Keeping Cool in your Mercedes - Making Sure Your AC is in Top Condition
On a cool spring evening it might be nice to cruise around with only the open windows as your air conditioning. However the next day, as you enter your car which is now approaching the temperature of the sun to drive to lunch, with your boss, you might want to have something a little more professional and effective to keep your cool.
Your Mercedes was equipped from the factory with air conditioning that was designed to cool great in the mild European climates. However, the south United States can often reach Saharan Desert temperatures in the summer, which puts a tad bit of strain on your refrigeration system.
To make sure that your Mercedes’ Air Conditioner will keep you cool in the hottest of conditions you need to make sure that everything in the system is in top condition. One of the most common problems is an issue with the auxiliary cooling fan. This fan sits in front of your radiator and air conditioning coils, and pushes additional air across them. This is where the heat from your car goes, and any obstructions in the coils, or issues with the Mercedes Auxiliary Cooling fan will create a severe bottle neck in your cooling capability.
If your system is low on Freon, you have no chance of being cool. Freon is the magical stuff that moves the heat from the inside of your car to the outside. Freon is a liquid when under pressure and a gas when the pressure is realized. And when Freon changes from a liquid to a gas, it gets very cold. If you do not have enough Freon in your system you and your boss will not have a nice drive to lunch. If you have a car made after 1994, it will use the new R134A environmentally friendly Freon. You can buy this in 12 oz cans pretty much anywhere with no special paperwork for a few dollars per can. If you Mercedes rolled off the line before 1994, then it is likely filled with the evil ozone destroying R12. You can find this on eBay, if you have the correct license, or you can convert your system to use CFC free version which works almost as good.
If your Freon level seems to be correct but you are not getting cool enough you might want to check your Mercedes A/C Expansion Valve – this is what controls the changing of Freon from a liquid to a gas, and thus how much cooling you get. In the event you need to change this valve it is also a good idea to install a new Mercedes A/C Drier. This bottle is what keeps your Freon clean and dry as any water in the system will turn to ice and may damage the compressor or your coils.
Hopefully by checking these simple and inexpensive items you can keep your Mercedes Benz A/C unit in tip top condition without an expensive and time consuming trip to the mechanic, or a summer living in the center of the sun.
Tags: Air Conditioner | Cooling System | Cooling System | Mercedes Benz | Freon
June 9th, 2009 at 4:01 am
Really thank you for your advice & sharing the information about the Mercedes.