# AC went out on year old car - dealership says not covered by warranty **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** airconditioning, kia\ **Created:** [July 18, 2023, 1:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770 "2023-07-18T13:52:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 3:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/23 "2023-07-18T15:04:10Z")
I’ve been repairing automotive air conditioning for over 40 years. And that is definitely damage from road debris. And it is a more common occurrence than you think. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 3:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/24 "2023-07-18T15:16:40Z")
Original poster came to CarTalk for advice from experienced professionals and DIYers… and then argues with them because we agree with the dealer. Arguing with us is not going to change the dealer’s mind. And if you think the car is defective either sue Kia or sell the car and buy a better one. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 4:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/25 "2023-07-18T16:14:53Z")
> [@Defaultemode](#): > > I have an appointment at a different dealer. This seems like a sensible next step. If they agree with the other dealer and most of the posters here, then accept the diagnosis and pay for the repair. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 4:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/26 "2023-07-18T16:50:27Z")
Is that a leak or just a dent? Your insurance company may want pictures proving this is leaking or send an inspector. What if the condenser is replaced and there is still refrigerant loss? This is what an active leak looks like, the stream of refrigerant is spraying up and to the right: ![20200812_140019](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/6/8/68a9979bbe8f6d1cc75da9d206462d4971f5d4f0.jpeg) ![20200812_140026](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/4/4/446de0f891b8e7bd77f63ff78a844034be5f090e.jpeg) > [@Defaultemode](#): > > and blaming that because I needed the car back at the end of the day to travel back home 4 hours away. A diagnosis made in haste, you rushed them, the technician knows that an a/c repair can’t be completed in one day and there is no pay for the inspection. Have your home dealer inspect the a/c system. ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 5:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/27 "2023-07-18T17:07:06Z")
The biggest problam is [KIA] KILLED IN ACTION ]. 😀 ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 5:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/28 "2023-07-18T17:15:04Z")
@Nevada_545 is right, the condenser leak isn’t covered only if that’s the actual leak location. I’d want proof of that, there’s no hole visible in the photo. ---
**Author:** ![eddo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/eddo/32/2594_2.png) [@eddo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eddo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 5:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/29 "2023-07-18T17:29:48Z")
> [@Defaultemode](#): > > Over the last week my ac had been struggling a bit. Then all the sudden it went out on me and started blowing hot air after a quick rest stop. Thankfully I was only 30 minutes from the dealer I purchased it from and they squeezed me in right away to diagnose. They warned me that it could be a rock hit the condenser and that wouldn’t be covered by warranty… This made me suspicious as there are several issues with the car they have yet to fix including trim that’s falling off, rusted disc brake rotors, a horn that intermittently stops working, dysfunctional Android auto that constantly disconnects and a consistently weak AC. It’s stressing to feel like I’ve got a lemon and I’m considering selling before the warranty expires. > > They call me back a few hours later saying there’s a pinhole leak in the condenser unit and a piece of road debris must have hit it. I asked for a picture of the damage and they provided the following picture. Their advice is that I claim insurance but I don’t want to pay anything or risk my rates going up. I shouldn’t be having these issues at just 40k miles. I feel this is just a convenient scapegoat and am not confident this is actually the cause. The entire condenser is beat up from the giant gaps in the grill of the Seltos. If this is the true cause, it seems a condenser should be a bit more resilient if placed in such a vulnerable manner. > > Should I take it to a different dealer or shop? Should I call Kia corporate? > > ![20230717_150225](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/c/4/c47593f1cfc2a47e776e5766acc9119d10e2973e.jpeg) judging by the rest of the damage on the condenser and the up front comment by the service advisor, I’d wager a guess that this vehicle is extra susceptible to this kind of damage. Some vehicle designs just lend themselves to more condenser damage than others. on my big trucks at work, i install mesh screens to help cut down on this kind of damage. having said all that- I agree with @Nevada_545 and @texases that I do not see a hole in the circle of your photo. ---
**Author:** ![TwinTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@TwinTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TwinTurbo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 7:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/30 "2023-07-18T19:04:51Z")
> [@Defaultemode](#): > > Is it really that different from the other bent fins? Yes. The fins are just a means to improve the thermal conduction path from the tubes carrying refrigerant to the air passing through. They can be bent and there will be no leak. When the tubing carrying the actual refrigerant are damaged, it will leak out and cause failure when enough leaks out. A slow leak will not always be visible to the eye. Even so, it may already be gone and you won’t see that fume cloud in the picture. If a hole is not visible, it may take more investigating to prove where the damage exists. But the prime suspect is that element of the system exposed to road debris. And it doesn’t take a rock truck losing its load to have that happen. ---
**Author:** ![weekend-warrior](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/weekend-warrior/32/26122_2.png) [@weekend-warrior](https://community.cartalk.com/u/weekend-warrior)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/31 "2023-07-18T19:12:40Z")
The leak is probably at the very top of the dented line where it is pinched together and meets the fins. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/32 "2023-07-18T19:37:33Z")
> [@Renegade](#): > > The biggest problam is [KIA] KILLED IN ACTION ] My brother was a Spec/5 in Vietnam, and because he had to record “KIA” hundreds of times in Army personnel records, he told me that he could never bring himself to own a car bearing the letters KIA. ---
**Author:** ![Renegade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Renegade](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Renegade)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 7:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/33 "2023-07-18T19:50:00Z")
[quote=“VDCdriver, post:32, topic:191770”] he could never bring himself to own a car bearing the letters KIA. [/quote]A man after my own heart I was never military because of be 90% blind in one eye but have known of people KIA and will refuse to even get in one. ---
**Author:** ![jimkoe329\_179295](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b77776/32.png) [@jimkoe329\_179295](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jimkoe329_179295)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/34 "2023-07-18T20:30:18Z")
I had a condenser leak from road debris that was less noticeable than the OP’s , the only way it could be seen ( besides the little dent) was with dye, it was such a small hairline crack. I replaced the condenser and installed screen door screen over the new one four years ago and it still looks like new. …….it doesn’t take much to cause a leak in soft aluminum. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 9:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/35 "2023-07-18T21:24:52Z")
If this is road debris damage, it might be covered by your auto insurance just like a cracked windshield could be. Try it out on them and see what happens. Use the investigation from the dealer to back you up. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 9:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/36 "2023-07-18T21:38:18Z")
Try the insurance method. If no joy, go back to the dealership, give them a chance to change their minds. IMO it’s reasonable to expect a new car’s design to be robust enough to not create an AC leak due to a small pebble hitting the condenser. A big rock, yes, but in that case the car should be designed w/a shield to prevent big rocks from hitting the condenser. Worse case, nobody helps. OP still has a backup plan, just choose a different manufacturer for their next vehicle purchase. Disclaimer: I’ve never owned a vehicle w/AC, so it is possible, even with a perfect vehicle design, this sort of thing cannot be prevented. In that case, not much can be done other than paying up to repair the AC every time it happens. Or live without AC. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 9:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/37 "2023-07-18T21:44:26Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > I’ve never owned a vehicle w/AC ![:smack:](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/a/d/adab6e8ff6624929e4e2c00d93633a00292b57e4.gif) I’ve never owned a vehicle w/o A/C, dating back to 1971. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 9:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/38 "2023-07-18T21:45:30Z")
No insurance company is going to cover a damaged condenser from road debris. They’ll cover a damaged windshield because it’s a safety issue. Tester ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 9:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/39 "2023-07-18T21:50:01Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > I’ve never owned a vehicle w/o A/C, dating back to 1971. You definitely have a lot of vehicle AC experience. Just curious, have you ever had this same problem, a rock thrown up from the road hits your vehicle’s condenser and creates a refrigerant leak? ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 9:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/40 "2023-07-18T21:51:53Z")
The pictures in post 26 were for an insurance claim. Condenser replacement is usually over $1200. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 9:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/41 "2023-07-18T21:56:09Z")
Yep, ‘comprehensive insurance’ would cover it, if the OP has that. Less the deductible, of course. ---
**Author:** ![eddo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/eddo/32/2594_2.png) [@eddo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eddo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2023, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770/42 "2023-07-18T22:20:58Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > Just curious, have you ever had this same problem, a rock thrown up from the road hits your vehicle’s condenser and creates a refrigerant leak? you didn’t ask me, but here is one off one of my work trucks from a couple months back: ![condenser](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/2/b/2b1f1ff7d7d94a197a384febc5896b3bd448f8dc.jpeg) [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770.md?page=1) [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ac-went-out-on-year-old-car-dealership-says-not-covered-by-warranty/191770.md?page=3)