Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum (Archives)

dormana2 on Wed April 11, 2012 9:33 PM

Year: 2005
Make: Chevy
Model: Uplander
Country of Origin: United States

The air conditioner stopped working end of last summer. We brought it in recently and the mechanic said there was no gas and thought someone drained it because he couldn't find a leak. He replaced the expansion valve and drier. Two weeks later the AC still didn't work. We brought it back and the mechanic said there was a leak in the lines going to the back of the van. I am wondering if the original repair was incorrect. We paid 148.50 in parts and 150.00 in labor. I am very upset because now we have to pay even more money to get it fixed. Should I go back to the mechanic and try to get my money back for the first repair?

bohica2xo on Wed April 11, 2012 10:58 PM

That does not even qualify as a diagnosis. He found no refrigerant in the system, so he replaced some random parts? Wow.

A completely empty system should have been charged with a couple of ounces for leak tracing. Then you go hunting with the sniffer.

If the rear lines are damaged it would not be the first set. Usually not that hard to identify as the leak either. I would find another shop to service my vehicle.

B.

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"Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."
~ Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi, An Autobiography, M. K. Gandhi, page 446.

Cussboy on Wed April 11, 2012 11:15 PM

mk378 on Thu April 12, 2012 9:33 AM

Corrosion / damage causing leaks in the lines underneath a SUV for the rear evaporator is real common and should be the first place to check. R-134a isn't so expensive (yet) that anyone is stealing it out of parked cars.

Edited: Thu April 12, 2012 at 9:37 AM by mk378

dormana2 on Thu April 12, 2012 11:20 AM

I would like to go back to the mechanic and try to get my money back. Does anyone think this is worth it?

dormana2 on Thu April 12, 2012 12:54 PM

So I was just talking to someone else about this and now I am even more worried. Let me give some more background...

When we picked up the van the first time we brought it in the mechanic said he had to remove the radiator to fix the ac. Once we got it home we noticed a puddle of green fluid under the engine. We called the mechanic and he told us to bring it back in. He said the radiator was on correctly and it was just fluid dripping from the pan. We didn't think anything of it. When we just brought it back and the mechanic told us we have a leak in the lines for the back ac he showed my husband the fluid that leaked from the ac. However my husband said the fluid was the same as the original green fluid we saw after we got it back the fist time. I have been told the ac fluid would not be green. Is there potential the mechanic has done something bad to my van?

mk378 on Thu April 12, 2012 1:23 PM

Is the green stuff the same as what's in the radiator? A/C leakage is generally a gas, though a small amount of green oil may be involved.

Cussboy on Thu April 12, 2012 2:36 PM

GM typically adds UV dye to the AC systems at the factory; mine has a sticker that states that. You need to find out if that is refrigeration oil/dye (which can look green) or radiator coolant.

I still think that mechanic didn't do things right.

bohica2xo on Thu April 12, 2012 7:24 PM

There is not enough liquid in the A/C system to leave a "puddle" on a garage floor after driving home.

A 2005 should have been full of Dex Cool from the factory. That would be the "orange" stuff in the radiator. If the vehicle was converted to the older "green stuff" It should have been flushed completely - the two coolant types are not compatible. If the mechanic pulled the radiator & refilled with the wrong coolant you will have a problem with the coolant gumming up in the future. Need to make sure of the coolant fill.


If you paid the bill with a credit card, I would call the card company & contest the charge. They attempted a repair & sent it home leaking - and the A/C was not repaired.

A shop like that will not give you a refund, and will try to talk you in to letting them work on it some more - do NOT let them have a third try at your vehicle.


B.

-------------------------
"Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act of depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."
~ Mahatma Gandhi, Gandhi, An Autobiography, M. K. Gandhi, page 446.

Edited: Thu April 12, 2012 at 7:32 PM by bohica2xo

GM Tech on Thu April 12, 2012 10:36 PM

I've seen many a green puddle on the floor after charging an a/c system with dye- it's the oil and dye mixture leaking from the obvious a/c leak.

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The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

dormana2 on Mon April 16, 2012 2:05 PM

dormana2 on Mon April 16, 2012 2:07 PM

The credit card company said I need a second opinion in order to dispute the charge. I talked to a mechanic and they said they can't tell me if the first repair was wrong because they don't have the parts he replaced. I guess I am out $300 and a mechanic. So frustrating.

Cussboy on Mon April 16, 2012 2:15 PM

The repair was wrong because the system is not fixed. The new mechanic should be able to attest whether it works or not. If it's not working, then it's not fixed. Fight back.