angles before and after the alignment. Measurements that are within specifications are usually shown in green. The 4-wheel alignment is always the best option, as the 2-wheel alignment involves adjustment of only two (front or rear) tires.

Why the wheel alignment needs to be done.

The wheel alignment needs to be done because over time the wheel angles change. This happens as a result of deforming and wear of various rubber bushings in the vehicle suspension and sagging of the springs. Besides that, the wheel alignment needs to be checked after hitting large potholes and curbs, as well as after accidents. The wheel alignment also needs to be done after replacement any of the major suspension or steering components. Similarly, it should be done after lowering or rising the suspension.

What are the symptoms of improper wheel alignment?

– the steering wheel is off center when driving straight
– the vehicle pulls to one side when driving on a straight and level road
– the vehicle doesn’t hold the road well, feels unstable, wanders from side to side
– tires screeching when turning
– tires wear unevenly

How often should the wheel alignment be done? 

For most cars, there is no specific requirements. Your mechanic will typically recommend doing the wheel alignment every two-three years. Often, the wheel alignment is recommended when new tires are installed. The alignment should be done more often if your car has wider tires or if it’s a sporty car, e.g. Audi, BMW, Mazda 3, Nissan 370Z, etc. From our experience, we can tell that if you re-check the wheel alignment after a year or two of driving, usually it will be slightly off. If you hit a large bump, the alignment will most likely be off.

What are the benefits of doing the wheel alignment?

Your tires as well as suspension and steering components will last longer and your vehicle will handle better. You might notice that after the wheel alignment, the car holds the road better and feels more stable. Again, this is even more noticeable if you have a sporty car or wider tires.

- Jason Harris; Service Manager at Auto Aces Express

2666 N. Packerland Dr., Green Bay, WI., 54313; ( 920 ) 499 - 4424

" Your Problem Solved ! "

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