Aircon gas leak

[Budz]

It seems my Verso-S ( 2012 model) has an ongoing aircon gas leak. 

Topped up gaz twice within 6 months and the cold air is just fading after a month or so.

Are there and good auto Aircon repair shops in London/ Hertfordshire area please? Everyone seems to keen on just topping up but not repairing 

[APS]

Google is your friend. I'd recommend using an independent specialist garage if you can find one. There are two key means of finding leaks. One is a trace oil and UV light - under UV light it will be very obvious if any oil is seeping out. Second, is a "digital nose", which is just a very sensitive hand held gas sensor that can pickup minute traces of refrigerant. Common problem spots are around the condenser (it's very exposed in front of the radiator), joints, compressor and sometimes the evaporator inside the car.  

[Budz]

Ive been to an independent aircon specialist in Kent and he did use that electronic nose think to detect any leaks and the uv light. It came out the whole metal pipe is leaking on the point where the uv ink indicator display, one of the plastic clip which hold the pipe and also where the pipe get connected to the condenser. So the whole pipe cost £250 including vat from the Toyota and his labour to detect the issues,  put the new pipe in and regazing is £200. Totaling a £450 job. Grrrr...

[Stivino]

Waht size was the pipe and what is it made from?

[APS]

The expensive bit is the pipe. But, it needed doing. I'm assuming it was an aluminium pipe and a support clip had worn through it. Quite common problem on AC systems.  

Enjoy your cool journeys.

[Budz]

5 hours ago, Stivino said:

Waht size was the pipe and what is it made from?

I have put an red arrow to the unit what would need replacing. 

[Stivino]

That's the high pressure side.  The same one that I had to repair on my Avensis. 

I paid £1 for the fitting.

[Derek.w]

Stephen.

Its a brass air fitting or microbore fitting from a plumbers merchaint comes with brass or copper olives 8mm or 10 mm is my guess outside pipe dia.

For a £1 I suspect it was car boot prices.

[Budz]

2 hours ago, Stivino said:

That's the high pressure side.  The same one that I had to repair on my Avensis. 

I paid £1 for the fitting.

So, you didn't replace the metal tube then? In my case apparently the indicator glass unit also leaking..

[Stivino]

Just now, Budz said:

So, you didn't replace the metal tube then?

Nope, I took out the bad section and re-joined it.