Car Care for the Smart “Driver”
QUESTION
Dear Gen X,
I am driving my 2003 Nissan Altima from my college in Indiana to my parent’s home in Nevada. I haven’t turned my A/C on all freshman year or checked any of the things I should before going on a long trip. I don’t have the money for a repair shop to look it over, so if the A/C doesn’t work, should I drive with the windows down and save on gas at the same time?
Mikaela Pennington
Henderson, Nevada
ANSWER
Dear Mikaela,
I think you are very cool to drive home on your own, and congratulations on completing your first year of college.
Most automotive checkups are best left to a repair shop; however, since money is tight, let’s try this. Take your manual out of the glove box and under air conditioning read over what the manufacturer has to say as to how to operate the system. Now start your car and turn your A/C on to see if you’re getting cold air out of your vents; it’s that simple. In a car as new as yours, you should be fine.
If you hear a loud squealing noise along with a burnt rubber smell, it might mean a compressor issue, in which case you need to call home for the credit card number and see a technician before leaving campus. Your dealer warranty might be expired, so find a repair shop that someone from the college recommends.
For future reference, in cold climates, you should run your cars air-conditioning regularly (about ten minutes per month) because it contains a light mineral oil in the refrigerant to keep the compressor properly lubricated.
As far as driving with the windows down instead of turning on the air conditioning in order to save on gas, that is not so. The air-conditioning compressor does pull power from the engine, which uses some gas, but the effect is actually quite minimal in a car of the Altima’s age. On the other hand, driving with your windows down, at high speeds, can create aerodynamic drag, which causes your car to burn more fuel. I suggest you keep the windows shut, A/C on and insert in to your sound system the book on tape “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” Have a safe trip and let me know how it all turned out.
Boomer and X
Archives
Car Care for the Smart Driver, Picking an Auto Repair Shop - April 2007
Boomer and X - Two generations of women offer car-care advice to readers each month. This Mother Daughter team of Cathy and Melanie Droz are automotive journalists and manufacturers “test drivers.” Boomer shares years of knowledge and experience while our generation “X” contributes and shares a trendier, more-technically hip solution to automotive questions.
Send your questions to Boomerand X@GPPPS.com
