Knowing nothing of mechanics, I turn you ‘you guys’ for advice!
My 2001, “used” Acura MDX has been in & out of the service dept. 5 times in the last 6 mos. to repair different parts of the AC system. Each time , the AC seems to cool the car abit for about a day. The nauseating smell of what I assume is freon hangs in the air, then gradually subsides…until I can arrange to get the vehicle back in the shop. How do I know that they are just randomly replacing parts? First they relaced’the front tubing" now the 'back section’Is it possible that the “pressure in the system” has caused these “other old parts” to deteriorate so quickly? HELP! This is costing me a bundle,probably more than a whole new AC system!
Thanks, Diane Underwood from Kauai
The fact that your car’s AC system has had parts replaced on it 5 times in 6 months does make it look like some random parts replacement is going on.
Do the parts that are being replaced show signs of corrosion?
If the vehicles AC system was open to the atmosphere for a long enough time, moisture will enter the system, and if this moisture is not removed and if the part that absorbs any moisture that isn’t removed by a system evacuation,is not replaced your AC system will start to corrode.
How long was your AC inoperative before this parts replacement series started?
Its never good to leave the AC inoperative for a long time.
Some people do feel that recharging a system that has been inoperative for a long time will lead to additional part failures.
Sounds like you had a evaporator failure (large leak) that let refridgerant leak into the inside of your car.
It would seem that the “service department” does not have a good A/C tech. I suggest you would be far more likely to find someone who knows what they are doing at an A/C or Radiator/AC shop.
2 possibilities:
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There is an intermittant leak in the system and they can’t find it.
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The whole system is leak prone and they are replacing the weakest part each time.
I suggest you find another shop and see what they say.
I think after the 2nd time going back to the same service department and not getting the problem solved, I would look for another shop to take a crack at the problem. How does the Einstein quote go? It is something like “Insanity is doing the same thing many times expecting different results.” Find either a shop has a good A/C technician or a shop that specialized is A/C repairs.
I am an A/C tech and I would say that the pungeant smell you have is fungus rotting your evaporator and the leak is coming from there. Ask the shop to inject a ulraviolet leak detector into the system and run the A/C for a few days. Return car to shop and check with U/V light the evap drain under vehical or through a opening in the evap housing under dash. Does your car have an auxilliary A/C unit, meaning back of car cooling? Check this also as the U/V die will have circulated throughout the system. This is the best way to locate a leak without replacing parts for nothing.