[steve430dxdrive]

Gents, just picked the car up after finally getting the wheels done (gratis) they had the car since Wednesday last week it hasn't gone anywhere and the AC was working fine before and was only regassed and leak checked in April, the car has been sitting doing nothing so I have no idea what the issue might be, I read somewhere that low coolant makes a difference or is that rubbish? Any ideas?

[Rich76]

Coolant doesn’t effect ac but low refrigerant does ( they are different )
Think the issue you will have is proving it did/ didn’t work before it went in to do the work

To be honest they wouldn’t go any where near the ac system to do the wheels

[steve430dxdrive]

Originally Posted by Rich76

Coolant doesn’t effect ac but low refrigerant does ( they are different )
Think the issue you will have is proving it did/ didn’t work before it went in to do the work

To be honest they wouldn’t go any where near the ac system to do the wheels

The garage that had the car didn't have the bonnet up so it's not them and the car was only regassed and leak checked 2 months ago, that's what I can't get my head round

[Craig-SM]

I had the same problem with a Mitsubishi Shogun. No leaks, pressure tested, ice cold after top but 2-3 months later nothing. Replaced all the seals on the system and still the same after a couple of months.
Last year I got some AC sealant from Halfords, applied it to the system and topped it up with the AC gas. Ice cold again and has remained so. Total cost was about £80, which was cheaper than all the fixes and top ups

[steve430dxdrive]

Originally Posted by Craig-SM

I had the same problem with a Mitsubishi Shogun. No leaks, pressure tested, ice cold after top but 2-3 months later nothing. Replaced all the seals on the system and still the same after a couple of months.
Last year I got some AC sealant from Halfords, applied it to the system and topped it up with the AC gas. Ice cold again and has remained so. Total cost was about £80, which was cheaper than all the fixes and top ups

Hmmm, I'll look into this

[dholdi2]

The problem may be because "the car has been sitting doing nothing"
AC needs to be used to prevent seals drying out and refrigerant leaking.
What year is your car ?
Earlier than 2017 its going to be using R134A, later will be R1234RY.
The latter is significantly more expensive and I would be wary of the top up kits as the gas is only listed as compatible and not yet proven imho.

[steve430dxdrive]

Originally Posted by dholdi2

The problem may be because "the car has been sitting doing nothing"
AC needs to be used to prevent seals drying out and refrigerant leaking.
What year is your car ?
Earlier than 2017 its going to be using R134A, later will be R1234RY.
The latter is significantly more expensive and I would be wary of the top up kits as the gas is only listed as compatible and not yet proven imho.

The point it the car has been sat for 6 days only 2 months after a regas and a leak check which were fine, I'll see how it goes today I have a nice long run on the motorway it might kick in then

[SteveChester]

I had mine regassed the other week and have left the auto button turned on so it actually gets used - didn't use it previously and the garage said it needs to get used otherwise the seals dry up.

Does the Auto setting control the temperature though or just the air con / fans etc ?

[Alscoob]

Have a look through the lower / upper front grilles and see if a stone has damaged a rad & if there are any leaks. That's what happened to mine.

[Eddamoo]

Why was the car 'Regassed and leak checked' - did it work prior to April?

Leak checks will only find some (fairly serious) leaks. They work by pulling a vacuum on the system for a few minutes. The problem is that a leak could only be present on positive pressure only, or undetectably small.

Check to see if they applies UV dye on the re-gas. You/they could then use a UV torch to identify the leak.

[steve430dxdrive]

Originally Posted by Eddamoo

Why was the car 'Regassed and leak checked' - did it work prior to April?

Leak checks will only find some (fairly serious) leaks. They work by pulling a vacuum on the system for a few minutes. The problem is that a leak could only be present on positive pressure only, or undetectably small.

Check to see if they applies UV dye on the re-gas. You/they could then use a UV torch to identify the leak.

I had had the car since September last year and only noticed the ac was not blowing cold in March when I turned it on, hence the regas, I'll get someone round to have a look for me

[ukbeemerboy]

Originally Posted by SteveChester

I had mine regassed the other week and have left the auto button turned on so it actually gets used - didn't use it previously and the garage said it needs to get used otherwise the seals dry up.

Does the Auto setting control the temperature though or just the air con / fans etc ?

Auto doesn’t automatically use the aircon, the aircon needs to be on and always on all year round which is a separate button.

[PeakyJ]

Originally Posted by steve430dxdrive

I had had the car since September last year and only noticed the ac was not blowing cold in March when I turned it on, hence the regas, I'll get someone round to have a look for me

It wasn’t blowing cold in March because the gas had most likely all leaked out due to a very slow leak, which wouldn’t show up on a basic AC pressure test. That’s why it worked for a couple of months after the re-gas but then stopped working again.

You need an AC specialist to find the leak now. Although often the leak will show up if they put some dye in with the re-gas, making it easier to find the leak.

I certainly wouldn’t risk putting in any of that AC leak sealer to block the slow leak as advised above. I’ve heard horror stories about that stuff clogging up the AC system. https://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.co...k-sealer-work/

[PeakyJ]

Originally Posted by ukbeemerboy

Auto doesn’t automatically use the aircon, the aircon needs to be on and always on all year round which is a separate button.

If you press the auto button on the HVAC system it should use the ac automatically.
Cheers.

[steve430dxdrive]

Originally Posted by PeakyJ

It wasn’t blowing cold in March because the gas had most likely all leaked out due to a very slow leak, which wouldn’t show up on a basic AC pressure test. That’s why it worked for a couple of months after the re-gas but then stopped working again.

You need an AC specialist to find the leak now. Although often the leak will show up if they put some dye in with the re-gas, making it easier to find the leak.

I certainly wouldn’t risk putting in any of that AC leak sealer to block the slow leak as advised above. I’ve heard horror stories about that stuff clogging up the AC system. https://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.co...k-sealer-work/

I'm just waiting on a few calls back now I'm not messing about with it, I'm leaving it to the professionals

[SteveChester]

Originally Posted by PeakyJ

If you press the auto button on the HVAC system it should use the ac automatically.
Cheers.

That's what I thought - does it auto select the temperature as well? I can alter the temperature and it doesn't dis engage the auto light?

[PeakyJ]

Originally Posted by SteveChester

That's what I thought - does it auto select the temperature as well? I can alter the temperature and it doesn't dis engage the auto light?

No the temperature setting is separate from the auto program. You set the desired temperature, select auto and the system will do its best to keep the cabin at that temperature, making adjustments to fan speed etc as required. You can also adjust the intensity of the auto program as well.

[ian332isport]

You can be in auto with a/c either on or off. With a/c off, it will try and maintain the set temperature, but if the outside temperature is hot, it’s never going to cool below ambient.

I don’t really know why they bother with a switch to turn off the a/c. It should be left on all the time. Just leave it in auto, set your desired temperature and the system will either heat or cool as required, to maintain that temperature.

Leaving the a/c on in winter removes moisture from the air and stops the screen misting up as well. It does the same on hot humid days too.

People over think it sometimes. It’s a really good system if you just let it get on with it. Loads of people switch the a/c off in the winter. This is the worst thing you can do. It needs to run to keep the oil moving around the system. Without the oil, the seals dry out and you end up with leaks.

[SteveChester]

Thanks for clearing it up - I was previously in the not use the air con option but now I'll leave it on to prevent any issues with seals etc drying up and perishing.

[steve430dxdrive]

Turns out there was a nice juicy hole in the condenser, all getting fixed on Tuesday, probably just in time for it to pee down again 😩

[ukbeemerboy]

Originally Posted by ian332isport

You can be in auto with a/c either on or off. With a/c off, it will try and maintain the set temperature, but if the outside temperature is hot, it’s never going to cool below ambient.

I don’t really know why they bother with a switch to turn off the a/c. It should be left on all the time. Just leave it in auto, set your desired temperature and the system will either heat or cool as required, to maintain that temperature.

Leaving the a/c on in winter removes moisture from the air and stops the screen misting up as well. It does the same on hot humid days too.

People over think it sometimes. It’s a really good system if you just let it get on with it. Loads of people switch the a/c off in the winter. This is the worst thing you can do. It needs to run to keep the oil moving around the system. Without the oil, the seals dry out and you end up with leaks.

Exactly this

[PeakyJ]

Originally Posted by steve430dxdrive

Turns out there was a nice juicy hole in the condenser, all getting fixed on Tuesday, probably just in time for it to pee down again 😩

Very common on these. Not the first and won’t be the last.