Recharging your vehicle’s air-conditioning system doesn’t always mean a trip to the dealership or local mechanic. With the most basic do-it-yourself knowledge, it can be a fast and easy process. Using any of the all-in-one recharge kits available at auto parts stores, this simple service can take as little as 10 minutes from start to ice cold finish, potentially saving vehicle owners hundreds of dollars when they do the recharging themselves.

“Millions of car owners enjoy maintaining their own vehicles,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “If your A/C system needs to be recharged and you choose to take on the task yourself, following a few simple steps can help you achieve proper cooling performance that is critical for interior comfort.”

To keep your cool when the weather heats up, the Car Care Council recommends the following step-by-step instructions to restore air conditioning performance. The tools needed to recharge the A/C system are minimal and include a charging hose assembly, A/C pressure gauge and R-134A refrigerant. Some recharge kits on the market today even include the hose and pressure gauge as part of their packaging. Before you begin any maintenance, always remember to first put on safety glasses and gloves.

1. Locate the low pressure service port under the hood and remove the cap. The low pressure port will always be on the larger diameter aluminum tubing between the air conditioning compressor and the car’s firewall.
2. Start the engine and set the A/C to maximum cold with the fan speed on its highest setting. Shake the can of R-134A refrigerant well before attaching the hose and open the windows and doors of the vehicle.
3. Attach the charging hose to the low pressure port by pulling up on the connector sleeve and then pushing the connector over the fitting and releasing the sleeve. Gently tug on the hose to ensure the connector is locked on the fitting.
4. Some DIY kits have a temperature dial on the charging hose and gauge pack that should be set to the current outside air temperature prior to charging.
5. At this point, check the pressure gauge to get an accurate pressure reading. It is critical that the compressor is running with the fan on its highest setting and the air conditioning at Max Cold. You’ll know the compressor is running by looking at the center of the pulley, which should be rotating and cycling on and off.
6. Begin recharging the system by holding the refrigerant in the upright position, releasing the refrigerant into the vehicle’s A/C system and simultaneously rotating the can between the 12 o’clock and 3 o’clock position during charging. Periodically stop the flow of refrigerant into the system to take an accurate pressure reading.  With kits that have a temperature dial, the system is fully charged when the gauge needle reads in the green zone of the pie-shaped area indicated on the temperature dial. CAUTION: Be careful not to overcharge the system.
7. After charging, close the valve on the refrigerant can and remove the hose coupler from the low pressure port, replacing the service cap.

For more information and to view a video demonstration of these steps, please visit the Car Care Council’s website at www.carcare.org/2012/03/recharging-your-cars-air-conditioning-system/.

About the Car Care Council:

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For a copy of the council’s Car Care Guide or for more information, visit www.carcare.org.

Between running errands and shuffling kids to and from school and practice, moms have very little time to clean out the papers, water bottles, crumbs, fast food wrappers and other items that accumulate in the family car. Surprising mom with the simple gift of a clean car will not only make her smile, but will also lessen her driving distractions, says the Car Care Council.

“Just about every mom knows what it feels like to have a water bottle rolling dangerously close to the brake or gas pedal. Giving her car a thorough cleaning will go a long way toward eliminating hazards that can be a distraction, making for safer driving conditions,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council.

To get started, remove any clutter from inside the car, including items that have accumulated in the trunk that can add extra weight and reduce fuel efficiency. The next step is to thoroughly clean and vacuum the interior and wash the windows.

When washing the outside, include the tires, wheels, underside and fenders to eliminate any road salt or grime. Wheels and tires should be cleaned with a mitt other than the one used to wash the body. This will avoid contaminating the vehicle’s paint with debris from the wheels and tires.

The vehicle should be washed in the shade and with a product sold specifically for cars. The council recommends washing one section at a time, thoroughly rinsing away the soap as you go. Work your way down toward the front, sides and rear of the vehicle. Clean the fenders and bumpers last since they will have the most dirt and grime that can contaminate the wash mitt.

The car should get a final rinse by removing the spray nozzle from the hose and letting the water cascade down the surfaces of the vehicle. To avoid water spots, dry the vehicle with a chamois or other product made for drying.

The last step is to wax the car according to the manufacturer’s instructions for application. Waxing should be done out of direct sunlight and every six months. It goes a long way toward protecting the vehicle’s finish and makes subsequent washes easier.

If you identified any stone chips, rust or other problem spots while washing your vehicle, the council suggests having these taken care of immediately to prevent further damage.

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For more information, visit www.carcare.org.

Give mom a car that looks brand new!

• Hang onto your current vehicle and limit the number of new cars you buy over the course of a lifetime. Extending vehicle life is as simple as taking care of your vehicle properly. You’ll gain years of reliable service without monthly car payments and higher insurance rates.

• Follow a vehicle service schedule including fuel-saving steps like performing regular tune-ups, keeping tires properly inflated, replacing air filters regularly, changing oil regularly and checking your gas cap. Routine maintenance helps reduce emissions and fuel consumption, saving money at the pump.

• Recycle or properly dispose motor oil, tires, batteries, fluids and other vehicle components to help protect the planet when performing vehicle maintenance or repairs.

• Repower your engine when faced with serious engine trouble. A remanufactured/rebuilt engine can give your vehicle new life and make it more fuel efficient for about the cost of an average down payment on a new car. To learn more, visit www.enginerebuilder.org.

“Basic vehicle maintenance goes a long way toward protecting the environment, extending vehicle life and improving fuel economy,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “The Car Care Council’s free customized service schedule makes it easy to be green, drive smart and save money.”

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For more information, visit www.carcare.org.

The results of vehicle inspections held at community car care events across the country during Car Care Months in April and October 2012 reveal that 77 percent of vehicles need service or parts. An annual analysis of vehicle inspection forms found the top three problem areas posting the highest failure rates to be engine oil (22 percent), engine cooling systems (20 percent) and brake service (18 percent).

Eight percent of the vehicles inspected had the “check engine” light on and new air filters were needed in 19 percent of the vehicles. At least one belt was reported as unsatisfactory in 14 percent of the vehicles inspected, and 10 percent required at least one new hose. Battery cables, clamps and terminals needed maintenance in 11 percent of the vehicles inspected, while 10 percent of the batteries were not properly held down.

When checking lubricants and fluids, the three top failure rates were: low or dirty motor oil at 22 percent; low, leaky or dirty coolant at 20 percent; and inadequate brake fluid levels at 18 percent. Power steering, coolant and transmission fluids were also checked and had failure rates of 14 percent and below.

Approximately 14 percent of vehicles had front windshield wiper failures, and 1 percent needed service to rear wipers. At least 13 percent of vehicles needed lights replaced, including headlights, brake lights and license plate lights. Improperly inflated tires were found on 9 percent of the cars and 10 percent had worn tread and were in need of replacement. Tire pressure failure rate has steadily declined after recording the highest rate of 54 percent in 2003.

“Neglected vehicle care almost always means much higher costs down the line in the form of more extensive repairs or lost resale value,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “Following a routine maintenance program like the Car Care Council’s free personalized schedule and e-mail reminder service  can help you drive smart, save money and make informed decisions.”

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For more information, visit www.carcare.org.

1. Check all fluids, including engine oil, power steering, brake and transmission as well as windshield washer solvent and antifreeze/coolant.

2. Check the hoses and belts to make sure they are not cracked, brittle, frayed, loose or showing signs of excessive wear.

3. Check the battery and replace if necessary. Make sure the connection is clean, tight and corrosion-free.

4. Check the brake system annually and have the brake linings, rotors and drums inspected at each oil change.

5. Inspect the exhaust system for leaks, damage and broken supports or hangers if there is an unusual noise. Exhaust leaks can be dangerous and must be corrected without delay.

6. Schedule a tune-up to help the engine deliver the best balance of power and fuel economy and produce the lowest level of emissions.

7. Check the heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system, as proper heating and cooling performance is critical for interior comfort and for safety reasons such as defrosting.

8. Inspect the steering and suspension system annually including shock absorbers, struts and chassis parts such as ball joints, tie rod ends and other related components.

9. Check the tires, including tire pressure and tread. Uneven wear indicates a need for wheel alignment. Tires should also be checked for bulges and bald spots.

10. Check the wipers and lighting so that you can see and be seen. Check that all interior and exterior lighting is working properly and replace worn wiper blades so you can see clearly when driving during precipitation.

“Whether you visit a professional service technician or do it yourself, a thorough vehicle inspection this spring can help keep your car safe and dependable and help you avoid much higher costs down the road in the form of more extensive repairs or lost resale value,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council.

Many of the businesses and groups planning inspection events for National Car Care Month in April have posted them on the event finder on the Car Care Council’s website. For more information on finding or hosting a local event, visit http://www.carcare.org/car-care-events/.

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers.

“Whether it’s an oil change, replacing brakes or new belts and hoses, that periodic repair bill is a drop in the bucket compared to monthly payments on a new car,” said Rich White, executive director Car Care Council. “The bottom line is that a properly maintained vehicle is safer, more dependable, more fuel efficient, less polluting and more valuable. The smartest way to get a solid return on investment is to keep your car through what we call the ‘Cinderella Era.’  It’s that period of time after the payoff when your car is still in great shape and needs only modest repairs.”

With proper care, the typical vehicle should deliver at least 200,000 miles of safe, dependable performance. The most common maintenance procedures and repairs to keep your car operating safely and reliably while maintaining its long-term value involve checking the oil, filters and fluids, the belts and hoses, brakes, tires and air conditioning. The council also recommends an annual tune-up and wheel alignment.

“Last year, the average tax refund was nearly $3,000. By simply allocating a portion, or the equivalent of just one new car payment, consumers could cover an entire year’s worth of basic maintenance and live happily ever after with their current vehicle,” said White.

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For a copy of the council’s Car Care Guide or for more information, visit www.carcare.org.

• Loss of control, swaying when making routine turns, bottoming out on city streets or bouncing excessively on rough roads. These are indicators that the steering and suspension may have been damaged. The steering and suspension are key safety-related systems. Together, they largely determine your car’s ride and handling. Key components are shocks and/or struts, the steering knuckle, ball joints, the steering rack/box, bearings, seals and hub units and tie rod ends.

• Pulling in one direction, instead of maintaining a straight path, and uneven tire wear. These symptoms mean there’s an alignment problem. Proper wheel alignment is important for the lifespan of tires and helps ensure safe handling.

• Low tire pressure, bulges or blisters on the sidewalls, or dents in the rim. These problems will be visible and should be checked out as soon as possible as tires are the critical connection between your car and the road in all sorts of driving conditions.

“Snow, cold temperatures and rainfall can lead to potholes, and with the wintery weather that has covered most of the country this year, navigating the streets could be difficult,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “If you’ve hit a pothole and suspect that there may be damage to the tires, wheels, steering and suspension or wheel alignment, it’s worth having a professional technician check out the car and make any necessary repairs.”

As a general rule of thumb, steering and suspension systems should be checked at least once a year and wheels should be aligned at the same interval. Motorists who live in areas where potholes are common should be prepared to have these systems checked more frequently.

Potholes occur during the winter and spring months, when water permeates the pavement – usually through a crack from wear and tear of traffic – and softens the soil beneath it, creating a depression in the surface of the street. Many potholes appear during winter and spring months because of freeze-thaw cycles, which accelerate the process. Potholes can also be prevalent in areas with excessive rainfall and flooding.

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For a copy of the council’s Car Care Guide or for more information, visit www.carcare.org.

“The new industry tool box serves as a one-stop-shop for ideas, tools and resources to help aftermarket businesses reach out to new and existing customers,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “Whether it’s something as simple as handing out Car Care Guides or more elaborate like conducting a community car care event during National Car Care Month in April or Fall Car Care Month in October, the tool box walks aftermarket professionals through the many different ways that they can get involved in the campaign to grow their business and connect with the community.”

The new tool box is organized into several tool box “drawer” categories to help shops, stores, and other aftermarket businesses easily participate. Tool box drawers are labeled: Get Started, Participate in Car Care Months, Host an Event, Promotional Materials, Communicate with Your Customers, The Car Care Guide, Tune Up Your Website, Car Care Clips, Latest News and Resources.

“There is no better time than now to get involved with the ongoing consumer education campaign to help motorists understand the benefits of proper vehicle maintenance and how it can help them save money in the long run,” said White. “The new tool box makes it easy to get on board.”

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For a free copy of the council’s Car Care Guide or for more information, visit www.carcare.org.

“Hanging on to your current vehicle allows you to redirect money you would spend on a new car to pay off credit card debt, college loans and other bills, beef up savings or even take a road trip vacation,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “By simply budgeting the equivalent of just one new car payment, consumers could cover an entire year’s worth of basic maintenance.”

Even if serious engine trouble strikes, keeping your current vehicle is the sensible economic decision. For the cost of an average down payment on a new car or truck, a vehicle can be repowered with a remanufactured/rebuilt engine and gain years of reliable service without monthly car payments and higher insurance rates.

“In the early 1970s, you could buy a house for $30,000, and the average vehicle cost $3,900 but didn’t last anywhere near as long as cars do today. Now, the average age of passenger vehicles is 10.8 years, the oldest ever,” said White. “With proper routine maintenance, the typical vehicle should deliver at least 200,000 miles of safe, dependable, efficient and enjoyable performance.”

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the “Be Car Care Aware” consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For a copy of the council’s Car Care Guide or for more information, visit www.carcare.org.

“We were excited to see people taking the time to show how much they love their cars and their efforts to invest in their maintenance,” said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. “It is great to see new levels of engagement in the ‘Be Car Care Aware’ campaign on social media channels through socially-savvy drivers.”

The Car Care Council frequently adds tips and helpful information to its Pinterest page. Follow the council’s Pinterest account here for tips and news, and visit www.carcare.org for more information.