About Air Conditioning Repairs

By Brian Klaubert

Isn’t it great that it is finally getting warmer? The trees are budding and everything is greening up. For many of us it has been months since we have used our automobile air conditioner, but for some of us, we have discovered that our air conditioner is no longer working.

Most air conditioning system problems are the result of a Freon leak. You have usually lost 25% of your Freon before you even notice that the air is no longer cold. It is quite common for vehicles to come in without any Freon remaining. Freon does not wear out or become less efficient, it just leaks into the atmosphere.

The majority of vehicles will have no problem with their air conditioning for 4 to 5 years. After this time the most common source of leaks is the air conditioning compressor shaft seal. The compressor is the only rotating part of your system and is frequently the first place to wear out. Operating the air conditioning with low Freon can also cause premature compressor failure. Problems with the radiator fan or fan clutch will cause overly high system pressure and premature compressor failure. It is very rare to replace a shaft seal. Usually the entire compressor is replaced.

Other common leak points are at the high or low pressure sensors, crimp connections between metal tubes and rubber hoses, and O-ring fittings. There are also two different coils that each look like a radiator. One is in front of your radiator, and is called the condenser. The other is inside your dashboard, and is called the evaporator. Either of these coils can also develop leaks.

Unfortunately air conditioning repair is usually expensive. If you need to replace the compressor, you will also need to replace the accumulator/receiver and the orifice tube/expansion valve. This repair is usually $800 to $1000. Replacing an evaporator will frequently be as expensive, because of all of the labor to disassemble the dash. Replacing a pressure sensor or O-ring will be in the $200 to $400 range. All of these figures are based upon the cost for the initial leak test, the repair, and new R134a Freon. If you have an even older vehicle with R12 Freon, the cost will be higher because the cost of the R12 Freon is 4 to 6 times greater than R134a.

Lastly, there is much confusion about whether it is legal to just add Freon to a system with a leak. Every auto air conditioning technician is required to complete an 8 hour EPA regulated course on air conditioning. The entire focus of the course is on the environmental impact of Freon in the environment. In some states it is truly illegal to put Freon in a vehicle with a known leak. For a time it was illegal in Georgia. This has contributed to the confusion. However, it is currently legal for a customer to request that Freon be added to a vehicle with a leak. Of course, since there is a leak, it will only be a matter of time before the Freon is gone again.

Enjoy the weather, and may everyone keep their cool!

Brian Klaubert is the owner of Christian Brothers Automotive – Hamilton Mill, on Braselton Hwy in Dacula.