Hi all, went to use my air con the other day and it didn't work, I also noticed you couldn't hear it kicking in, so took it to Halfords Autocentre who said they tested it for leaks and it was fine just needed re-gassing, which they did and it worked fine when I drove off, however went to it the next morning and it no longer worked and no longer kicked in. When I took it back they said as it worked when I drove off they would not refund the £60 I paid, and I would have to book it in to see if they can find a leak. My question is surely if it emptied overnight that must be a big leak and they should of picked it up when they tested it the first time.

Thanks for any advice

I think kwik fit put a dye in with the gas to highlight leaks. Might be worth asking if Halfords done the same. You'll need to decide whether to cut your losses or pay them even more when they've offered a poor service.

 

 

 

 

9 hours ago, Markb55 said:

Hi all, went to use my air con the other day and it didn't work, I also noticed you couldn't hear it kicking in, so took it to Halfords Autocentre who said they tested it for leaks and it was fine just needed re-gassing, which they did and it worked fine when I drove off, however went to it the next morning and it no longer worked and no longer kicked in. When I took it back they said as it worked when I drove off they would not refund the £60 I paid, and I would have to book it in to see if they can find a leak. My question is surely if it emptied overnight that must be a big leak and they should of picked it up when they tested it the first time.

Thanks for any advice

Kwik Fit did the same with me, said it was fine a few weeks later it wasn't working again, I've give up with my air con now as it's too expensive to get fixed.

£60 for a regas!? 

That aside, it doesn't have to be a big leak if it lasts over night.  AC gas is under pressure even when switched off so only takes a pin hole leak to lose enough overnight to stop the compressor kicking in, it wont actually be empty.  They probably vacuum tested it for around half an hour which won't show such a small leak.

Mine lasted 3 weeks this time (3rd proper regas in a month)...so must be a ridiculously small leak.  Having already spent ~£200 on parts and several regasses I'm in the position of either leaving it and losing that £200 or plowing more money in until it works now.  The Mk3 AC system seems to be utter rubbish, as well as all the posts on here about it, there are loads on the facebook groups as well.  My mk2 AC still works perfectly at 10 years old, hasn't even been gassed in the last 4 years at least!

Even in colder weather folk should run their AC for a little while every 2 weeks or so as apparently the gas has a sealing agent and helps keep it all sealed up for when you really are wanting it.

11 minutes ago, gillyallan said:

Even in colder weather folk should run their AC for a little while every 2 weeks or so as apparently the gas has a sealing agent and helps keep it all sealed up for when you really are wanting it.

It's a lubricant, not a sealing agent.  Basically if you don't use it, the seals dry out without being lubed and the vibrations of the car make the rubber seals crack which then allows the gas to leak.  However, I've never used mine over winter in the mk2 and as said above it still works perfectly lol.  

I have been tempted to shove some proper AC sealant into the mk3 though...  Halfords sell it in cans, but the reviews aren't great so I haven't bothered so far.

OK ta. I remember having a zafira and I only used if really hot and that didn't last long before it stopped working. After I bought my fez, I learned of keeping it running now and then and that was still working fine when I traded it. Will keep doing the same with my focus and hope it lasts too.
I always thought they should top up your gas at a service but don't think they do.

Yeah it's good practice to use it regularly, I'm just saying in my experience it doesn't seem absolutely necessary though.

It's not topped up at a service as it shouldn't really just be topped up.  When a regas is done, the whole system is emptied first to remove any moisture that has got in there over time, then the vacuum is held on it to check for leaks (if the vac pressure drops it'll show there is a leak) then refilled with the correct amount of gas.  So it takes too long to fit into a normal service, hence being an added extra for £40 or so.  It's recommended that a regas is done every 2 years but I doubt many are.  

I don't think the the cooled air from my air con is as cool as it should be so I am thinking of having it serviced. I have looked at a couple of websites and they refer to air con re-gas and air con servicing, is there a difference or are they different terms for the same thing?  And what cost should I expect?  

Thanks for all the reply's, I think I'll take it somewhere else to see if the leak can be found and then if its going to cost to much to fix l'll leave it.

12 minutes ago, Trewithy said:

I don't think the the cooled air from my air con is as cool as it should be so I am thinking of having it serviced. I have looked at a couple of websites and they refer to air con re-gas and air con servicing, is there a difference or are they different terms for the same thing?  And what cost should I expect?  

Yeah there is a difference so you have to check the wording carefully.  A clean or 'service' usually costs very little but is only spraying an antibacterial cleaner into the vents to stop smells with the AC running.  You are after a regas or recharge to make the system work more efficiently for cooler air.  These can usually both be bought together at a reduced price.

Regas prices vary massively, I'd say £50 is a good average price.  So far I have paid £40 at Formula One Autocentres, and £25 at a local Pro-Tyre with a Groupon voucher, booking online seems to give the best deals and I also use TopCashBack for a bit extra.  The price probably has gone up now we're in summer and lots of people will be after it though.   I didn't bother with the clean as I can get a can and do it myself for less than a fiver.

10 minutes ago, Markb55 said:

Thanks for all the reply's, I think I'll take it somewhere else to see if the leak can be found and then if its going to cost to much to fix l'll leave it.

Let us know if the fault is found!