How Much Does a Car AC Recharge Cost?

Occasionally all you need to do to refresh your air conditioning is to recharge the system with new freon. In this article we will learn more about the AC system and most importantly how much it can cost to get a recharge for the system.

How Often Should Your Car AC Be Recharged?

In an ideal world the AC system is sealed up tight and the freon can never escape. That is the intent but unfortunately over time there can be small leaks that allow some of this refrigerant gas to escape. At this point we should note that freon is bad for the environment and toxic to us. We will discuss that again later however.

This is not a system that has set time frames or mileage before you would attempt a recharge because as mentioned it shouldn’t really need it. As a rule of thumb though if the system is starting to not work as well you could have the refrigerant levels checked and potentially topped up.

At most though unless you have a big freon leak you should be good for several years before you would need to have an AC recharge.

How Do You Know Whether You Need an AC Recharge?

Warm AC

If the air conditioning is giving you the opposite of what it is supposed to, which in this case would be warm air then you clearly have an issue with the system. If you do not have adequate refrigerant in the system to cool the air then the AC is useless.

The lack of freon stops the system pressurizing as it should. Of course there may be other AC issues at play as well so do not just assume that a recharge will fix the problem. You may get a short term boost but if there is a big leak in the system this will not last.

AC Clutch

When we turn on the AC there should be an audible click although it is most prominent from the outside of the vehicle. This is the sound of the AC clutch engaging so if we do not hear this then it did not engage.

The AC clutch may prevent itself from engaging if refrigerant levels are too low as a way to stop further damage to the system. Recharging the system may allow the clutch to start engaging again or the part itself may have developed a fault.

A Leak in the System

It is hard to see freon but if you do notice a greasy puddle under the engine bay which is not oil it will be refrigerant. The best way to locate a leak however is to pass a special UV dye through the system. You can then check with the help of a black light where if anywhere this dye escaped the system.

Can You Drive With a Broken AC System?

The car's AC system is not integral to the running of the vehicle so the simple answer is yes you can drive with a broken or empty AC system. You will of course want to not use the system if it is not working as running it may cause extra damage which can cost you more later if you decide to get it fixed.

This is completely a comfort based system so if you don’t care if your car gets hot inside the cabin that is your choice. It should be noted however that this same system is involved in defrosting your windows so you may want to make sure that it is in working order for that if nothing else.

Can You Recharge the AC Yourself?

You can easily find AC recharging kits for sale and they do not cost a lot so yes in theory you can recharge your own AC. It should be noted however that in some states only trained professionals are permitted to work with refrigerants so legally you may not be allowed.

Freon is bad for the environment and is not particularly good for us so making a mistake with it can be harmful. These recharge kits come with instructions which if followed may allow you to successfully complete the task but be aware that you do so at your own risk.

How Much Does an AC Recharge Cost?

If you perform the recharge yourself it may only cost you between $25 - $100 to get the job done. Again we must remind you there are risks involved so you should be sure you know what you are doing.

Taking your car to a professional can cost $100 - $350 for an AC recharge but this will include tests to make sure the system is still sealed and that it will in fact take the recharge. The cost may vary for a number of reasons.

What Can Affect AC Recharge Costs?

Your Vehicle

Not all models of car are made equal so the process for recharging and testing the system can vary. If you have a smaller car then it will probably need less refrigerant than for example a large truck. If using a mechanic certain vehicles may be more labor intensive than others which can boost the cost.

DIY Vs. Professional

This is an obvious one. If you can safely perform the work yourself then you obviously save on labor costs and you only need the right supplies and tools to complete the job. Some of the tools are on the pricey side so you would hope to use them multiple times to make this worth your while.

Paying professionals to perform the recharge is not only safer but also might get you better results. It won’t be very cheap but if you must have working AC then it might be worth it. A mechanic will be less expensive than going to a dealership who will charge you more for the service.

Other Repairs

The risk always remains that the issue is not related to how much refrigerant you have in the system. There may be mechanical issues and parts may need replacing. This will obviously add to your bill and could cost a lot more.

If you started out with low refrigerant ignoring the issue can and likely will cause more damage In the system. The longer you wait to fix the issue the more problems the mechanics may find that need fixing.

Does a Recharge Take Long?

The recharge itself does not take long however the discovery phase and testing phase may take some time. You should test your system first for leaks before throwing more refrigerant into the system. If you locate issues they should be fixed first.

Once the problems are solved then you can refill the system which should just take a few minutes. You will then want to run the system for a while to make sure everything you fixed is working fine.

Assuming you do not have any actual repairs then the whole process including tests should take at most an hour to complete. This doesn’t mean you would get it back in an hour from your mechanic however as there are always other things to consider in this case.

Conclusion

An AC recharge is not cheap but nor is it terribly expensive. Depending on your car you might spend a few hundred dollars to get the job done right. Assuming that the issue was just dissipated refrigerant then this should be all.

If there are issues with the AC system however you may find a few more costs building up to get your AC back in operation. Although it is not an essential system if you live somewhere where the weather gets hot you may want to get the work done.

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  • "How Much Does a Car AC Recharge Cost?". Tow Ratings. Accessed on March 28, 2024. http://towratings.net/blog/how-much-does-a-car-ac-recharge-cost/.

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