[Hemmi]

My A/C did not turn on today, I drove to my dealer and they took the car in to check what was wrong.

They said that there was low pressure on the system and that they have to put some color fluid in the system to see where the leak is, just that process is very expensive.

I got the car booked at July 26th, now Im wondering after reading this thread if this is just normal and I just need more gas.

If not this could be expensive, just what I needed when selling the car and saving money for Spain

I cant wait to own no car, probably the worst thing you can buy in your life, money eater

[Dazzler]

Has your warranty run out Hemmi?  (not good)

[Hemmi]

Has your warranty run out Hemmi?  (not good)

yes, a month ago.

[Dazzler]

 

Don't commit to an expensive repair until we do some brainstormining on here Hemmi..

Maybe someone can come up with a better solution (like selling it in winter) 

[alan2938]

See Link below. might help?

https://www.i30ownersclub.com/forum/index.php?topic=9991.0

[Hemmi]

Picked up the car from the dealer on Friday, luckily nothing was broken, so they just filled the system up again and everything worked like a charm

The total cost was 21.000 isk, £110.

[Argus]

On the Polish forum I30 owners reported that AC coolant can to evaporate  to empty within about two years, even in a sealed system.

[babis_xo]

I wonder what's the use of A/C in Iceland...
Anyway, I think that whoever buys your car is a very lucky person

[Hemmi]

I wonder what's the use of A/C in Iceland...
Anyway, I think that whoever buys your car is a very lucky person

I can use it 4 months a year

[accim]

I had it refiled the other day. They've also put color inside to check if the gas is getting out somewhere. If it is (but so far it doesn't seem it is), then they'll try to fix it under warranty (which I have for only 3 more months). If it isn't "leaking", then I just ran out of gas (which is considered also to be normal).

It's interesting, from what I've seen, a lot of A/C systems in i30 have similar problems -> they "stop working" between 2nd and 3rd year. They say the warranty on gas is only 2 years. But to me, it seems that 2-3 years is a bit short lifespan. We have Volvo V40 at home, y.2003 and the A/C still works great. Though both cars have done the same number of kilometers so far (102.600 and 105.000 km), the only difference is that it took me 2,5 years to do it with i30 and 8 years to do it with Volvo. And I do use A/C more frequently then my mom in her V40.

[babis_xo]

It's interesting, from what I've seen, a lot of A/C systems in i30 have similar problems -> they "stop working" between 2nd and 3rd year.

I hope this is not a rule

[accim]

Well they just refil the gas. I think it's around 30-40 EUR.

[babis_xo]

Well they just refil the gas. I think it's around 30-40 EUR.

I suppose it's covered by warranty(?)

[accim]

Well they just refil the gas. I think it's around 30-40 EUR.

I suppose it's covered by warranty(?)

Not, if it's just the gas.

I mean it's like this. My i30 has 4 year warranty... But.. The 4 years warranty is only for engine and gearbox. For everything else, it's 3 years. But, because the A/C gas is considered to be - how would you say it - "consumable commodity" it has only 2 years of warranty. My car now is 2 years and 9 months old, so it's past those 2 years and because of that, "normal refill" of the A/C gas isn't covered under warranty and I have to pay it for myself. But, if they find out that the gas leaked because of some bigger A/C malfunction/issue, then the refill will be covered by warranty. Of course, the issue will be also fixed under warranty.

Now, we are testing the A/C (for a month) to see, weather it was just me using using too much A/C and running out of it, or if it is still leaking somewhere. We are trying to determine that before I run out of my 3 year warranty (which I only have for 3 more months) and to fix it under warranty, because the cost of fixing some "bigger issue" with the A/C, could easily cost me over 500 EUR. The service is kind of doing me a favor.

[constipated]

Now, we are testing the A/C (for a month) to see, weather it was just me using using too much A/C and running out of it,

I have a wife who drives with A/C on 100% of the time. Her last car was 6 years old when we sold it and the A/C was still very cold. My last car was 9 years old and A/C working fine.

A/C is meant to last. If it stops working due to loss of gas it has a leak. The question is how slow is that leak. Either way I think the dealer should cover. I've had enough cars to know that at 3 years air con has been working fine on all of them.

[accim]

Yes I know. You have a point there. My mother has Volvo V40, which is now 8 years old and the A/C works just fine. And we didn't have any issues with A/C on other cars -> we've had for example Subaru Forester for 5 years and did approx 230.000 km with it and no sign about anything being wrong with A/C. It was the same with previous Santa Fe's, one was sold with approx 167k km on the clock, second with 110k km and no problems there either. We only had to refill the A/C once, but that was looong time ago, on Mazda 626 2.0i. And it was around 130k km, but I think the gas was actually getting out somewhere..

I just know at around 95.000 km, the A/C "stopped" working (cooling). I mean, the A/C light was on, but it was the same if you had it on or off. No difference. After refill, it's freezing cold. But I think I've had problems even before that.. Hmmm I remember I used to hear the A/C (when turning on/off). It was this...windy metal sound. That started at around 70-80.000 km. But it didn't affect the cooling that much.

Anyways, my dealer said, they've put in a dye and in few weeks time, well check it out. They also told me, they have had few i30's with A/C issues -> had to refill the gas, and most of them were around 3 years old. But that was all. Their guess is, that they don't put enough gas in new cars?  Regarding the fact the A/C was making some funny sounds quite some time ago, I'll tell them to check it well before charging me for the refill.