X150 XKR Air Con Issue

[Sterillium]

Any help or advice welcome!

I had my A/C regassed in April and it was immediately lovely and cold (previously it was lukewarm at best).

On Saturday, I was out in the car and the A/C was ice cold. Today, it's suddenly lukewarm again - doesn't get cold at all.

I've checked for fault codes (none) and I've checked the F6 fuse in the passenger fuse box (fuse intact).

Is there anything else I should be investigating before I book it into the garage?

[NMNeil]

If you had it regassed it means there was probably a leak at some time. Did they company leak check or just add refrigerant?

[Sterillium]

I’m not sure - I’ve rebooked them to do exactly that.

I thought there was some magical way to make the A/C panel tell you about any faults. But I’ve not been able to make it work.

[reddiesel]

Sterillium said:

Any help or advice welcome!

I had my A/C regassed in April and it was immediately lovely and cold (previously it was lukewarm at best).

On Saturday, I was out in the car and the A/C was ice cold. Today, it's suddenly lukewarm again - doesn't get cold at all.

I've checked for fault codes (none) and I've checked the F6 fuse in the passenger fuse box (fuse intact).

Is there anything else I should be investigating before I book it into the garage?

I had similar in an XK and again with no fault codes , a new condenser cured the problem . These can be susceptible to corrosion from Road Salt and such like owing to their location .

[Sterillium]

That’s really useful. Expensive part?

[Russ Sims]

Very similar story here with my 2009 XKR, I had my aircon regassed earlier this year and it promptly failed again. I scanned the car using my icarsoft code reader and the car did have a low system pressure code stored. Dropped the car off at the garage for repair yesterday, not received the diagnosis and repair cost yet but will post back later this week with the garages findings.

Russ

[reddiesel]

Sterillium said:

That’s really useful. Expensive part?

I dont know where you are in the Country , I used a highly recommended mobile bloke from Bedford Battery who did it on the driveway , from memory £200 or thereabouts .

[Sterillium]

Apparently, it's the condenser that's gone - which I did expect.

Two questions, if anyone is able to help:

1. Where's the best place to buy a new condenser - anyone know of a good supplier?

2. Why did the air con work fine for a month after the regassing, then suddenly go? Should I have expected the garage that did the re-gas to have noticed the condenser problem?

[reddiesel]

Sterillium said:

Apparently, it's the condenser that's gone - which I did expect.

Two questions, if anyone is able to help:

1. Where's the best place to buy a new condenser - anyone know of a good supplier?

2. Why did the air con work fine for a month after the regassing, then suddenly go? Should I have expected the garage that did the re-gas to have noticed the condenser problem?

" Which I did expect " ??? ha ha ha . You didn't expect Jack st which is why you are on here asking the question and attempting to blame the Garage for your own incompetence and ignorance .
It didn't " suddenly go " as you.state , its obviously been leaking for a long time slowly losing its Gas and hence its cooling properties . I dont know what you instructed the Garage to do on your behalf or indeed what experience you have with the Jaguar X150 , as I told you earlier its a relatively common problem largely down to where the Condenser is situated , if the Garage rarely work on the X150 then they have simply went to their first "Port of Call" which would be a regassing . Look at it the other way , if they would have replaced a perfectly good Condenser instead of simply regassing you would still be on here moaning looking for someone to blame . I have no agenda in sticking up for Garages but Blokes like you make me smile .

[anonymous-user]

reddiesel said:

" Which I did expect " ??? ha ha ha . You didn't expect Jack st which is why you are on here asking the question and attempting to blame the Garage for your own incompetence and ignorance .
It didn't " suddenly go " as you.state , its obviously been leaking for a long time slowly losing its Gas and hence its cooling properties . I dont know what you instructed the Garage to do on your behalf or indeed what experience you have with the Jaguar X150 , as I told you earlier its a relatively common problem largely down to where the Condenser is situated , if the Garage rarely work on the X150 then they have simply went to their first "Port of Call" which would be a regassing . Look at it the other way , if they would have replaced a perfectly good Condenser instead of simply regassing you would still be on here moaning looking for someone to blame . I have no agenda in sticking up for Garages but Blokes like you make me smile .

Wow.

[Sterillium]

reddiesel said:

Bizarre toddler noise...

[Simpo Two]

Sterillium said:

Apparently, it's the condenser that's gone - which I did expect.

Two questions, if anyone is able to help:

1. Where's the best place to buy a new condenser - anyone know of a good supplier?

2. Why did the air con work fine for a month after the regassing, then suddenly go? Should I have expected the garage that did the re-gas to have noticed the condenser problem?

I think you meant 'didn't expect'.

Regassing is often a quick 'hope it works' option because it's cheap. In my experience it's rarely the answer, because the gas leaked out for a reason, and will do so again.

Who diagnosed the condenser? Did they use fluorescent dye to do so or was it guesswork? Can they replace it?

I would take the car to an a/c specialist.

[reddiesel]

Simpo Two said:

I think you meant 'didn't expect'.

Regassing is often a quick 'hope it works' option because it's cheap. In my experience it's rarely the answer, because the gas leaked out for a reason, and will do so again.

Who diagnosed the condenser? Did they use fluorescent dye to do so or was it guesswork? Can they replace it?

I would take the car to an a/c specialist.

I totally agree with the good advice you give Simpo , anyone can fit a Condenser but the regassing and disposing of the old refrigerant is an a/c specialist business .
https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg349.pdf
As regards the cost of the Condenser , most of the time , in my limited experience its a supply and fit job so simply a case of obtaining a few quotes from a few Specialists I would be surprised if there was much variation in price .

Edited by reddiesel on Tuesday 29th June 07:38