Automotive AC Service and Repair in St. Charles, MO

Signs that your vehicle may have a malfunctioning air conditioning system include:

  Your air conditioner blows only hot air from the vents
  The air conditioner blows cold only sporadically
  There are noises when you run your air conditioner

Every Air Conditioning Service begins with our state-of-the-art air conditioning system diagnostic test. This diagnosis includes:

  Inspection of the air conditioning compressor drive belt for cracks or damage
  Inspection of all air conditioning-related components for leaks or damage
  A check for proper operation of the air conditioning compressor and other components prior to service
  Testing lines, hoses, seals and other system components for leaks

While your vehicle is at the center, an Sparks Tire & Auto certified mechanic will also perform a Multi-Point Inspection to safeguard that all of the major systems in your car, truck or SUV are in good working order.



Watch as we discuss service and repair issues around your A/C system.

Compressor:

The compressor is a belt-driven device that compresses refrigerant gas and transfers it into the condenser. The compressor is the core of your vehicle's air conditioning system.

Condenser:

The condenser's primary function is to cool the refrigerator. The condenser dissipates heat released by compressed gases and condenses them into high pressure liquids.

Receiver (Drier):

The receiver is a metal container that serves as a storage receptacle for the refrigerant; also known as a drier because it absorbs moisture from the refrigerant and filters out harmful debris and acids. You should change your drier every 3-4 years to ensure quality filtration and prevent any chemical damage.

Orifice Tube/Expansion Valve:

The orifice tube (also known as the expansion valve) is a controlling mechanism that regulates refrigerant flow throughout the system. It also converts high pressure liquid refrigerant (from the condenser) into low pressure liquid, so that it can enter the evaporator.

Evaporator:



The evaporator removes heat from the inside of your vehicle. The evaporator allows the refrigerant to absorb heat, causing it to boil and change into a vapor. When this occurs, the vapor leaves the evaporator through the compressor, cooling your car and reducing humidity. The evaporator houses the most refrigerant in the heat transfer process and harmful acids can corrode it. This corrosion typically damages the evaporator beyond repair.

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Air Conditioning Service

The air conditioning unit in your vehicle operates similarly to a refrigerator. Your vehicle’s air conditioning unit is designed to move heat from the inside of your car to outside of it.

Your vehicle’s air conditioning unit has six major components:

 • The refrigerant carries heat. In modern cars, refrigerant is a substance called R-134a. Older cars’ refrigerant is called r-12 freon, which is more expensive and difficult to find than R-134a.

 • The compressor circulates and compresses refrigerant within the vehicle’s cooling system.

 • Your vehicle’s condenser changes the refrigerant from gas to liquid and expels heat from the car.

 • The expansion valve (sometimes called the orifice tube) is a nozzle that simultaneously drops the pressure of the refrigerant liquid, meter its flow and atomize it.

 • Your vehicle’s evaporator transfers heat to the refrigerant from the air blown across it, cooling your car.
 

 • The receiver or dryer filters your vehicle’s refrigerant and oil, removing moisture and other contaminants from them.

When you start your vehicle’s air conditioning system, the compressor works by putting the refrigerant under pressure, sending it to the condensing coils, which are generally in front of your vehicle’s radiator. The condenser expels hot air to outside the car, cooling the air within the vehicle. When this happens, the refrigerant is cooled, and it changes from a gas to a liquid, which then passes through the expansion valve and to the evaporator.

Once the evaporator receives the liquid-state refrigerant, it loses pressure and cools the remaining liquid. The vehicle’s blower moves air across the evaporator and into the vehicle’s interior. If you keep your air conditioning unit turned on, the refrigerant goes through this cycle continuously.

If any of these components is damaged, it can turn your cool car into a furnace during the summer months. Your vehicle’s air conditioning issue could be as simple as topping off refrigerant to replacing a valve. When your air conditioning unit is not working as it should, bring your vehicle to Sparks Tire & Auto, conveniently located in St. Charles, Missouri. One of our trained air conditioning specialists will inspect your car’s air conditioner, all lines, the evaporator and the compressor for leaks and wear.

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Most Missouri car owners know that their vehicles need regular preventive maintenance like changing the oil and filters, rotating the tires and refilling the washer fluid. But did you know that your air conditioning system needs routine maintenance as well? Taking care of your air conditioning system can extend its life and prevent costly repair bills.

Why is it critical for St. Louis motorists to get routine maintenance on their air conditioning system? First, the refrigerant contains an added lubricant. As the refrigerant circulates through the air conditioning system, its parts are lubricated. This constant lubrication keeps the parts functioning well. But over time, this lubricant is used up, and without it, the parts will eventually seize up and fail.

St. Louis and more specifically, St. Charles folks should understand, however, that the air conditioner will continue to pump out cool air even without the lubricant, so you won’t know the system is sick until it actually dies. So good car care includes regularly checking the refrigerant and lubricant in your sedan air conditioning system and replacing it if needed.

The second reason your air conditioning system needs preventive maintenance is that air and water can get into the system. Air, water and the contaminants they contain will reduce the efficiency of the air conditioning system and can cause corrosion of the system’s parts. Keeping the air conditioning system clean is an important practice and will extend its life and keep you from losing your cool on hot St. Louis days.

How often should you get a routine car air conditioner inspection? It varies from vehicle to vehicle. Check your owner’s manual for the auto manufacturer’s recommendation.

Here’s a good piece of auto advice for Missouri motorists that will extend the life of their air conditioning systems: You should run your air conditioner in the winter every once in a while. This circulates the refrigerant, which lubricates the seals. That way, they won’t dry out during cold St. Louis weather.

Your air conditioning system doesn’t just cool the air in your sedan; it dries it out as well. So if you have trouble with a foggy windshield, flip on your air conditioning on the defrost setting. You may be surprised at how quickly it takes care of the problem. Of course, some vehicles can’t run the air conditioner and defroster at the same time; you should check your owner’s manual or with the car maker if you are uncertain whether this feature works in your car or not.

So, after learning about preventive maintenance for your A/C, you might now be wondering if your air conditioner is in trouble. Two early warning signs of a failing air conditioner are (1) the air just isn’t getting as cold as it used to and (2) there’s a strange noise when the air conditioner turns on. If you notice either of these symptoms in your car or light truck, you should bring it to Sparks Tire & Auto in St. Charles as soon as possible.

Just some good auto advice to keep you cool in St. Louis and keep you on the road!

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