Car air con woes!

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skunkwerxskunkwerx Frets: 6838
Afternoon all! 

Had my Megane regassed today, after noticing a month or so ago that there was little cool air at all on its lowest settings being blown out..
Weird because last summer it was icy, I’m sure of it. I didnt expect it to all go within half a year so drastically! 

It probably was a couple years before that that it was regassed anyway. 

Anyway theres a small improvement now after the regas but its nowhere near what I knew as ‘air con cold’. 

Before leaving the garage the guy said ‘its cold, but will get colder as you drive about’. 

As if it takes time for the coldness to kick in after a regas or something?! Always thought it was instant. 

Anyway after a blast down the a13 for about 20 miles its the same. A bit colder but generally not as cold as I expected.. was a cool day today as well. 

So what could be wrong here? 

There is 4 vents in the dash, 2 centre and one each side. I’m certain one of the centre ones is almost warm rather than cold.. 

The car has a climate control system, which I read on a forum that some said wouldnt get as cold as a standard AC system.. which confused me.. as I can still set the temperature down past 17c to ‘Lo’, which I’m sure used to get pretty damn chilly! 

I figure the fans are working as the air does seem to be blowing out, but my knowledge of these things is minimal! 

Anything I can check myself to narrow down the issue? 

Cheers all
The only easy day, was yesterday...
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Comments

  • Emp_FabEmp_Fab Frets: 24208
    Not that I'm an expert in Aircon, but personally I would be rather disappointed in the garage that did the re-gas if they returned the car to you with a poorly performing system.  I would check the aircon heat exchanger (the <usually> silver radiator close to the front of the normal radiator) to see if it's all clogged up with leaves or crap.  Failing that, I'd take it back to the garage and tell them it's nowhere near as cold as it is supposed to be.  You could have a leak.  Do you know if they did a leak test with dye before regassing or whether they just pumped it full of refrigerant and held their hand out ?

    If you don't want to do that for whatever reason, you have to take it to another garage.
    Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.
    Also chips are "Plant-based" no matter how you cook them.
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  • mr-macmr-mac Frets: 200
    skunkwerx said:
    Afternoon all! 

    Had my Megane regassed today, after noticing a month or so ago that there was little cool air at all on its lowest settings being blown out..
    Weird because last summer it was icy, I’m sure of it. I didnt expect it to all go within half a year so drastically! 

    It probably was a couple years before that that it was regassed anyway. 

    Anyway theres a small improvement now after the regas but its nowhere near what I knew as ‘air con cold’. 

    Before leaving the garage the guy said ‘its cold, but will get colder as you drive about’. 

    As if it takes time for the coldness to kick in after a regas or something?! Always thought it was instant. 

    Anyway after a blast down the a13 for about 20 miles its the same. A bit colder but generally not as cold as I expected.. was a cool day today as well. 

    So what could be wrong here? 

    There is 4 vents in the dash, 2 centre and one each side. I’m certain one of the centre ones is almost warm rather than cold.. 

    The car has a climate control system, which I read on a forum that some said wouldnt get as cold as a standard AC system.. which confused me.. as I can still set the temperature down past 17c to ‘Lo’, which I’m sure used to get pretty damn chilly! 

    I figure the fans are working as the air does seem to be blowing out, but my knowledge of these things is minimal! 

    Anything I can check myself to narrow down the issue? 

    Cheers all
    When's last time you changed the pollen filters for cabin air?  The get really clogged up over time so could be flow rather than temp???
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  • GrunfeldGrunfeld Frets: 4027
    Repton MOT & Service Centre in Basildon -- really good for air con
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  • SporkySporky Frets: 27571
    edited June 2018
    "[Sporky] brings a certain vibe and dignity to the forum."
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  • m_cm_c Frets: 1211
    Sounds like it's got a leak, or something just isn't working how it should.

    Take it back to them, as if they were anywhere near reputable, they would of added a UV dye with the gas, so any leak should be reasonably easy to spot. They should of also tested it at the time to ensure the working pressures are good, and at least a quick look over for any obvious leaks (depending on location, you sometimes have to let it run for a couple days for leaks to become visible).

    Did they say if there was still gas in the system?
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  • skunkwerxskunkwerx Frets: 6838
    Aye I’ll be honest I didnt know much of that! My only previous car that had air con, had a huge leak in its pipes, so I never wanted to afford the repair and just did without for the entire decade of ownership... 

    Never thought to ask about pressures or dyes etc, and the garage didnt mention or say anything was wrong, so I guess they just pumped it full of refrigerant and that was that! 

    What I do know is that the cabin filter could probably do with a change as I havent in 3 years and could verify the previous owner hadnt in atleast a year or two previous to me.

    It does smell sometimes, so I looked into changing it myself, but theres hardly any info online to its whereabouts, and what I could find said I’d need to remove a pedal.. which put me off! 

    The only easy day, was yesterday...
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  • vasselmeyervasselmeyer Frets: 3664
    Either a leak or the compressor. I've had both faults and the symptoms for both were the same as you mentioned.
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  • monofinmonofin Frets: 1118
    Legally a garage must leak test before regassing.
    The improvement should be pretty much instant.

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  • mr-macmr-mac Frets: 200
    edited June 2018
    Cabin filter sometimes fiddly but usually doable yourself..  Makes a huge diff to amount of air fans can blow through if no been done in 5 maybe more years.  Shoulda seen the ones i took out when got last car.  Mine are in a slot above pass footwell and you undo one bolt and slot folds down.
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  • skunkwerxskunkwerx Frets: 6838
    Cheers all. 

    I’ll get onto finding the pollen/cabin filter, and in the meantime I imagine I’ll notice a leak as the remaining cold will no doubt go, unless I spot the uv dye on the drive before! 

    Thanks for the Brentwood shout @Grunfeld , I’ll check those guys out!
    The only easy day, was yesterday...
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  • GrunfeldGrunfeld Frets: 4027
    edited June 2018
    skunkwerx said:

    Thanks for the Brentwood shout @Grunfeld , I’ll check those guys out!
    Basildon!
    Brentwood = women with silicone tottering around in heels like herds of gazelles
    Basildon = Jeremy Kyle territory (and a good place for car air con)
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  • m_cm_c Frets: 1211
    monofin said:
    Legally a garage must leak test before regassing.
    The improvement should be pretty much instant.


    From a legal point it's illegal to knowingly release refrigerant in to the atmosphere I.e by refilling a knowingly leaking system. The practicality of it is, systems will often pass a vacuum test, but as soon as regassed and run up to normal working pressures, it'll blow corrosion/dirt out of holes, and start leaking.

    It's a bit of a grey area that gets discussed on training courses. The law states you only need to carry out a leak test, which a vacuum test is. Ideally you should carry out a pressure test using nitrogen to check the system retains pressure, but from a legal point, the vacuum test ticks the box of a leak test. So unless something fails a vacuum test, you're not going to go to the hassle of disconnecting the AC machine to hook up the pressure testing kit.
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  • randellarandella Frets: 4088
    skunkwerx said:
    Cheers all. 

    I’ll get onto finding the pollen/cabin filter, and in the meantime I imagine I’ll notice a leak as the remaining cold will no doubt go, unless I spot the uv dye on the drive before! 

    Thanks for the Brentwood shout @Grunfeld , I’ll check those guys out!
    Cabin filter does make a difference, I’ve found moisture levels drop better when trying to demist with a clean one. Not sure whether it would affect air temp as much. 

    For a ten quid part it’s worth doing though. Should be a service item but I’ve never had one changed at service yet, mine have all been meticulously avoided by mechanics. 
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  • NiteflyNitefly Frets: 4901
    I had a brand-new Nissan Primera once that would only blow hot air, whatever the settings on the air-con/heater controls. 

    I took it to the local Nissan dealer, who called out their sub-contracted air-con bloke, who discovered that it had never been gassed-up in the first place!

    So much for "our 50-point check before you drive the car away"...

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  • skunkwerxskunkwerx Frets: 6838
    randella said:
    skunkwerx said:
    Cheers all. 

    I’ll get onto finding the pollen/cabin filter, and in the meantime I imagine I’ll notice a leak as the remaining cold will no doubt go, unless I spot the uv dye on the drive before! 

    Thanks for the Brentwood shout @Grunfeld , I’ll check those guys out!
    Cabin filter does make a difference, I’ve found moisture levels drop better when trying to demist with a clean one. Not sure whether it would affect air temp as much. 

    For a ten quid part it’s worth doing though. Should be a service item but I’ve never had one changed at service yet, mine have all been meticulously avoided by mechanics. 
    Tbh mine needs a full service. 
    Last service it had was an interim, which it turns out includes nothing except some visual checks and an oil change.. 

    I did the air filter myself after, but then the fuel filter clogged 30 miles from home one night.. luckily I could hit 50mph but any higher and the engine cut out. 

    It saddens me. Was well looked after until 2 recent hit and runs which has left it looking like a piece of shit visually. One of which has left the rear impact bar bent in a V shape. 

    Then the rear wiper goes faulty on me, my tyres inexplicable lose pressure even though theyre in fine condition, same bridgestones all round and have been resealed and valves changed. 

    The mpg indicator has been dropping steadily too.. 

    I want to say its a good car.. but around 5 years ago when the car was 3 years old, the cambelt snapped and the engine seized. 

    Luckily renault replaced the entire engine for free and did the clutch at the same time for a big discount.   

    Now the air con... its a luxury not a necessity so its hard to justify fixing, even though i hate having to be like that.

    Still, its alive!  
    The only easy day, was yesterday...
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  • skunkwerxskunkwerx Frets: 6838
    Having done some research, there appears to be 2 potential locations for the pollen filter.. 

    One requires the clutch pedal to be removed completely, the other is on the passenger side and requires half of the dashboard and glovebox to come out. 

    Two entirely different locations that seem to vary depending on something that I can’t figure out, and both require stupidness. 

    God I miss my simple mk1 Ford Focus. Hundreds of how to’s on the net and simply made with bolts and screws with only the odd shite plastic clip. 

    I tried to change the rear wiper assembly on the Renault a while back, but of course the entire thing is poxy riveted in place. Cheaper to make, more expensive to buy.  Nothings easy no more. 


    The only easy day, was yesterday...
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  • randellarandella Frets: 4088
    edited June 2018
    They do put them in some daft locations, which is why I suspect I never had one changed at service despite having had my cars looked after by a variety of places from private mechanics to dealerships.

    FWIW the Focus II needs bits of the dash and the glovebox pulling out first. Knuckle-skinner of a job. 

    Showing my age here, but is there a Haynes manual for your car?

    It’s a shame about the hit and runs. Especially when you’ve cared for the car, that really sucks. 
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  • mr-macmr-mac Frets: 200
    skunkwerx said:
    Having done some research, there appears to be 2 potential locations for the pollen filter.. 

    One requires the clutch pedal to be removed completely, the other is on the passenger side and requires half of the dashboard and glovebox to come out. 

    Two entirely different locations that seem to vary depending on something that I can’t figure out, and both require stupidness. 

    God I miss my simple mk1 Ford Focus. Hundreds of how to’s on the net and simply made with bolts and screws with only the odd shite plastic clip. 

    I tried to change the rear wiper assembly on the Renault a while back, but of course the entire thing is poxy riveted in place. Cheaper to make, more expensive to buy.  Nothings easy no more. 


    Check on forum for your car.  Mine is a single filter but aftermarket also sell em in two half's which make em much easier to change.  Strange to need so much pish for what is supposed to be a yearly change and most specialists work out easy ways
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  • mr-macmr-mac Frets: 200
    But makes me suspect filter is same age as car ;)
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  • m_cm_c Frets: 1211
    @skunkwerx ; PM me your reg number and I'll have a look to see what tech info I have on the pollen filter location.
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