ACtion Magazine - November/December 2015 - (Page 12)

Murphy's Law and A/C repair F or any reader not familiar with Murphy's Law, it is typically stated as "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." Among the many corollaries to Murphy's Law is "Everything takes longer than you think." This summer the air conditioning in my car suddenly stopped working. Since I am not a fan of 360 air conditioning (putting down three windows and going sixty miles per hour), I took the car to a service center for repairs. Of course, the fuel tank in the car began leaking at around the same time as the air conditioning stopped working (see Murphy's Law). The first visit to a service center to get the air conditioning (and fuel tank leak) fixed started out well. I was told that there was a leak in the system which was sealed, and new refrigerant installed in the system. All was well; actually it was not. Upon getting my car back I headed out to get some outdoor furniture. Since it was a hot and humid evening, I turned on the air conditioning to enjoy its benefits during my drive. To my surprise, the air conditioning appeared to be lackluster. After getting and packing the furniture into the car, I looked forward to any sort of air conditioning to cool down on the ride home. What was lackluster on the way to the store was now non-existent. Instead, I was greeted by almost hot air coming out of the vents. It was not a pleasant ride home. Another trip to a service center was in my future. I was told that two substantial parts in the air conditioning system needed to be replaced. I certainly do not have more than a ru- 12 dimentary knowledge of the air conditioning systems in cars, and I wanted air conditioning. He could have told me that the reflux capacitor needed to be replaced and I would probably have told him to go ahead. My bill for this trip reveals multiple parts being installed, including an expansion valve, another valve, a tank, and many seal rings; together with more refrigerant gas. But cool air was coming out of the vents, so all of these additional replacement parts must have been needed. " ...the third time is the charm... My family and I headed out for vacation in the car secure in the knowledge that we would have air conditioned comfort during the trip. And we did, for the first few days. My older daughter brought the car back (to the vacation) home one night with the news that the air conditioning was not working. This could not be, not after two times being serviced. Unfortunately, it was all too true. My family figured out rides with others who were spending vacation with us, leaving me to drive home by myself (I sense a conspiracy here among my family). The third time is the charm, right? There is some control that moves depending upon whether you want heat or air conditioning in the car. And this control is in the dash, necessitating the removal of the dashboard, etc. to get to this part. Thank you German ACTION * November/December 2015 Keith Leonard, Esquire engineering. So, now the air mixture flap servo motor or blend air door motor (both are on the bill, though they could be the same part) was replaced. I picked up my car with a mixture of fear and excitement. I turned on the car and then the air conditioning. Happily (actually very happily), I had (and still have) air conditioning in the car. What lesson(s) can be learned from this experience? Some might think that as a lawyer I was ready to sue somebody. Not at all. Instead, I applied it to my training as a lawyer. We are often dealing with a client who is faced with one of the most difficult times in his/her life. Remember to discuss their matter with them in understandable terms. And there may be more to the problem than the client understands and there is more than one possible resolution to the matter (or way to get there). Further, make sure the client appreciates the value of your services. Never be afraid to reexamine the problem and adjust your thinking as the matter is progressing. And be grateful to others who are willing to work in the heat of the summer without air conditioning so you can have it in your lives. ❆ Remember that laws are constantly changing and are often not uniform throughout the United States. Do not place unqualified reliance on the information in this article. Always contact legal counsel for detailed advice. If you have a particular issue, law or problem you would like to see addressed in a future column, please contact me at KLeonard@LeonardSciolla. com, or Leonard, Sciolla, Hutchison, Leonard & Tinari, LLP, 215-567-1530.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ACtion Magazine - November/December 2015

MACS 2016 Training
MACS 2016 Exhibitor List
Outlook
Service Port
Leonard's law
Virtual View
In Bin
Member Profile
Cooling Corner
Industry News
Association News
New Products and Services

ACtion Magazine - November/December 2015