Spring is in full swing, and those steamy, sweaty summer months are right around the corner. Is your car’s air conditioner ready? What can you do to ensure an icy auto interior? We’ll look at the question from two different ways.

#1 – Your car’s A/C system has been recently serviced or charged, so it’s working properly. In this case, you just want to maximize the cold air output. The system isn’t malfunctioning – you just want colder air. Here’s the fix: if the outside air is dry (basically 100% of the time in places like Arizona), use your car’s “Fresh Air” setting.

This brings in the outside atmosphere and allows the A/C system to cool the dry, hot air efficiently. If it’s hot, sticky & humid outside, set your air control for “Recirculation.” In this mode, your car will reuse existing air and also avoid the extra-humid conditions to enter the car’s interior cabin.

#2 – You’re not sure exactly what is wrong. If your air conditioning isn’t blowing cold, it’s probably due to wear & tear. Just like anything else on your car (brakes, hoses, tires, etc.), the A/C system can get old in a hurry. The refrigerant is the main factor in determining your A/C temperature. As this refrigerant wears out, the system is less efficient at turning the liquid into a gas.

This gas makes the air cold. In this situation, you can take your car to an air conditioning service specialist to have the refrigerant replaced. Environmentally-friendly standards require minimal (or zero) harmful emissions from air conditioning systems, and the new refrigerant is designated R-134a, which replaced the old R-12 style, commonly referred to as “Freon.”

Aside from the refrigerant, the compressor is usually the next trouble spot. As the main component in your car’s A/C system, the compressor’s job is to compress and transfer the refrigerant gas. If you’re a do-it-yourself type, buy and install your own compressor. You’ll not only save money, but you’ll also notice instant improvement to your A/C temperature.