How often should a private car have its refrigerant recharged?
2 Answers
Private cars generally need to have their refrigerant recharged every five to eight years. Here are the methods to determine whether a car's air conditioning system needs a refrigerant recharge: 1. Continuous bubbles in the sight glass: When the air conditioning is running normally and continuously, if there are continuous bubbles in the sight glass, it indicates insufficient refrigerant and a need for recharge. 2. No bubbles in the sight glass: When the air conditioning is running normally and continuously, if there are no bubbles in the sight glass, and no temporary bubbles appear when the air conditioning stops, it indicates an excessive amount of refrigerant and a need for discharge. 3. Temporary bubbles appear when the air conditioning stops: When the air conditioning is running normally and continuously, if there are no bubbles in the sight glass, but temporary bubbles appear when the air conditioning stops, it indicates the refrigerant level is normal.
I've been driving private cars for over 20 years, and my experience tells me that adding refrigerant to the air conditioning system doesn't need to be done at fixed intervals. It's only necessary when there's a system leak or when the cooling effect noticeably deteriorates. Generally, new cars won't have any issues for 5 to 8 years. My own old car only had refrigerant added once in 10 years, and that was only when the air coming out wasn't warm enough. Mechanics often say not to fall for sales pitches—some shops claim you need to add refrigerant every year just to make extra money, but in reality, checking the system's seals and pressure is what matters. With stricter environmental regulations now, overcharging with refrigerant can pollute the environment and may even lead to fines. So, I recommend simply testing the AC performance before summer—if it's working fine, save your money. Regular maintenance of the condenser and filters while driving can extend the system's lifespan, which is much more cost-effective than unnecessary refrigerant top-ups. Don’t mess around with adding refrigerant unnecessarily.