When your Ford Explorer's refrigerant levels begin to drop off over time, the air conditioning will no longer produce adequately cold air. This condition will gradually continue to worsen as more and more refrigerant is naturally lost. Recharging the system every few years is often required to maintain full performance. This task can be done at home with the help of a basic recharge kit.
Open the hood. With the engine turned off, find the air conditioning compressor, which is connected to the serpentine belt along with multiple other accessories. The compressor is the one closest to the front of the engine bay and has multiple metal tubes extending out from it.
Trace the tubes until you find the one that comes to the top of the engine bay and runs parallel with the firewall. Locate the cap on top of the tube and unscrew it, making the refill port accessible.
Screw the hose of an all-in-one refill kit to the refill port, then start the engine and set the air conditioning on high. The kit's pressure gauge will now show the current level of refrigerant. A refill is required if it indicates low pressure.
Open the valve on the recharge cylinder slowly. Pay close attention to the gauge and continue releasing refrigerant until it shows adequate pressure. The AC has now been recharged. Disconnect the hose, replace the cap on the refill port, and close the hood.
