Mk1 Yaris Air Con

[Chris81]

Can someone please explain the air con system on the mk1 Yaris to me please, or perhaps most air con systems as I'm unfamiliar with them. Usually the radiator is directly behind the bumper but on a car with air con it's the condenser instead that is directly behind the bumper? So is the condensor also a radiator or is there a separate radiator behind the condenser?

As you look at mine through the front bumper, there's a leak from the lower left hand side of (what I think is) the condenser. It's a green dye (which is what the air con guy must have put in when I had it re-gassed earlier this year). Air con still working but must be slowly leaking gas out. If it is indeed the condenser, does the whole thing have to get replaced or can just the leaky part be replaced?

[t-spiritpete]

Can someone please explain the air con system on the mk1 Yaris to me please, or perhaps most air con systems as I'm unfamiliar with them. Usually the radiator is directly behind the bumper but on a car with air con it's the condenser instead that is directly behind the bumper? So is the condensor also a radiator or is there a separate radiator behind the condenser?

As you look at mine through the front bumper, there's a leak from the lower left hand side of (what I think is) the condenser. It's a green dye (which is what the air con guy must have put in when I had it re-gassed earlier this year). Air con still working but must be slowly leaking gas out. If it is indeed the condenser, does the whole thing have to get replaced or can just the leaky part be replaced?

Hi mate, if the condenser is leaking then the whole thing will need replacing by your aircon guy, or you can buy a replacement at Eurocarparts for around £220.00 and have him fit it. Just make sure that it's not leaking from the fitting where the high pressure pipe connects to the condenser as it may only be a gasket or O-ring failure.

Pete.

[Chris81]

Thanks Pete, are you speaking from experience with your Yaris?! On the left hand side of the condensor as you look at it from the front, there's a vertical metal 'tube/pipe'. The leak is around the very bottom of this part. I'll have a closer look to see where it joins to - would be great if it is just an o ring that needs replacing. Which side is this high pressure pipe on?

[stantheman1]

Out of interest Chris, what colour is your coolant? The reason I ask is that A/C dyes are usually invisible to the naked eye and can only be spotted with the aid of UV light. Also dyes are installed on systems that usually have difficult to trace leaks! It could just be verdigris from the radiator. Of course I may be wrong as I am by no means an A/C expert!

Best of luck.

[Chris81]

My coolant's pink. The window in the air con chamber is green, so I'm assuming this is the dye. Where the leaks is looks green, and if you wipe a white rag on it then it looks flourescent green. I also thought it would be invisible to the naked eye, but then how come you need to have it visible in the 'check' window?

[t-spiritpete]

Thanks Pete, are you speaking from experience with your Yaris?! On the left hand side of the condensor as you look at it from the front, there's a vertical metal 'tube/pipe'. The leak is around the very bottom of this part. I'll have a closer look to see where it joins to - would be great if it is just an o ring that needs replacing. Which side is this high pressure pipe on?

Hello Chris,

I will have a look in daylight tomorrow at the Yaris, I have actually changed the condenser on an Avensis and that does have an O-ring on the fitting where the pipes bolt into the condenser and hopefully that's where yours is leaking.

The dye is green as you say.

Pete.