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How to Write a Failure Description That Works
The No. 1 reason warranty claims are denied is insufficient information. “It’s broken” doesn’t tell us what we need to know and probably will delay your claim as we look for answers. It can be tough...
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Troubleshooting A/C Clutch Failures and Low Voltage
On a 12-volt system, the A/C compressor clutch needs a minimum of 11.5 volts to create the electromagnetic field necessary to engage the clutch pulley so refrigerant can flow. Any less and the clutch...
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Why It's a Bad Idea to Use a Can of 134a to Top Up the A/C
Somewhere, at this moment, there’s a guy in an auto parts store reading the label on a one-pound can of R-134a, the kind with a hose on it that you can hook up to charge the A/C system. If you see...
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Dust in the Fins: Change the Air Filter, Check the Evaporator
If it’s time to change recirc air filters in your cab, go a little further and check the evaporator for caked-on dirt that can hamper its performance. During normal operation, the evaporator picks up...
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How to Choose the Right A/C Fitting
Your Red Dot parts catalog has dozens of pages listing refrigerant hose fittings of different makes, sizes, and angles. To you, of course, the only one that matters is the one that needs to be...
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How Your Broken Part Helps Us Improve Product Quality
We’re the folks who process your warranty claims and send you a credit, but our role at Red Dot goes way beyond that. The warranty department is part of the product development process. We record and...
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Ban the Box: File Warranty Claims Online
Some people want you to think outside the box. I want you to empty the box. I’m talking about the bin where failed parts are laid to rest until the “busy” season dies down and you can get around to...
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What a Blown A/C Compressor Looks Like
This is what can happen when you charge the A/C system on on the suction side and liquid gets into it: you blow the top right off the compressor. It's usually a mistake made by a technician not...
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A/C Diagnostics: Don’t Take ’Won’t Blow Cold Air’ for an Answer
No one has time for vague failure descriptions. Literally. A work order that says, “A/C won’t blow cold air” is going to soak up a lot of hours in the service bay compared to one that’s more...
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Is Your Recycled Antifreeze at Full Strength?
More maintenance shops are using recycled antifreeze, and for good reason. It’s less expensive than virgin antifreeze, it saves a non-renewable resource (ethylene glycol is a natural gas derivative),...
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