When it comes to car air conditioning systems a common question amongst many motorists is what temperature should my car aircon be? If you’re anything like me you don’t like it too cold and as with many of my fellow motorists I do fiddle around with the temperature controls and end of losing my ‘perfect’ temp never to find it just right again. The ideal temperature should be 6 degrees Celsius or in old school money 42 degrees Fahrenheit.
There are many motorists who still are using their air con incorrectly, leaving them hot and uncomfortable in the driver’s seat. Below we discuss the perfect temperature your air con should be as well as the common mistakes many motorists make when adjusting their cars air con.
One of the first most common mistakes when adjusting your car’s air con is setting it to the maximum blast as soon as you turn it on. The mistake here is that if you don’t open the windows in your car you are just basically circulating hot air so we suggest opening all doors for a few minutes before cranking up that air con to 11!
Another common motorist air condition error is the old air recirculation option: Keeping this on can cause your windows to fog up and reduce your visibility, it can also make it harder to quickly cool your cars temperature down. Most cars do have an auto, which can regulate the temperature to prevent fogging and keep you and your passengers cool.
Pointing the air con jets straight at you: This may very well cool you down but you won’t be getting an even distribution of air flow. So by simply angling the jets upwards toward the roof will let the cool air flow around your car more efficiently and allow you and your passengers to feel the benefits.
Turn on the air conditioning first thing in the morning: Some mornings during the summer months may seem a lot cooler but don’t be fooled as once the sun comes out things tend to warm up very quickly. A good trick to know is to keep the air con on, so to prevent the windows from fogging up when the outside temperature begins to rise. Also by keeping your car in the shade and if possible covering your windscreen can also help.
Maintenance: Just like other areas of your car such as the oil, the tyres or the brake fluid, the air conditioning system also requires a regular check-up and maintenance if required . Cabin air filters need to be changed on average every 10,000 to 15,000 miles to make sure they are working properly.
Once your air conditioning is on in your car and you have it at the right temperature when driving do not open your windows. This can make the air conditioning work much harder and it can also burn up your fuel as well as raising the temperature in the car.
And don’t forget to recharge regularly. The coolant used by your cars air con system needs to be refreshed regularly this is also known as a recharge or re-gas. Occasionally you will need to drain your air cons coolant, refill it and keep the key components well lubricated so they work more efficiently. Most car manufacturers will recommend a recharge every two years or so, but to be 100% sure always check your vehicle's handbook. If your air con coolant levels are draining faster than is expected, this could mean that you have a leak in your system. It's important to get this checked as the gases released are harmful to the environment.
Last but not least you can check if your car’s air con is working properly by measuring the outlet temperature at the vent with a thermometer. Simply drive your car with the A/C on maximum. As an example with temperatures in the 20’s Celsius (70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit) the outlet temperature should be around 1-8 Celsius (35 to 48 degrees Fahrenheit).
