FAQs

Bring your vehicle in to your nearest CoolCar Air-Conditioning Centre, and we will examine it to see what is wrong. We will let you know what work is needed and give you an estimate of the cost.  We would typically recommend more than just re-gassing as we like to address the root cause of low refrigerant so it’s hard to give pricing sight-unseen.

Please phone 0508 COOLCAR (0508 266 5227) and select the centre nearest to you. Visit our Centres page for more contact information.

After we have examined your vehicle, we will let you know what work is needed and give you an estimate of the cost.

The cost might go up while we’re doing the work if we find anything else that needs fixing – but we’ll let you know before we go ahead.

We can’t give you an estimate without seeing the vehicle, as a visual inspection is needed to determine faults, these are wide and varied and there is usually more to the story than simply re-gassing the system.

CoolCar Air-Conditioning Centres are air-conditioning and heating specialists. Our staff are highly trained and we use specialist equipment. A number of our centres are multiple award winners, including people’s choice awards for Best Auto Air-Conditioning Specialist.  Our centres may belong to MTA and VASA (Automotive Airconditioning, Electrical and Cooling Technicians of Australasia).

We offer a 12 month warranty on our parts and labour (*conditions apply).  See Our Guarantee to You and other reasons to shop with us on our Why Choose Us page.

It is never a good idea to just re-gas a vehicle air-conditioning system without first finding and fixing the fault.

A modern air-conditioning system is no longer leaky by design. The gas has disappeared for a reason – usually a leak.  In rare cases it may have been let out during an accident or other mechanical repairs (which as described below is illegal).

CoolCar won’t just re-gas your system without finding and fixing the fault.

If you just get a re-gas without fixing any leaks, the gas will just disappear again and you will need another re-gas in the future. There could also be substantial long-term damage to your air-conditioning system.

CoolCar Air-Conditioning Centres have the expertise and equipment to find and fix any leaks before re-gassing.  Repairing leaks mean the gas won’t disappear into the atmosphere.

It is illegal in New Zealand to allow air-conditioning gas (also known as refrigerant) to disappear into the atmosphere. This is because air-conditioning gas is a synthetic greenhouse gas (SGG) that contributes to global warming. The Climate Change Response Act aims to minimise the damage SGGs cause to the atmosphere while allowing their continued, responsible use.

Only unethical operators offer to ‘just do a re-gas’ without looking for and fixing any faults.  A basic pressure test is not adequate to find many leak and should be regarded with suspicion.

Please bring your vehicle to a CoolCar centre, and you will be doing the right thing by the environment, while also getting the best advice for your air-conditioning system.

We will diagnose why your vehicle has lost gas when we see your vehicle and give you an estimate.

It also needs to be considered that low refrigerant is not the problem being experienced.  Sometimes air-conditioning has stopped working purely due to poor airflow from blocked cabin filters (you can’t feel the cold even though it is being produced), a sensor or other control is faulty, the thermal expansion valve is faulty and a host of other problems, so we can’t give an estimate without seeing your vehicle as other work may also be needed.

Signs your vehicle air-conditioning or heater system need a check-up include the following:

• the air inside your vehicle is too hot or cold even after you’ve changed the settings
• your air-conditioning is smelly or noisy
• fluid leaks from your air-conditioning/heater box onto your vehicle’s floor
• windows are fogging heavily and won’t demist even with the air-conditioning and heater running
• you can’t change the vent selection to your preferred option
• your air-conditioning or heater system aren’t working at all.
• your air-conditioning stops working after a while
• your air-conditioning has gradually gotten less effective over time.
• it’s not as cold as your other car!
• your air-conditioning is blowing but not cold
• your air-conditioning has no air flow, nothing is coming out of the vents
• you’ve had it re-gassed and it didn’t work or now it’s stopped working again
• you’ve had it re-gassed with a UV dye and a couple of weeks have gone past

We recommend you get your vehicle air-conditioning checked every couple of years with an annual cabin filter replacement, if your vehicle is fitted with one.

Staying on top of servicing and maintenance saves you money in the long term and helps guard against expensive damage.  Let us catch problems while they are small.

Some people say turning off your air-conditioning saves you money on petrol. However, there are significant losses in vehicle efficiency when you drive your car at open road speeds with the windows down.

Modern car air-conditioning systems are designed to be as economical as possible. A lot of consideration is given to this when manufacturers design air-conditioning systems.

There are other advantages to having your air-conditioning on when driving:

• It helps keep you alert
• using your air-conditioning in all seasons reduces the chances of a malfunction in your air-conditioning system. Malfunctions can lead to costly repairs.
• It demists your windscreen in winter – ensuring visibility and safer driving. So keep your air-conditioner on even when you have your heater running.

Bring your car in to a CoolCar Air-Conditioning Centre for an air-conditioning and heating check. Let us know you’re concerned your air-conditioning system may be causing smells. As part of the check, we’ll investigate the source of the odour.

It could be your air-conditioning or it could be a range of other causes. After we’ve examined your car, we’ll tell you the repairs or servicing needed to stop the smell, and any other work needed to keep your air-conditioning and heating working well. We will give you an estimate of the cost.

Some of the issues you are experiencing could be due to

• mould or bacteria growing on the evaporator inside the dash
• rodents inside the dashboard
• a blocked cabin filter.
• refrigeration oil due to a leaking evaporator.  Don’t worry, this isn’t dangerous but is definitely a signal your air-conditioning needs more work.
• antifreeze from a leaking heater coil
• burnt wiring/components
• a seizing compressor or compressor clutch

For a vehicle air-conditioning and heating check, phone 0508 COOLCAR (0508 266 5227) and select the centre nearest to you. Visit our Centres page for more contact information.