If your air conditioning has stopped blowing cold, the compressor is usually blamed first. Often it is working perfectly and has simply been switched off by the system to protect itself.
Things you can check
- Is the A/C button actually engaged, and is recirculation on?
- Does the temperature drop at all after five minutes of driving?
- Can you hear a click from the engine bay when the A/C is switched on? That is the clutch engaging.
- Is the cabin filter blocked? It is often behind the glovebox and takes minutes to change.
Things that need equipment
If the refrigerant charge is low, the pressure switch cuts the compressor out. Topping the system up without finding the leak is a temporary fix and, in most of Europe, venting refrigerant to atmosphere is an offence. A workshop will recover what is left, pressure test, repair, then recharge by weight.
What it usually costs
A regas with a leak test is the cheapest outcome. A condenser, drier and recharge is the most common repair on vehicles over six years old. A compressor replacement should always include the drier, expansion device and a full flush, which is why the labour figure is higher than the part alone suggests.