Do I need to run the air con all the time to prevent issues?

The air conditioning in my 2011 Mazda MX-5 is working fine at the moment but I am a little concerned as I hardly ever use it and I have read that one should use it regularly. I like to lower the roof at every opportunity - even in the winter months provided that the temperature is reasonable - so we only use the aircon when the roof is raised. It does not seem appropriate to use the aircon when the roof is down - although, we do use the heater. What do you think?

Asked on 3 June 2020 by Roger Hulme

Answered by Dan Powell

All modern car ventilation systems are designed to be used with the air condition system switched on permanently. Switching it off for long periods will cause the seals and joints to dry out. It will also increase the risk of the compressor seizure. Both will be costly to fix.

Tags: air con convertibles

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