More Air Con Woes

[sproutdreamer]

My air con has a very strong smell when switched on, presumably refrigerant leaking. The problem is I cannot see any leak or trace of leakage unless the fluid is so volatile it just flashes off?

A possibility is the seals. Is there an easy way of identifying where the leak is coming from?

Any other wise words about Avensis air con is also very welcome!

 

 

[Konrad C]

38 minutes ago, sproutdreamer said:

My air con has a very strong smell when switched on, presumably refrigerant leaking. The problem is I cannot see any leak or trace of leakage unless the fluid is so volatile it just flashes off?

A possibility is the seals. Is there an easy way of identifying where the leak is coming from?

Any other wise words about Avensis air con is also very welcome!

 

 

The Avensis Air-con is no different to any other car on the road. There is a few things that can be checked, some free others will need expert help.

The most simplest is the cabin filter and that the vent system is clean. You can use one of those cleaning solutions.

Next is to follow the air-con system to see if any dye is visible with a UV light.

Here are some diagrams of the system so you can see where to look:-

  

Source of the diagrams - http://www.japan-parts.eu/toyota/eu/2008/avensis/zzt251r-alpekw/3_273550_057_352W/electrical/8718_heating-air-conditioning-cooler-piping/1

Hopefully You might be able to find the leak. 

If the system has a leak, it will stop working after a while - there should be a pressure switch. Also if the system went for an air-con regas, the process checks how much refrigerant is in the system, and do a leak test. Then refilled with the correct amount of refrigerant, lubricating oil and dye. If the system has a bad leak and fails the vacuum test, I am sure they will not refill, but will put in more dye to trace the leak. 
I had my air-con recharged a couple of days ago, and two other vehicles had problems with their air-con whilst mine went smoothly - 

Here is the Toyota air-con/heater system -  http://www.cardiagnostics.be/-now/Self Diagnose Toyota Corolla ECC-panel.htm  It worked on my car so should work on your car. It may not help with leak unless it has sensor to that reports the pressure fault.

Hope this helps.

[peter.ling24@gmail.com]

Hello Keith,

I too have a leak in my Avensis A/C system.

 After regassing the system I could hear the gas escaping which led me to the leak. It was quite audible to hear. The leak became visable and the gas has a greenish colour to it. It did puddle on the undertray. 

Please check any clips with small rubber collars that attaches the A/C pipe work to the bodywork. This is where my leak is.

I am in the process of plucking up enough courage to replace the leaking pipe.

A/C pipe on diagram: 88718-02200

Regards

Peter

[sproutdreamer]

Thank you Konrad that is very helpful. When I run the engine and the air con the smell in the car is unbearable but there is no no smell at all under the bonnet so the problem must be within the heater/air con assembly in the car, presumably there is a heat exchanger and that is where the leak is or the pipework in there. I am not looking forward to sorting this out as garaghes are not an option apart from a refill when it is sound. My experience of heater problems is that they can be awful to access, I hope the Avensis is better! It does not help that there is no workshop manual for the T25 either.

[sproutdreamer]

Hi Peter

My leak is inside the heater/air con heat exchanger inside the car, no leaks under the bonnet. Hope you get it fixed-air con you only miss it when you have not got it!

[peter.ling24@gmail.com]

Sorry Keith

As you say "you only miss it when you're not got it".

Just a thought, someone suggested to me to put in my system a "stop leak" additive?

I'm not endorsing the product, only a thought.

Peter

 

[yossarian247]

Does the aircon still get cold? A smell inside the car when running the aircon is more likely to be bacteria inside the heater/aircon ductwork than leaking refrigerant. 

The amount of refrigerant inside the system is relatively small and it is continually under pressure so even a tiny pinhole leak will totally empty the system in a matter of hours without using the aircon, rather like a punctured tyre going flat overnight. If the smell is an ongoing problem, and the aircon still works, then it's probably not refrigerant. 

[sproutdreamer]

Panic over. When I removed the cabin filter there was a layer of "compost" on the filter which consisted of leaves and laburnum pods. I still find it hard to believe that a strong chemical smell could have come from the rotting debris but with a new filter all is good. Thanks to all for advice and exploding diagrams.

[Lola Zamoi]

One thing not to do is to take your Avensis to a Steven Eagell workshop. I took my car in and got a bill for over £300. They replaced everything they could within reason. What one would call a bunch of crooks

[Jeff fae Scotland]

Mine smelt like sweaty socks or a wet rag that had been in the car for days.

Boy did it stink but like what was said a "Bomb"took care of it.