How long did your AC charge last?

[carlg]

I have a 2016 GT. My AC was blowing warm. I know all about the leaking condensers, evaporators, etc. It's all over the web.
So I'm kind of assuming I have a leak somewhere.

I got one of those charging kits from AutoZone yesterday and now it's amazing. It's blowing ice cold!

I'm just curious about other people that have done the same thing. How long did it take til you had to fill it again (I'm assuming it's all going to leak out again)?

Weeks? Months? Years?

If it's weeks, then that is not good. But I really don't mind if I have to go out and refill it like once every year. It was inexpensive and easy.

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[Rapid Red]

Good thinking, and yes it will all leak out again. If not completely, enough to cause the compressor to shut down.

 

[Dana Pants]

My 2018 was factory charged with dye. A $10 blacklight flashlight from Amazon allowed me to easily confirm the condenser was dead. I recommend the same approach for you.

 

[Skye]

Every instance is different. I've witnessed some gone in a day or two, some once a year. While the refills can get you out of a spot, its best to fix when possible. Odds are it will continue to leak.

Along with refrigerant, A/C systems utilize oils, to keep the internals (compressor) lubricated. Long-term, the leak will not only continue, the compressor itself could ultimately lockup.

See a pro when you get a chance. Along with the leak, check the fan assembly to ensure it is pulling air through the radiator area and that the A/C and cooling (radiator) system as a whole is in good repair.

 

[velocityblue5.0]

so, is there still problems on these? mines a ‘21. am i going to face this same issue? my s197 never had an issue in my 7 years of ownership, but i guess the s550s do?

 

[Gnatsum21]

I recharged my former 2016 EB once in 2019 due to blowing warm air. When I traded it in November 2021 AC was still blowing ice cold air. It worked.
Edit: I live in south FL, AC always runs.

 

[carlg]

Thanks for answers.
This is going to determine if I trade the car in or not.
If this fix fails, and I have to have someone tear the dash apart to fix it, I think I'm going to trade the car in.

I don't mind refilling it about once a year though.

 

[carlg]

My 2018 was factory charged with dye. A $10 blacklight flashlight from Amazon allowed me to easily confirm the condenser was dead. I recommend the same approach for you.

If the condenser was dead, you would never get cold air then. Am I correct?

 

[Dana Pants]

r134a stop leak definitely has an impact. It’s not perfect, but it often helps. Especially on the low pressure side (evaporator).

 

[Dana Pants]

If the condenser was dead, you would never get cold air then. Am I correct?

Dead = has a leak. The system will work until the refrigerant leaks out.

 

[ORRadtech]

Refilling can work for days to years. The problem can be that leaks often get worse as time goes by.
Even though the evaporator on these was prone to failure there are a lot of places that can leak. Schrader valves are notorious for leaking and super easy to replace.
Putting some dye in the system and checking where it comes out can at least give you some idea what to expect down the road.

 

[KingKona]

Thanks for answers.
This is going to determine if I trade the car in or not.
If this fix fails, and I have to have someone tear the dash apart to fix it, I think I'm going to trade the car in.

I don't mind refilling it about once a year though.

Just because there's a leak, doesn't mean someone has to tear the dash apart to fix it. The vast majority of leaks haVE nothing to do with removing the dash-board. The most common leaks are the service ports, which is an easy and cheap fix.

And what, exactly, would you be trading it in on? Got a line on cars the rest of us don't?

 

[carlg]

Just because there's a leak, doesn't mean someone has to tear the dash apart to fix it. The vast majority of leaks haVE nothing to do with removing the dash-board. The most common leaks are the service ports, which is an easy and cheap fix.

And what, exactly, would you be trading it in on? Got a line on cars the rest of us don't?

Good advice, thanks.

There are cars out there to be had. You just have to be willing to travel a little bit to get one! Not sure what I would get, but so far I'm leaning towards just keeping this one (for now).

We'll see what happens.

 

[KingKona]

Good advice, thanks.

There are cars out there to be had. You just have to be willing to travel a little bit to get one! Not sure what I would get, but so far I'm leaning towards just keeping this one (for now).

We'll see what happens.

Oh, there's cars. Just at ridiculous prices. Super stupid.

Keep us posted. Just come back to this thread and resurrect it with a follow up.

 

[carlg]

Oh, there's cars. Just at ridiculous prices. Super stupid.

Keep us posted. Just come back to this thread and resurrect it with a follow up.

I feel like it's a wash. You're paying about 5-8K more for a car, but you're almost getting that much more back in your trade.

My car has a KBB trade value of 32-33K. I paid 31K for it 4 years ago. If the world wasn't crazy, my trade value now would probably only be about 25K.

I'm gonna play it by ear. I had the car out since I made this post earlier today and it was pure pleasure and the AC blew cold!

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