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Air-con no longer cools: a leaking condenser
In July, only lukewarm air came out of the vents. Simply topping it up would not have lasted: the system had a leak.
- Compact car, 2018
- Air-con service
- 2 working days, part ordered
What was noticed
The air-con was running but barely cooling. Two summers earlier the customer had had it topped up somewhere else, and it had been better for a while.
What we found
When we recovered the refrigerant, only a small part of the specified charge came out. During evacuation, the system would not hold the vacuum. Leak-detection dye and a UV lamp showed where: a stone chip in the condenser behind the front grille.
What we did
- Quote for condenser and drier, approved by phone
- Replaced the condenser and the drier with it: the drier is changed whenever the system is opened
- Evacuated the system, tested it for leaks and refilled it to the manufacturer’s specification
- Replaced the cabin filter
- Function test, measuring the temperature at the vents
Result
The system cools as it should again, and this time the refrigerant stays in.
If an air-con system cools poorly again soon after a top-up, topping it up again will not help. Only a leak test shows whether there is a leak.