Originally Posted by ard
But if you have a LEAK why i the world would you ask for a YouTube to "just top off the freon"??????????????
THAT is what didn't make sense. If you have a leak, you ask for help finding and fixing the leak. NOT adding more freon so it can also leak away.....
If you cannot figure out how to get the BMW dealer to tell you what is leaking and what SPECFOCALLY they will be changing for $2800, then you need to go to a new shop.
I was hanging out with my AC guy a week ago, working on my car and BSing...there is a sad, painful truth about AC system work:
1. You can inspect the system, looking for signs of freon/oil leaking out- but this is difficult. The oil leaves a telltale stain, but you need to be lucky to see this- most of the time there is plenty of other dirt/oil.
2. You can hook up gauges, but this doesn't tell the whole story. If freon has gone, you will not see much with gauges. At this point, the diagnosis tree has 3 branches- minor leak, needs freon, but will be fine.....major leak, added freon will just disappear....failure of a major component, will need Fing
The problem here is that there is NO WAY to know which of these three options you will be on. Shops struggle with informing customers what the options are and what the possible choices are...
3. Definitive diagnosis requires that you evacuate the ssytem, check to see it will hold a vacuum. IF IT HOLD A VACUUM, yoiu have ruled out ONE of the 3 problems: the system isn't leaking. (You will also have extracted freon, and if the ssytem WAS full, then that tells you there is something not working in the ssytem unrelated to a freon loss)
4. You then refill the system, ADD UV LEAK FLUID, and button it up. Run it, look at gauges. If the gauges show you that you are not getting the specificed pressures, you have a problem with (usually) the compressor. Other items can fail- crap in the expansion valve, other stuff- but those tend to be secondary failures due to a comp failure leaving debris in the system.
You say they already replaced the compressor last year, and therefor you KNOW it cannot be any of the prior work.
Why do you trust them?
IMO the only option (other than demanding info from them) is to take it to an AC shop for a proper diagnosis. Be prepared to spend $100-200.
**IF** this shop finds the leak was related to the compressor repair, get that in writing and raise hell with the dealer.
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