2002 Ford Windstar cost to repair A/C seems a little high t

GENMA1987

MEMBER
2002 FORD WINDSTAR

Air Conditioning problem
2002 Ford Windstar Front Wheel Drive Automatic 101000 miles

Last June I took my van in to have the a/c checked because it was blowing hot air. $142.00 later, I thought it had been repaired. I worked fine all last summer. Now, a year later, it is blowing hot air again. I took it back to the garage, only to be told that last year all they did was "routine maintenance", not any repairs, and that in order to repair the air conditioning this year, it will be roughly $592.00 to replace the a/c line coming from the compressor. In your opinion, shouldn't this have been seen last year when I took it in for repairs? I confronted the technician with this question and got some hoo-haa about "well, sometimes in the winter things get cold."

1 Reply

SERVICE WRITER

MECHANIC
9,123 POSTS

A/C can be a nightmare for both the shop and the consumer. When a system ages, the potential for multiple problems are present. Your service that you first had done was the first step that may or may not be the solution or the start of exposing a problem. A leak can not always be found when first re-charging the system. We use dye to help locate one in the event of a leak that is not first exposed. Leaks can be very slow that are not obvious as well as leaks that may not occur immediatly. There are situations that are dynamic in nature, that is until the vehicle is moving and various components are joustled about from road conditions, a leak can happen that is not present when the car is stationary.

Be aware that the hose repair may not be the final solution either. IF there is a bordline area that would have leaked had the line not started to leak, it may surface after the line is repaired.

Leaks can also occur in areas that are not accessible such as the evaporator core in the firewall. These can sometimes be found but not always. OTher areas are also hidden.

Perhaps the shop missed the leak, but I am not so sure I would hang them over this as it can be the nature of the beast.