Oh, Kayaker! One day around Natalie and you’ll drop her like a hot potato! I guarantee it! :eek:
So it’s been a couple of weeks. Have you gotten the air conditioner to work yet?
Now that you mention it…this last weekend I finally got a copy of the right owner’s manual. I followed the instructions and adjusted the thermostat on the dash. It’ll take a while, obviously, but I finally have something to work with. (I also got a Presentation Guide for the C-280 in the same mailing, which is also a help.) 
What’s going to take a while? You found the thermostat, you adjusted it. Do you expect it to take days to respond?
That word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
Tweaking the temp a degree a day.
Well, it’s been very hot around here, still, and the system has not responded promptly. The owner’s manual doesn’t seem to give instructions on how to inspect the system to see if it’s full; it may not be. I have not yet had time to check out the data in the presentation guide.
Have you tried adjusting the thermostat to the lowest setting just to see if you can get any cold air at all? You don’t need to leave it at 57 degrees indefinitely, but just test it to see if any cold air comes out. If you’re not getting any cold air at that point, and you’ve followed the manual instructions carefully, then I would suggest you get the A/C serviced.
Good point. Thanks. 
Wait. You didn’t already try this? What did you actually do to test it.
Bet I was right.
I would be astonished if the owner’s manual of ANY car gave instructions on checking the level of refrigerant in the AC system. It’s not generally intended to be user-servicable, considering that handling Freon-based refrigerants requires a license.
I pushed all the buttons as some of you have suggested. I got a display on the little digital screen and used the buttons to move it to seventy degrees. There the matter stands. But I WILL try “tweaking” it to the lowest possible temperature and see what happens.
Who knows, this could have made all the difference in my drive back from Riverside.
Wow, really? I’m about half your age but I’ve heard the expression “busier than a one-armed paperhanger” dozens of times.
Future generations will marvel at the epic nature of the drive back from Riverside.
Mark my words.
That’s possible. The heat was such that even my EYES felt it!
The vast majority of cars in the US now run R-134a refrigerant in car A/C systems. It is intended to be user serviced and is sold in easy to use kits in almost all auto parts and big box retail stores. Even those vehicles manufactured when R-12 was used can be easily converted to R-134a.
I’m going to agree with some other posters and that if you haven’t used the A/C system in some time it might need some kajiggering to get back to full functionality.