Auto expert advises Arizonans not to wait to get your car's A/C fixed

TEMPE, Ariz. - With summer heating up in the Valley, auto shops are prepared to see more cars needing air conditioner repairs.

The owner of Good Works Auto Repair in Tempe says some drivers put off the issue because of the costs.

In just a day, the auto repair shop fixed six cars that had A/C problems and that's not the only problem they're seeing.

"All of the gas leaked out, and he had no air conditioning, so we tore the seats out of his car, the entire dash out of his car, and six hours later, he has air conditioning, but it’s very expensive. Cost a couple thousand dollars to do it," Glen Hayward, owner of Good Works Auto Repair, said.

From routine maintenance repairs to costly repairs, Hayward has seen it all.

"In today's economy, with peoples' wallets not as fat as they used to be, they wait until something catastrophic happens," he said.

Common summer heat repairs range from cars overheating to replacing coolant hoses, tires and belts. And of course, problems with the air conditioner.

"People are coming in because their car isn't cold and there is a variety of reasons why their system may be broken. It may be low, or it may need to be recharged," Hayward said.

Twenty years in the business, Hayward says it's not unusual for drivers to wait until it heats up.

"A lot of times, they defer that because it’s cooler during the winter time, they don’t really necessarily need the A/C, although the A/C system can be advantageous for defogging your windows when you get up in the morning to drive your car," he explained.

All in all, Hayward stresses keeping up with the maintenance of the car you rely on and use daily.

"A trustworthy mechanic shop that has a great reputation, and they will do preventative maintenance there. Preventative speaks for itself. You’re preventing the inevitable. The inevitable is, something’s going to get hurt on your car," he said.

Hayward's advice is to get the issue fixed as soon as possible, so you're not stranded on the side of the road in 100 degree heat.