How long does AC charging take?

If your car's air conditioning system isn't delivering the cool air you need to stay comfortable in hot weather, it's probably low on refrigerant. This may be due to a leak in the system, and when leaking, it is obvious that the refrigerant level is dropping. Your air conditioner will then turn off to prevent damage to the compressor. Vehicle owners often mistakenly believe that all they need to do is "top up" coolant from time to time, but this is actually not the case.

Any time your air conditioner becomes low on refrigerant, it should be flushed and replaced with refrigerant. This ensures that you always have enough refrigerant in the system to keep your air conditioner working properly, keeping you and your passengers comfortable. So, how long does an AC recharge last? Your air conditioner doesn't run all the time, so unless you live in a very hot climate, you can usually expect a charge to last at least three years. Of course, if you want, you can take a proactive approach and schedule a recharge every three years as part of scheduled maintenance, but as long as you keep cool, your air conditioner doesn't really need to be recharged.

Signs that your air conditioner may need to be recharged include: