Suspect Aircon coil leak

[Contax]

My car is 6years+ old .Just a few weeks ago detected that the aircon is not as cold before - it's ok when the car is moving and not when it's idle .I can hear the 'hissing' sound whenever the car is stationary . I check the fan - it's running fine and the compressor cuts in regularly . The temperature control knobs works fine .

So last week went to my usual wksp to diagnose and they suspect it's the cooling coil that is leaking and they top up the refrigerant and ask me to monitor .However as the days passes , i can feel that the aircon is not as cold as the first day when the refrigerant was being top up , so i decided to go to Tomika in alexander village to check.

I describe the symptom and finding to the boss and he quoted $880 all in for replacement of the coil and it's a 2 days job.(citing they have to remove the dashboard to get to the cooling coil)As i needed the car daily , I just ask them to top up the refrigerant and I left .

Is the price reasonable ? Any recommendation will be greatly appreciated !

[Godfinger]

The part cost fo Cooling Coil cost in the range of $100-$200 and its for Normal Japanese car.

Since you mentioned A/C cut in/out, verly likely you are driving a Jap

car.

 

With added Labour, At most $300 ( All In ), they dont need so profit to make for fixing this Coil right.

Also, not necessary have to remove Dashboard to access the Coil.

For some cars, removing the Glovebox and removing the centre-console

is sufficient for this job.

 

Try getting 2nd Opinion.

There is some good and reputable A/C shop being recommended

by MCF which I believe can do a better job and cheaper then this 'T' shop.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Godfinger

[BoneStock]

concur.

 

I replaced the evaporator (layman term cooling coil) for my Jap car before and it cost exactly $300. But my mech used OEM Jap part and not the genuine part. I believe the original part cost 100-200 more if I remember correctly.

[13177]

Looks like many car which is more than 5 year old encounter such problem?! Usually when the car is moving the air-con is cold but air-con not cold when it's idle. The other day when i sat in my friend's car, and we were stuck in a traffic jam in a hot sunny day, the whole cabin is warm and the air-con dont seems like working well!

[0wnage]

My car is 6years+ old .Just a few weeks ago detected that the aircon is not as cold before - it's ok when the car is moving and not when it's idle .I can hear the 'hissing' sound whenever the car is stationary . I check the fan - it's running fine and the compressor cuts in regularly . The temperature control knobs works fine .

So last week went to my usual wksp to diagnose and they suspect it's the cooling coil that is leaking and they top up the refrigerant and ask me to monitor .However as the days passes , i can feel that the aircon is not as cold as the first day when the refrigerant was being top up , so i decided to go to Tomika in alexander village to check.

I describe the symptom and finding to the boss and he quoted $880 all in for replacement of the coil and it's a 2 days job.(citing they have to remove the dashboard to get to the cooling coil)As i needed the car daily , I just ask them to top up the refrigerant and I left .

Is the price reasonable ? Any recommendation will be greatly appreciated !

What's your car model?

I had the same situation as you about 6 months back. The 'hissing' sound is definitely your cooling coil leak.

I got it replaced together with change of refrigerant, compressor oil and aircon filter at $400.

My car is a Latio and does not need to remove the dashboard to replace the cooling coil so it was done in about 2hrs for me.

Yours should take longer as they need to remove and reassemble your dashboard. But I think $880 is kind of high. Maybe you could get a 2nd or 3nd opinion and more quotes before you decide.

[TVT]

concur.

 

I replaced the evaporator (layman term cooling coil) for my Jap car before and it cost exactly $300. But my mech used OEM Jap part and not the genuine part. I believe the original part cost 100-200 more if I remember correctly.

Does yr car need to remove the whole dashboard when replacing the cooling coil?

[BoneStock]

Does yr car need to remove the whole dashboard when replacing the cooling coil?

 

no need. It was a B13 Sunny.

[TVT]

no need. It was a B13 Sunny.

Perhaps its becos there's no need to remove dashboard, hence the job is faster and less labour needed, so cost is cheaper.

 

If remove dashboard, usually take 2 days and more work done, so probably cost higher!

[BoneStock]

Perhaps its becos there's no need to remove dashboard, hence the job is faster and less labour needed, so cost is cheaper.

 

If remove dashboard, usually take 2 days and more work done, so probably cost higher!

 

 

see the amount of work if the dashboard needs to be removed.

 

Edited August 23, 2012 by BoneStock

[TVT]

see the amount of work if the dashboard needs to be removed.

 

Yah, that's the view of the dashboard being stripped. Only wires left...

 

My friend saw this sight when his Vios was changing cooling coil. Only some metal and wires left. He said he saw already nearly fainted!!!

[ER-3682]

T/S was driving a Fiat,spare part very rare,very expensive,oh yes,most European model need to remove the dashboard to change the coil.

[KVR666]

Would advise you to seek a second opinion/quotation. Perhaps even a third or fourth if you're in no particular hurry. My air-con specialist-of-choice is JS Auto. Friendly advice, reasonable pricing. Perhaps can seek them out to hear their views as well as to get a quotation, along with the job scope involved. I'm the kind of owner who insists on knowing what is required to be taken apart, what can be left well alone, during repair works. So I usually prefer to seek opinions from a few different workshops before committing to the job.

[Picanto]

does a picanto need to remove the dashbard if the cooling coil is spoilt?

[Contax]

Thanks for all the reply and suggestion. I have gotten it fixed!

 

Melvin of BH Auto invited me down to their workshop in kranji to have it checked.

All the workshop i went to said they need at least 2 working days to remove the dashboard and cooling coil inside my fiat ,Melvin delivered his promises by completing it withing 8 hours!

 

Most importantly their fees and service are great !He personally give me a lift back to toa payoh that morning after i leave my car there and offer to fetch me back again when the car is ready for collection !

I went back myself since i'm on leave that day .

 

Here are some pics and a shot of the invoice:

 

 

 

 

Finally , the total damage :

 

 

 

 

 

[Picanto]

was the dashboard fitted back properly? any rattling sound yet? you have to drive and observe for a few days first

[TVT]

Melvin of BH Auto invited me down to their workshop in kranji to have it checked.

All the workshop i went to said they need at least 2 working days to remove the dashboard and cooling coil inside my fiat ,Melvin delivered his promises by completing it withing 8 hours!

 

Most importantly their fees and service are great !He personally give me a lift back to toa payoh that morning after i leave my car there and offer to fetch me back again when the car is ready for collection !

I went back myself since i'm on leave that day .

 

That's good. Who recommended you to this WS?

 

The mechanic was nice to send you from Kranji to Toa Payoh. Most would only send you to the nearest MRT station. From the pics, the cooling coil is a goner, but still looks better than the cooling coil I replaced 3 months ago!

 

 

[Contax]

That's good. Who recommended you to this WS?

 

The mechanic was nice to send you from Kranji to Toa Payoh. Most would only send you to the nearest MRT station. From the pics, the cooling coil is a goner, but still looks better than the cooling coil I replaced 3 months ago!

 

I was doing a search in the forum regarding "car aircon" and came across one fellow forumers mentioning about BH Auto and it's reasonable pricing.

So I called up, talk to the manager Melvin , arrange for a date and the rest is history.

[Hotfavourite]

i done my car aircon cooling coil workshop at toh guan, shop now still there, $450, need to open up the inside, japanese car, then dunno, and dun think the coil original installed, now, after a while, u r right, got ...

 

1.rattling sound, the cigarette tray, not installed properly.----------no solution. workshop tried to siam.

 

2.air con, works, but when go jb at the causeway kanna stuck, the aircon suddenly no more, i think icing or dunno what also.---------actually no solution. but if u drive very fast and then on back the aircon.... aircon very cool again...otherwise sauna... so how?

workshop tried to siam. nowadays u stationary 5 mins the car no aircon...

 

3. the the audio display no light, got audio sound, got channel..., then no visual....go ask back workshop, the mechanic, siam again.

 

now want service fee.

 

4. do u face the auto workshop geow, the car until so many scratches, until u collect ur car, u wanna immediate drive ur car up the pillar.... i felt the really hard felt pain... heard last time $1500 quote, dun do... then now i see all the good quotes... i dunno if their workmanship or workman5h1t......sho how..? still stuck with pain fury and helplessness....hahaha..real one.

Edited September 3, 2012 by Hotfavourite