I have a 2001 Subaru Outback with 145,000 miles in very good condition. The air conditioning doesn’t work. I had it recharged last summer. The engine light comes on and goes off. I was told it was the O2 sensor. Any idea on $$$ of repairs? And, would you put the money into the car??? Thanks
The O? sensor error may mean a sensor, or it may mean another problem with the system. Remember they don’t put sensors in just to give error codes, the sensor is just checking the operation of part of the pollution control system. It could be the system that is failing and not the sensor. Often it is the sensor, but there are other possibilities.
Who told you it was the O2 sensor? Was this a mechanic? Did someone read the computer codes or is this a guess? There are dozens of things that can make the check engine light come on.
The check engine light and the AC are two different problems and not related. The AC system has a leak somewhere, and recharging won’t fix it for long. The leak must be located and fixed. This could be a minor thing like an o-ring, or a major part. Without knowing what’s leaking it’s impossible to estimate a repair cost.
I like to have the AC working on my cars. The AC helps with defogging the windows, and I consider it a safety issue. I would fix it if it were my car. Assuming the car has been properly maintained it could easily last another 145K miles or more.
It was at a Valvoline location that had changed oil and recharged the A/C
I am very much in favor of using a AC speciality shop. The ability to recharge can be taught very quickly, it is not a indicator of who should be doing your AC repair