Maximize Your Car’s AC in the Texas Heat | Harlingen, TX
Every summer (and fall and spring and, okay, even winter), it’s hot here in Harlingen, Texas. That is why it is crucial that you do everything you can to maximize the air conditioner inside of your Kia car, van, or SUV. Here are some of our top suggestions.
Keep Your Car From Having to Do the Hard Work
By parking smartly, you can help minimize the amount of work your air conditioner has to do to cool the cabin when you get behind the wheel. That means parking in a garage when you’re at home, if possible, or at least under a carport. When you are out running errands, try to park in a shadier part of the parking lot or in a parking garage, if one is nearby. You can also invest in a windshield visor and window shades to block the sun from heating up the cabin.
Run It on Max Cool
Cranking the AC may sound inefficient, but you’re actually doing no one a favor by keeping the AC at a more moderate temperature setting. Your vehicle blows out one temperature of cool air, and that’s at the max cool level. Anything warmer and your vehicle actually has to heat up that cold air, which is less efficient. Instead, regulate how cold it is by adjusting fan speeds and closing vents.
Don’t Bother Precooling
Preheating your vehicle in the winter makes a lot of sense, but the inverse is not true in the summer. ACs don’t really blow out cool air until the engine is running. An idle engine doesn’t cool a cabin quickly or efficiently.
If your air conditioner is not as efficient or cool as it used to be — or just flat-out stopped working — schedule a maintenance visit as soon as possible with Bert Ogden Harlingen Kia. Our expert service technicians can fix any AC issue.