Aircon

[2ndGear]

Hi, my black IQ is nearly five years old and has done very few miles (8k). The uk weather being what is is means I have not had the aircon on many times. I know I have been negligent in not running it from timeto time as mentioned in the manual. Now that we've been having a heat wave I turned it on and found it giving out only slightly cooler air than outside and not the chilled air that it emitted when new. Is it possible to do a DIY job on this or do I have to take it in for a service? I'm frightened to phone and find the cost, so if members can arm me with some knowledge it would lessen the possible shock.

Cheers
JC

[FROSTYBALLS]

An example of a Toyota dealer's air conditioning service, which can be a separate action to having the car serviced - https://www.inchcapetoyota.co.uk/offers/servicing-offers/airconditioning/

General guidance is that air conditioning should be used at least once or twice a month and will help keep the air conditioning seals lubricated. Use of air conditioning doesn't have to be when the heater temperature is on cold - using the air conditioning and heat during the winter will provide faster demisting, and will also warm the car up quicker.

[Parts-King]

Most dealers will do an AC service for £49 or thereabouts, it will have the old gas extracted, new oil and gas added to the correct amount and charged. It is not really a DIY job IMHO although there are kits on the market to do it, but for the money??? Your call is that one ;)

[Grumpy Cabbie]

To last 5 years on the original gas it pretty good. I'm sure I've read that the car loses 10% gas per year.

Many places do a fixed price re-gas service, which in about 90% of cases is all that is needed. It shouldn't cost any more than £50 and I think Halfords are doing an offer at £30 and many other places about about £35/£40. It's usually just a machine they plug your car into and it'll say if you have a leak or not etc.

An easy way to tell if you're low on gas is if the car hisses when you turn the a/c on. Also, if you press a/c is there a distinct 'click' from the engine bay? If so, then that's a good sign.

So bite the bullet and go get your car re-gassed.

[Ben Davy]

Good advice

Sent from my iPhone using Toyota OC

[tarquin]

I have never turned mine off since having the car and its still freezing. 59 plate

David

[2ndGear]

Thank you for your comments. I have learnt a lesson. I will make the phone
call. I was expecting you to say the cost was much more. The number
of times it is useful are few and far between and a high cost would
make me think twice. David who wins during the winter hot or cold?
Also isn't the mpg dramatically affected?

Cheers JC

[FROSTYBALLS]

I've had cars with manual air conditioning and climate control (automated heating/air con where you set a temperature and the car maintains that), and, yes there is an effect on fuel consumption, but, in my experience, nothing dramatic.

[tarquin]

You see my car never steams up. I like dry air. Maybe its working in an air conditioned environment for 27yrs. In the winter i have the heating up but a dry heat like spain not like todays humid heat. I never open the windows because i cant stand the buffeting wind noise and general road/car noise plus the air is filtered with them shut. Cant see the point of buying a car with pollen filter and air con then open the window. But thats me

David

[2ndGear]

Very good points Mike and David. I tend to hold onto my cars and this is
my first new car. My previous cars didn't have air conditioning. The
IQ is basic manual 59 plate with no climate control so the
refrigerator is on or off, I've never tried it with the heater on.

Cheers.

[bobkneale]

I run my air con once per month for about 15min, to lubricate seals and check it is still working,

[Grumpy Cabbie]

As others have said, a/c is not just for hot, humid summer days. It also dries out damp air and is useful in colder weather when you can have the heat on but also the a/c to stop the windows steaming up, espcially if you have passengers. Without a/c you either have to open the window or turn the heat up higher than is comfortable.

Another benefit of leaving the a/c on all the time is that it makes the gas last longer as the seals are lubricated and don't shrink.

A/c really only affects fuel economy when it is working full pelt such as on a super hot day in slow traffic or when you first get into a car that's been parked in the sun all day. I've found that once the car is cool inside that the a/c has a negligible effect on mpg's. Using the Recirc when you first switch the a/c on also helps cool the car much quicker. Just don't forget to switch back to outside air later! This will usually happen automatically on the climate controlled systems.

[Soeley]

- using the air conditioning and heat during the winter will provide faster demisting, and will also warm the car up quicker.

How does it help the car warm up quicker?

I only use my aircon when the pollen count is really high and keep the windows shut. I much prefer having the windows open (complete opposite to David). Plus I have always found that if you have used the aircon to help demist the screen quicker, it always seems to mist back up twice as quick?

[FROSTYBALLS]

- using the air conditioning and heat during the winter will provide faster demisting, and will also warm the car up quicker.

How does it help the car warm up quicker?

I only use my aircon when the pollen count is really high and keep the windows shut. I much prefer having the windows open (complete opposite to David). Plus I have always found that if you have used the aircon to help demist the screen quicker, it always seems to mist back up twice as quick?

When the air conditioning is used in conjunction with heat, as it gives a faster distribution of warm, drier air to the interior, the inside of the car becomes warmer and drier more quickly than if just heat and the fans are used. Thus the inside of the car warms up more quickly.

[Soeley]

So, say in cold weather and you have the climate control set to 22 degrees (my normal setting) and you switch the Aircon on as well. Is it just supplying a dry heat then? Therefore not effecting MPG? I had always imagined the Aircon try to counteract the heat output if you know what I mean?

[FROSTYBALLS]

Two effects - you get a faster distribution of warm drier air, than if you were relying just on the external air being drawn into the car.

What I said earlier in the topic was -

"I've had cars with manual air conditioning and climate control (automated heating/air con where you set a temperature and the car maintains that), and, yes there is an effect on fuel consumption, but, in my experience, nothing dramatic."

We've had air conditioning in all our new cars since 1998 - eleven so far, of various makes.

[Soeley]

I will give it a try an see how the mpg is affected on my ScanGauge. The only annoying thing with the iQ climate control, when you switch it to 'Auto' you can't set which vents you want the air to come from, it seems to have its own preset ideas on that ?

[Parts-King]

I will give it a try an see how the mpg is affected on my ScanGauge. The only annoying thing with the iQ climate control, when you switch it to 'Auto' you can't set which vents you want the air to come from, it seems to have its own preset ideas on that ?

Try this

Run your car with A/C and see the effect on MPG (minimal) .............then run the car with windows down turning your car into a huge wind sock ;)

I know what I prefer