I have a 96 Toyota Camry. Last October the radiator was broken and replaced by a local Toyota dealer. Right after that the air conditioning system was not working (no cold air blows). The dealer checked and told me the thermostat needed to be replaced. So I have that done and the AC started to work. A few months later, the AC did not blow cold air. This time the dealer checked and told me the hose was leaking from drier to evaporator, and it would cost $223 in parts and $179 in labor.
My question is: 1) could this AC hose leaking be caused during the replacement of the radiator? 2) Is the dealer?s quote reasonable?
Thank you!
As far as cost is concerned, I could not tell you, it depends on the area I guess. Dealers are a bit more expensive than independent shops.
You are talking 13 years on an A/C hose. That is great service for the it, I really don’t think you have a leg to stand on if that hose has never been replaced.
It’s unlikely the hose was damaged when the radiator was replaced. If it had been the AC would not have worked for more than a few hours.
The hose is 13 years old. They don’t last forever.
You could save money by taking this car to an independent AC shop. You don’t need a Toyota dealer to fix a 13 year old Camry.
Thank both Wizard and Mcparadise.