Dacia Sandero air conditioning regas

What does an air conditioning regas do?

It’s no longer considered a luxury, so most modern cars come with air con. However, like anything else, it needs regular maintenance. If you’re not getting cold air into your vehicle, regassing is the most likely solution.

A regas is the removal of old refrigerant gas from the system and replacing and recharging it, along with the lubricant and in line with the manufacturer’s instructions, so that the air runs cold again. (By the way, vehicles made from 2017 onwards are legally obliged to use a new type of refrigerant.)

While DIY kits are available, they save you almost nothing compared with getting a specialist to do the job. What’s more, if something goes wrong, you could be left with a pricey bill, or there could be safety issues. (Refrigerant can cause painful freeze burns if it gets on your skin or in your eyes.) Equally, if there are any other problems with the air con system, a professional will be able to put them right.

How often should I need to regas my air conditioner?

Most manufacturers suggest getting the air con serviced every couple of years, although many drivers wait until there’s no cold air coming through before taking action. But it’s really not worth putting it off—as well as creating an uncomfortable travelling environment, poorly working air conditioning makes it harder to demist windows in winter, and may mean the engine has to work harder, so fuel consumption rises. Additionally, pipes in the system could crack, or parts seize up.

The law, vehicle regulations and your MOT

A faulty air conditioner won’t affect your car’s MOT, but it can affect the comfort of you and your passengers. It’s worth keeping your air conditioning running at its optimum performance as the impact it can have on your vehicle’s fuel efficiency could significantly affect the day-to-day cost of your motoring.

What happens when we regas your air conditioning?

• Our efficient and fully qualified mechanics will check for cracks and leaks that could be hindering the air conditioning system’s efficient operation.
• Wherever required, all old refrigerant will be removed from your air conditioning system and replaced with the precise quantity of fresh refrigerant.
• You will also be advised of any other parts that may need to be replaced for the best operation and health of your vehicle.
• Once the refrigerant has been replaced, our mechanics will test it thoroughly to ensure its correct running make any adjustments required for its premium operation.

Symptoms you might need an AC regas

Your air con isn’t as cold as normal

If your AC has stopped working correctly and you notice that the air conditioning in your car isn’t providing the usual levels of cold air as normal, it’s probably time for a regas.

Looking after your air conditioning

It’s true that most general car services don’t cover air conditioning, but any garage should be able to do a straightforward air con service and regas for you at an affordable price. They will probably want to do a pre-service inspection first, and any repairs needed as a result are usually billed for separately.

The inspection should include looking out for any cracks or leaks that could hinder the system’s efficient working.

Try and use the system all year round to keep it running smoothly, and consider an anti-bacterial clean if musty smells are emerging from the vents—your garage or workshop should also offer this. Additionally, change the cabin filter regularly.

Dacia

Dacia is a Romanian automobile manufacturer, established over 50 years ago in 1966, and has been a subsidiary of the French car manufacturer Renault since 1999.

Dacia is Romania’s top company by revenue and the largest exporter, constituting 7.3% of the country’s total exports in 2014.

How popular is Dacia in the United Kingdom?

Dacia offers great value budget motoring—but don’t think just because they’re cheap they’re not worth the money. The Sandero hatchback is Britain’s cheapest new car and has been receiving high praise from many of the critics and car reviewers throughout the country.

There are currently 137k Dacia vehicles on the roads in the UK, but that number is showing steady, solid growth year by year. Having only been introduced into the UK market in 2013, and with the popularity growing through their more than affordable yet reliable cars, it’s looking like they’re only heading from strength to strength.

Superb value city cars, MPVs and SUVs

With a neat but tidy range featuring the Logan estate, the Sandero hatchback, the Duster SUV and the Lodgy MPV, Dacia looks to be aiming primarily towards budget conscious family drivers.

Yet with the provision of new technologies, the model platforms and the support of Renault behind them, they’re in a great position to offer not only the low prices they’re renowned for but with real substance to back them up.

Dacia: Don’t let the UK numbers fool you

Despite being a relative newcomer to the UK market, Dacia has been manufacturing and selling cars around the world for a lot longer than they have here. The global success of this Romanian marque stands at over 4.5m units sold worldwide since the Renault supported relaunch in 2004. It became the fastest growing retail brand in Europe in 2017, with sales of the Sandero rising by 16%, and selling almost 200k units.

Dacia’s reliability and reputation

Dacia ranked 13th place out of 30 car brands in the What Car? Reliability Survey in 2018, and for a budget car marque that isn’t something to be taken lightly. When you consider they ranked higher than some of the industry giants: Fiat, BMW, VW, Audi, Volvo—even Porsche and Mercedes-Benz—this is a marque that is making waves as the new kid on the block.

Recent Dacia recalls and reliability issues

Various recalls have been made on Dacia models throughout their motoring history. The following are a list of the most recent in the UK and Europe.

26/03/2019 – Dacia Logan (2017–2018)

The lower steering column mounting bracket

04/01/2019 – Dacia Logan and Sandero (2018)

Driver’s airbag may not deploy correctly

04/01/2019 – Dacia Logan and Sandero (2013–2015)

Risk of fuel leak

04/04/2019 – Dacia Duster (2016–2017)

Trailer lighting may fail

20/03/2019 – Dacia Logan (2017)

Front wheel hubs may crack

19/09/2017 – Dacia Duster (2017)

Incorrect wiring in horn system can cause one or more safety faults

20/12/2016 – Dacia Logan and Sandero (2012)

Driver’s airbag may not deploy

23/02/2016 – Dacia Logan and Sandero (2015)

Steering may fail

All recall information sourced from gov.co.uk data.