Air Con Issue Should It Be Covered By Warranty

[gazzie]

Got 2011 Rav4 d-cat Auto (had it from new), just had first 10,000 service and told that Air Con needs service i.e new filter re gassing....I had noticed a smell after turning air con off.... surprised to be told that the issue is not covered by the warranty and going to cost me £59.99 car is not a year old yet....never had a problem with previous cars had a Saab with 150,000 air con still ice cold no smell....this is my first Toyota very impressed so far but disappointing if I am going to have to fork out every 10 months for air con service!

[Tech01]

"Air con filter" ?? Presumably this is just the (disposable) cabin air intake filter (usually behind the glove compartment). If just laden with dust and debris, this blown/vacuumed clean, and replaced every couple of years or so. Not expensive anyway.

I would have thought it most unusual for the AC to need regassing after such a short period. Unless there's a leak, I would expect it to work without fault for at least 3-5 years. If there is a leak, then it's certainly a warranty issue.

There should be no kind of smell when turning AC on or off, except sometimes a sharp increase in humidity as the cooling effect shuts down, or starts up after a brief spell off. It is possible that the AC system simply needs an aerosol dose of AC Cleaner (anti-bacterial sterilising spray). You can purchase an aerosol can (usually comes with a long, thin poly pipe to poke down one of the air outlets), and DIY - just follow the instructions. This ought to be done once a year.

Chris

[pcdabbler]

It's something some of the main dealers are selling as an extra on the standard service. Mine tried it on as well. It's not part of the service schedule, but they offer it to prevent bacteria build up in the system. Probably needs doing every two or three years, and they check/top up and regas if necessary, and use the anti smelly stuff in the Aircon. IMHO it's another way to make extra money for the dealership sometimes uneccessarily. You only need to have it done if it is smelling (you would know, they really stiink if they need doing) or if it's not cooling properly. you should have the pollen filter chenged every year though, they get full of dead bugs and crud, the last one I bought was around £14.

[anchorman]

I wouldn't bother. Get a new filter and fit it yourself. The instructions are pinned.

[Hoovie]

Odour could be from decomposing small rodent that has died after entering the nice warm car one day? (i.e. you smell a rat other then your dealers profit motive ;) )

Changing filter is easy, as anchorman says. Recharge within 1 year? If that is needed, then virtually 100% got a fault I would say. My RAV is same age as yours by sound of it and A/C is fine (changed filter at 10,000 mile myself) and last RAV was 5 years old when sold and A/C perfect and never recharged.

[gazzie]

Thanks for the advice....... think I should go back to the dealer and establish exactly what the issue is....if it is the filter i will do it myself as suggested.

[Big Kev]

Thanks for the advice....... think I should go back to the dealer and establish exactly what the issue is....if it is the filter i will do it myself as suggested.

It's not the filter, Robert, although cleaning it will only do good....replacing is better.......you have a leak in your system if it has only lasted this short time. Bear something in mind too as the seasons change....don't only run you aircon in the warm. It should be regularly run (or set your system to a predetermined setting where available). This keeps all the seals properly lubricated with the special oil the aircon mix contains, stops joint leaks, and assures you the mix stays at the correct proportions ready for cooling when required.

Sorry to those who are aware of this....many are not aware.

Big Kev

[Parts-King]

Pollen filters should not under any circumstances be "blown out" the very nature of them is they trap minute particles of dust and pollutants, blowing them out is a health hazard as you introduce the particles back into the atmosphere where you are standing! A gentle tap and removal of dead leaves etc is fine but anything else and it should be replaced

Kingo

[Tech01]

Of course. Just like the engine air filter, which is recommended to be air-blown before eventual replacement. And it breathes the same air!

[Guest]

Pollen filters should not under any circumstances be "blown out" the very nature of them is they trap minute particles of dust and pollutants, blowing them out is a health hazard as you introduce the particles back into the atmosphere where you are standing! A gentle tap and removal of dead leaves etc is fine but anything else and it should be replaced

Kingo

Page 354 of the 2012 owners handbook states "to clean the filter, blow compressed air through it from the bottom. Hold the air gun 50mm from the filter and blow for approx 2 minutes at 500kPa / 72 PSI ...............etc

if you cannot do this have the filter cleaned by an authorised Toyota dealer..... I guess Kingo has a more powerful bottom

Gus

[Jamesbelfast]

Not he best advice I've ever came across - it's equivalent of trying to clean a disposable vaccum cleaner bag. Plus if its the activated carbon or statically chagred type you'd be wasting your time. The cost of installing air extraction to control the dust would pay for thousnads of new filters.

[Parts-King]

Correct James, these filters are electrostatically charged in order to draw the tiny particles to the filter, that is why they go very dirty looking very quickly, whoever wrote that gem needs.................anyway, thats another story

It's a bit like the cleaning of EGR valves. That carbon that is formed has been super heated and is potentially harmful to breath in and handle, yet you see "how to" guides where dremmel type drills are used without the use of any form of mask or gloves. I'm not saying you need the same level of care for a pollen filter but for the cost, they should be replaced, unless it's just the tipping out of dead flies and leaves

Kingo

[Jamesbelfast]

Air being drawn in via the heating system has two functions - one to ventilate the car and the other to cool the fan motor. If the filter is blocked to any dgree then both the occupants and the motor will suffer. Now to survive you can always open a window but if the motor fails......................

Personally I change my pollen filter at least once a year - just after leaf-fall in Autumn when most of the large leaf litter has gone

I can buy an after-market filter for around £10 to £12 from my local motor factor. Although it may not be up to OEM standards I'm of the opinion that regular and often is the key to maintainence.

[Big Kev]

Air being drawn in via the heating system has two functions - one to ventilate the car and the other to cool the fan motor. If the filter is blocked to any dgree then both the occupants and the motor will suffer. Now to survive you can always open a window but if the motor fails......................

Personally I change my pollen filter at least once a year - just after leaf-fall in Autumn when most of the large leaf litter has gone

I can buy an after-market filter for around £10 to £12 from my local motor factor. Although it may not be up to OEM standards I'm of the opinion that regular and often is the key to maintainence.

USUAL SENSE...

[anchorman]

Corteco do a carbon activated filter for about £12. The nice thing is that they are in a very rigid case - the usual ones are very flimsy and easily get distorted/mis-shaped.