# Air conditioning

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioning/48348>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** airconditioning, toyota, camry, leaks\
**Created:** [May 3, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioning/48348 "2010-05-03T23:12:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Neecy\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/49beb7/32.png) [@Neecy\_S](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Neecy_S)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioning/48348/1 "2010-05-03T23:12:11Z")

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I have a 2000 Toyota Solara, which for the last 3 summers, I have had to have the air conditioning system ‘charged’ so that it would blow cold air. Obviously, I have a leak, but not a big one, because the A/C works for the summer, but by the next year, it blows hot air again. Is this an expensive repair? Is there some additive I can use to seal the leak? Any thoughts??

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**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 1:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioning/48348/2 "2010-05-04T01:23:34Z")

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Someone should at least give this car a good “sniff” with an electronic sniffer after a charge, not all leaks are hard to find.

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**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 1:28am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/air-conditioning/48348/3 "2010-05-04T01:28:56Z")

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There’s really no such thing as inexpensive A/C system work - it does vary a lot though depending on what needs to be done. The thing is that any kind of leak fixing requires specialized equipment and expertise to drain and then properly refill the system. Then, no matter where the leak is, it probably won’t be all that easy to get to. Some leaks might involve very cheap parts (like new o-rings) but others require expensive parts (like condensers).

I would not have anyone add anything that claims to seal a leak - it will likely make a mess of the system and cost a lot more in the long run.

I would ask that someone add some dye, however. Despite the fact that you will have to crack the checkbook to fix it, I’d say you should have it fixed.