Air con compressor

[bzoow]

Strange noise from front of engine around alternator turned out to be air con compressor packing up. Main dealer quoted £1050 parts and labour. Got full Seat service history but car is nearly 4 years old. Seat offered 50% payment toward P&L so facing £500 bill.
Have a new car on order (but am keeping FR170 so want the air con to work!).
Anyone think this is a good/bad offer?
Dealer thinks it's good as normal offer is 20% but he would say that wouldn't he.
If it's not good is it worth talking to Seat CC directly?

 

[porksword28]

I'd say it's pretty good really. You might get it cheaper else where but at least if you have it done at the dealers it will have warrenty.

 

[manhota]

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/271176490532?fits=Car+Make:Seat|Model:Leon

Cheaper on ebay and no way is it more than 4 hours labour £50 an hour £200 and £200 for the part with 2 year warranty

 

[belfastchris45]

I just removed my aircon and pump. Took a max of 2 hours and thats with removing the full front end.

 

[bzoow]

Thanks for the comments - looked at buying off Ebay for £200 and getting it fitted - quoted £180 plus VAT plus £80 for flush if required. That comes too close to £500 for the original equipment compressor with the Seat contribution I think.
A few years ago I would have spend a couple of hours skinning my knuckles doing it myself but getting too soft for that now - thanks for the advice though!

 

[J400uk]

Sounds like a reasonable price. Its the labour which makes these things expensive really. Try and find out why the original compressor failed if you can though.

 

[MJ]

Book time is about 1.5 hours to replace the pump plus a regas. I'd complain to seat customer care and tell them you can have the job done privately with a 2 year warranty for less than the cost of the repair by the dealer including the discount!

You're obviously a loyal customer with a full history and a new car on the way so they should reward that loyalty to keep you faithful in the brand. Why should you have to pay £500 for the replacement of a component that should last the life of the vehicle and is a known issue anyway?

 

[jammymark]

I got quoted £2000 to replace mine on 1.9tdi by Seat. Mine had the bolt fall out the shaft. Got one from www.autoairconparts.co.uk for £280. Arrived next day. Fitted myself in half hour.

 

[blueleontsi]

Strange noise from front of engine around alternator turned out to be air con compressor packing up. Main dealer quoted £1050 parts and labour. Got full Seat service history but car is nearly 4 years old. Seat offered 50% payment toward P&L so facing £500 bill.
Have a new car on order (but am keeping FR170 so want the air con to work!).
Anyone think this is a good/bad offer?
Dealer thinks it's good as normal offer is 20% but he would say that wouldn't he.
If it's not good is it worth talking to Seat CC directly?

I've seen a number of threads about leon air con issues. I have a 2010 leon which was regassed last week - it had no gas in it even though it had an aircon service by Seat within the last 12 months. Seems to be working now but a few weird noises behind the dash.

 

[porksword28]

I got quoted £2000 to replace mine on 1.9tdi by Seat. Mine had the bolt fall out the shaft. Got one from www.autoairconparts.co.uk for £280. Arrived next day. Fitted myself in half hour.

How easy is it to replace? Any how to guides would be most welcome!

 

[MJ]

Just all bare in mind that you have to have the gas removed by a qualified person with the correct equipment.

Releasing it into the atmosphere on the drive outside your house can result in a huge fine.

You can get the system re-gassed relatively cheaply by the likes of Kwik fit.

 

[J400uk]

Yeah I agree with MJ, its not really a DIY job and the gas has to be removed before the compressor can be changed.

Currently £33 for a regas at ATS using this voucher - http://local.amazon.co.uk/London-wide/B00K2RCJQE

 

[old 'uns]

...and the attitude of a DIY removal/repairer will be......

Not working anyway, probably no Refrigerant left, what harm can it do to just unbolt it?

 

[MJ]

If the compressor has failed, the system will still be full of gas. It's not just an environmental issue. If you **** up with R134a and come into short term contact it boils at -25 degrees and it will hurt you badly, frost bite.

 

[bzoow]

The local company who quoted me £180 plus VAT said straight away when I asked if he could fit a pattern air con compressor "is it VW/Audi?". The issue is the clutch at the front breaks up apparently although sometimes the internals disintegrate and spread cr*p all around the system.

On the topic of releasing gas into the atmosphere, many years ago I decided to try to remove a seized aircon rad cooling fan from my Scorpio but had to drill out the bottom bracket as the bolt was rusted in. As I laid on the floor of the garage drilling up into the bolt it occurred to my that it was a dumb idea as if the drill slipped it would go straight into the aircon condenser rad which of course at that point it did. The noise and blast of refrigerant did not hurt but fair scared the sh*t out of me!
Was not nearly as bad as the missus who was pretty p*ssed that her Scorpio no longer had any aircon rather than just when it was stationary as it was before! Never did get it fixed....

 

[MJ]

Mk2 Leon air con compressors don't have a clutch on them. They use a variable displacement piston, controlled by a valve, operating a wobble plate.

They are always turning internally but when the A/C is off it draws such little power from the engine you wouldn't notice. It also closes the dash flaps. This variant keeps the system in use and prevents seizure but this more complicated system has more moving components, hence the fail rate.

 

[porksword28]

Still if the the system is empty, is it difficult to fit on your driveway or best to take to a garage?

 

[Paulki]

Still if the the system is empty, is it difficult to fit on your driveway or best to take to a garage?

It is do-able for home mechanics the main problem is usually access to the compressor which is mounted low on the engine. You would need to take the tension off the fan belt, unplug the electrical connector, disconnect the low pressure (thick pipe) and high pressure (thin) pipe from the compressor and lastly undo the mounting bolts; you may need to access some or all of these from underneath.

When fitting a replacement compressor check whether it is pre filled with PAG oil, if not it will need to be filled prior to re-gassing. It's advisable to fit new O-rings to the pipe connectors and make sure they are lubricated before connecting to the compressor.

 

[porksword28]

Cheers fella myt have a go at it!

 

[johnkearns89]

Mk2 Leon air con compressors don't have a clutch on them. They use a variable displacement piston, controlled by a valve, operating a wobble plate.

They are always turning internally but when the A/C is off it draws such little power from the engine you wouldn't notice. It also closes the dash flaps. This variant keeps the system in use and prevents seizure but this more complicated system has more moving components, hence the fail rate.

You ay they're always turning internally? My A/C has packed in. Looked at the compressor pulley, the centre bolt on the pulley wasn't turning.... I have a bad feeling this could be expensive