| Updated: 6/25/2012 5:43 pm |
Published: 6/25/2012 5:33 pm
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We reached a near-record temperature at 104 degrees Monday in Green Country.
This is the second day in a row for triple digit heat that could last all week and that can mean big trouble for your car.
FOX23 decided to look into the challenges of keeping your car from breaking down in the summer heat. It’s a problem that D&M Firestone mechanic, Darren Scott sees often. When temperatures hit the triple digits, car owners begin flocking to his shop looking for answers.
"They get in and turn the AC on and expect it to be cold like when it was in the 80's or mid 90's, and they literally think their air conditioning is not working,” says Scott.
"That's not necessarily the case. It's all that hot air that's inside the vehicle. It takes awhile to cool that air inside the vehicle down,” he says.
But if you’re concerned about your AC making it through the hot summer months, there are a few things Darren recommends.
"Take it to a mechanic and have them put the gauges on it and do a pressure test and see if it’s low on Freon,” says Scott.
Just a tiny bit can make a huge difference. Also, don’t sit in park with the AC running while you’re on your lunch break. It can spell a shorter life for your AC system.
“You're just pulling the heat of the car in front of you, the heat of your own engine, the heat of the car next to you plus the heat of the day,” says Scott.
Across town at Storey Wrecker, James Dean is going out on 8 to 10 heat related calls a day. He’s seen it all lately.
"Things like blown radiators, tires that blow out, and batteries that have gone out are common,” he says.
"The hotter it gets the more calls we get, but we also slow down a little bit as far as the driver because the heat gets to us too,” says Dean.
Another good idea is to make sure you keep your sunroof closed and have your windows tinted. You can also use a visor in your windshield to block out the sun.
For general AC service at D&M Firestone, you can expect to pay around $80. However, it could cost you well over $500 to replace the compressor or condenser and in some cases, three times that amount.
