Car Air Conditioning in Milber

Milber is a residential area on the edge of Newton Abbot, with an industrial estate close by and quick access to the A380. That mix means a lot of drivers here do a bit of everything: short hops to the shops, commutes on the dual carriageway and trips to the estate for work. All of it puts a car's climate system through its paces, and when the air con stops getting cold or the heater goes lukewarm, you notice straight away.

At Automaster we look after car air conditioning and heating at our garage in Longcombe Cross, near Totnes. That covers air con servicing and re-gassing, diagnosis of faults, repairs to the cooling side of the system and heating repairs. Here is what goes wrong and what to tell us.

Why is my car air con not cold?

A car's air conditioning is a sealed circuit, but it is never perfectly sealed for life. Tiny amounts of refrigerant escape slowly through hose joints, seals and the compressor shaft, and the system gradually loses its ability to cool. Bigger losses come from a leak, often a damaged condenser at the front of the car, a perished pipe or a worn valve.

A compressor that will not engage, a blocked condenser, a failed fan or a clogged pollen filter can also leave you with weak or warm air, so we diagnose before recommending anything.

• Warm air at all fan speeds
• Cold for a few minutes, then fading

Is an air con regas enough, or is there a leak?

A re-gas simply refills the system with refrigerant. If the system is leaking, the new gas will escape again and you will have paid for a fix that does not last. So a leak check matters. We test the system and look for the source of any loss, which tells us whether a straightforward air con service or a repair is the right route.

Where there is no significant leak, a service with a re-gas can bring performance back. Where there is one, the faulty part needs attention first. What it takes depends on the car and on how accessible the part is, so ask for a quote once we know what we are dealing with.

Do you cover Milber, and where do I bring the car?

Yes. Drivers in Newton Abbot and the neighbourhoods around it, including Milber, as well as Abbotskerswell, Stoke-in-Teignhead and Teignmouth, are welcome to bring their cars to us. Our garage is at Longcombe Cross, Longcombe, Totnes TQ9 6PL. It is worth getting in touch first with your car's details and the symptoms so we can tell you what to expect.

What about heater problems and misting windows?

Heating faults are just as common, particularly as the evenings draw in. No heat can come from low coolant, a thermostat stuck open, a blocked heater matrix or an air lock left after coolant work. A blower that only works on some speeds usually points to a motor or resistor problem.

A sweet smell, damp carpets or persistently misted glass can suggest a leaking heater matrix. If the temperature gauge climbs or a warning light comes on, stop somewhere safe and do not keep driving: overheating can cause serious engine damage.

• No heat, or heat only when revving
• Coolant level dropping with no visible leak
• Fan not working on some settings
• Windscreen fogging that will not clear

How do I look after the system between visits?

Run the air con for a few minutes every week or two, even in winter. This circulates the oil that keeps the seals and compressor lubricated, and it dries the air to clear misting faster. Replace the pollen filter as the maker advises, and keep the front of the car clear of leaves and debris that can clog the condenser.

When you ask for a quote, tell us the make, model and year, what the system is doing, when it started, any noises or smells and whether it has ever been re-gassed.