08 A/C check.

Just run the AC with the fan full on and the temperature set at say 60F, "you do not give your location in your avatar or post so I do not know if your car is in imperial or metric :- F or C", then gradually bring down the temperature checking the vents each time. You will know if it is working ok.

John (Britprius)

 

First take out the cabin filter and clean it real good. Then get a thermometer and stick it in one of the vents. Select front face vents put ac on max cold and let it run. Should get down to 60 degree's F pretty fast.
BTW, its a very good thing to run the ac once in a while during the winter. Keeps all the internal seals lubricated.

Clean the condenser coil once a year. Its the radiator in front of the radiator. That must be bug free and clean or your compressor will struggle to reach cold. You do not want your compressor struggling. $$$$

Easy to clean. Take the 5 screws out of the top black plastic plate that covers the radiators. Push them out from behind while turning out. They pop right out. With that plate off you can get to the front of the condenser. Go to Home Depot and in the ac aisle buy the blue cap spray can of pressurized coil cleaner. Rinse the condenser off. Spray it down with the coil cleaner and let it sit 2 mins. Rinse off. Should be nice and clean.

Also if the ac stinks like gym socks it due for an e-coil cleaning. Very common in a Prius. Thats the evap coil in the dash. It sweats and then the condensate drips out a hose on the bottom of the car. The dealer sells a $25 2 can cleaning kit to clean out the fungus/mold that may be in that coil housing. You'll know it will smell really musty when you first start the ac. Not good to breath it.

 

Yes it will come on. Drive the car till the interior is very warm. Put ac on LO and let it run a for a few minutes. Buy a thermometer at auto parts store stick it in a vent and get a baseline temp reading.
Write that down in owners manual to track over life of car. This car has an excellent ac system btw.

Do that once a week. It will really extend the life of the ac system.

 

Food for thought? in the winter time bellow 60F I can remove 50% of the refrigerant out of your car or almost any car and still get the duct TEMP down to 39F to 45F depending on the car. Most mechanics will say the A/C is good?. What dose this say for our industry . There are some tricks of the trade.