Car Air Conditioning in Dartmouth

Dartmouth is a historic port on the River Dart, with steep, narrow streets, ferries and the Britannia Royal Naval College looking down over the town. Visitor traffic builds up quickly, and a car crawling in queues is the sort of work that finds out a weak air-con system.

Automaster is at Longcombe Cross near Totnes. We service, re-gas and repair car air conditioning, and fix heating faults, on petrol and diesel cars and vans from Dartmouth and the area around it.

Why does my air con fade in a Dartmouth queue?

When you are stationary, cooling depends on the electric fan pulling air across the condenser. A faulty fan, a clogged condenser or a low charge shows up first in a queue for the ferry or on a steep, slow climb.

If it improves once you are moving, tell us when asking for a quote.

The long climbs out of the town, combined with the heat of a car park on a bright day, are hard on cooling. If the system can only cope on the flat, it is likely to be marginal, and a check will show whether the charge, compressor or fan is the cause.

What is checked during a diagnosis?

Pressure readings, compressor and clutch operation, the condenser and fan, pipes and joints, and the pollen filter. Where the charge is low, a leak check follows.

Electrical faults, like a failed pressure switch or relay, can stop the compressor even when the gas is fine.

Visitors and locals alike often leave the air con until the first scorching day, and by then a small leak has become a flat system. An early check, with the filter and the heating circuit looked at too, usually costs less trouble in the long run than waiting.

Where the compressor has failed, the repair is bigger, because debris can spread through the system and parts such as the condenser or drier may need replacing as well. This is why a quote can only follow an inspection.

• System pressures
• Compressor and clutch
• Condenser and cooling fan
• Pipes, seals and joints

Should I get a re-gas or a repair?

If the system has lost charge only slowly over time, a re-gas may be all it needs. If it has lost it quickly, a re-gas on a leaking system will not last and the leak needs repairing.

A quote can only be given once we know which situation your car is in.

Do you cover Dartmouth, and where is the garage?

Yes. Automaster is at Longcombe Cross, Longcombe, near Totnes, and drivers come from Dartmouth, Churston, Brixham, Kingsbridge and Totnes itself. We are an RAC Approved Garage.

Describe the symptoms by phone and ask for a quote before the trip.

What heater problems can you fix?

No heat, weak heat, a blower that fails and windows that will not demist. Causes include low coolant, a thermostat, a blocked matrix or a faulty fan control.

Overheating or a strong coolant smell means stop and get it checked rather than carrying on.