THE REFRIGERANT – WHAT GOES WRONG?

 Refrigerant leaking from the air-conditioning system and into the atmosphere is endemic to modern vehicles. Even when the system is sound and devoid of such nasties as a perished hose, or a punctured condenser, the pressurised refrigerant leaches out via the flexible pipes and rubber seals over time. The problem becomes aggravated if the air-conditioning is not switched on at least once a fortnight, because the tiny rubber O-rings within the system shrink, allowing the gas to pass through. Aside from the safety and passenger comfort advantages explained earlier, using the air-conditioning during the winter helps to reduce repair bills and modern variable-displacement compressors mean that you won't incur significant fuel consumption increases.