How Much Does It Cost to Recharge Your Car’s AC?
These costs are generally not that expensive when considering that this maintenance also extends the life of your compressor, keeping your air conditioning performing optimally season after season.
A professional AC recharge cost ranges from $150 – $300 on average depending on the make and model of your vehicle. Due torefrigerantlosses that occur over time, this service is one that should be added to your vehicle maintenance schedule. It is recommended that this service be performed on a vehicle every 100,000 miles or so.
You can save on yourthis costby going the DIY route and recharging your car’s AC, in which case you can expect to pay$40-60for a proper recharge kit. Thismay seem likea real savings overtaking the car into the shopandpossiblymore convenient, but before proceedingwith the DIY alternative, it’s important to understand exactly what’s going on when you get an AC service at a shop, vs doing the job yourself.
Related: How to Recharge Your Car’s AC
What Does Recharging Your AC Mean?
Servicingyour vehicle’s air conditioning system is an expected maintenanceitemforall vehicles with operationalAC.It’s commonly done by dealershipsorshops,anditinvolves hooking your vehicle upto a machinethat removes refrigerant from the system, and simultaneously puts the vehicle’s system under vacuum.
This is done to properly test the system for leaks and see if it holds vacuum over a certainperiod of time.By doing this, the technicianis able todetect leaks, andpotentially determine their origin. This is important because simply filling the vehicle up with more refrigerantwill onlybe a temporary fix if there is a leak that this new refrigerant can escape through.
If the system checks out fine for vacuum,the machine recharges the system to the precise amounts of refrigerant needed to operate, and then is checked for proper function.Doing thisassuresthatthecompressor works efficiently to deliver the cooling levels required for your specific vehicle make and model.
To do this service yourself, you will need to purchase the recommended refrigerant for your vehicle manufacturer to recharge your system, and to do the service properly, you will need a vacuum pump and manifold gauge set, both available in the AutoZone Loan-A-Tool program.You can learn more about those tools in this article.
The most common refrigerant for newer model cars is R-134a, whichhas been the standard since 1994 when cars with R-12 refrigerant weren’t phased out.Many older carsthat have never been servicedmay use R-12and need to be retrofitted over to R-134a.Newer vehicles in just the last few years now take a new generation of refrigerant, R-1234yf, which has just become available for DIY use in the last 2 years.
Related: How Much Does it Cost to Replace Your Car’s AC?
When Should You Recharge Your AC?
The first signsof an AC compressor not functioning properlywill be air flow that is warmer than usual when electing the coolest of settings. Air conditioning systems can loserefrigerant in very small dosesover time, but rapid leaks are a cause for concern.
It’s important to note, thatwhilesimply grabbing a can of refrigerantand charging your system willcertainly get yourACworking again, it’s vital that you pay attention to the proper pressure of the systemand don’t over-charge. Some AC systems, especially newer R-1234yf systemsdo not take a large amount of refrigerant– some as little as 6oz –and over-charging the system can lead to catastrophic failure.
If youhave successfully charged thesystemyetweeks later, you feel warm air again,youprobablyhave a leak. Air conditioning systems have several connections in which these leaks can occur, so regular maintenance can help you avoid costly repairs in the future while maintaining optimal cooling throughout the life of your vehicle.
It is expected that at 100,000 miles, your air conditioning system will require servicing. At the first sign of your air conditioning performance not up to par, you should be aware that an AC recharge is probably warranted with an accompanying AC recharge cost.
Related: Diagnosing Common Car AC Problems
Can You Recharge Your Car’s AC?
Recharging your air conditioning system is not a difficult task,but one that requires some research.It is crucial to make sure you know how to recharge it safely and properly.
First, you will want to confirm the type of refrigerant required for your specific vehicle.If you’ve confirmed that your vehicle uses R-134or R-1234yf, or has been converted from R-12,youcanpurchase a recharge kit which will include the recommendedrefrigerant,dispensable from a pressurized can of approximately 12 ounces to 22 ounces andin most cases will containa reusable recharge hose outfitted with an inline pressure gauge. This pressure gauge will assure the proper amounts ofrefrigerantare delivered by measuring existing levels(measured as pressure)and reflecting maximum levels realized for proper recharging.
Even though most cans do contain a charging hose, using a proper manifold gauge (hose) set is highly recommended and will get you more accurate measurements on your vehicle’s system.Instructions are included within the recharge kit to properly do this service yourself. Next, you will want to identify thelow-sidedelivery point for therefrigeranton your vehicle’s system. Refer to your owner’s manualor online guidesfor your specific carfor this information,or,you can read more about charging your AC system yourselfhere.
What Happens If You Overcharge Your AC?
When performing thisserviceyourself, you will have the proper recharge kit to guide you in delivering the proper amount ofrefrigerantinto your vehicle’s air conditioning system. However, it is possible to deliver too muchrefrigerant, resulting in an ‘overcharge’ of the air conditioning system. The result is that your compressor will not be able to provide the proper cooling levels and warm air will be delivered into your vehicle instead.This is whyit’s best to tread very carefully when assuming that a non-functioning air conditioning unit is low on refrigerant, as this is not always the case.
f you do over-charge the system, it is best to take the vehicle to a mechanic to have the system properly evacuated by an AC machine, and thus serviced to the correct amount. If you need help performing this, or any AC recharge or service, check out our list ofpreferred shopsin your area that can help. Or, if you’d like to tackle the job yourself, AutoZone has all the toolsand refrigerant to service your R-134A or R-12 vehicle.
