AC Condenser Replacement cost in Reading in 2023

The average cost for an air conditioning condenser replacement is $387 and the range is generally between $198 and $684.

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AVERAGE COST IN Reading

AC Condenser Replacement costs by shop in Reading.

CarAdvise Customers save an average of $77 on AC Condenser Replacement.

POPULAR VEHICLES

Average cost of AC Condenser Replacement for popular vehicle models in Reading:

Chevrolet Silverado 1500

Avg. cost
$187

Honda Civic

Avg. cost
$325

Nissan Altima

Avg. cost
$219

THE IMPORTANCE OF AC Condenser Replacement

What is an AC condenser and how does it work?

An AC condenser is a component of the air conditioning (AC) system. It is located just behind the grille at the front of your vehicle, immediately ahead of the radiator. The condenser resembles a skinny radiator made of aluminum. It is made up of thin tubes that snake their way across an array of even thinner aluminum cooling fins. This arrangement, just like a radiator, allows for easy dissipation of heat as air passes through the condenser.
Refrigerant in the AC system is pressurized by a pump, the AC compressor. The refrigerant leaves the compressor in a hot gaseous state and makes its way to the AC condenser. There, heat is drawn away from the refrigerant and absorbed into the matrix of tubes and cooling fins. When air passes through, the heat passes into the atmosphere. As a result, the refrigerant cools down and condenses into a liquid.

COMMON SYMPTOMS

How do I know if my vehicle needs a new AC condenser?

If your AC condenser fails, your AC system will no longer blow cold air and will fail to cool the passenger compartment. When your car air conditioning is working as it should, you will notice that the engine will surge slightly every time that the AC compressor turns on. If the condenser is bad, the compressor will not activate. You might also notice a warning light blinking on the dashboard. Sometimes oil or moisture can be observed leaking from a bad condenser.

FREQUENCY OF INSPECTION

How does a technician perform AC Condenser Replacement ?

To replace a car AC condenser, a technician will need to first evacuate the AC system using a special machine to capture the refrigerant. (It is illegal to vent AC refrigerants into the atmosphere, and only technicians specially certified may service air conditioning systems). Once the system is empty, the technician will perform the following steps based on your vehicle make and model:

Remove any shields or guards in the way of access to the condenser and its connections
Disconnect the connections to the condenser
Detach the condenser mounts from the vehicle body
Extract the AC condenser from its mounting location
Taking care to avoid damage to the cooling fins, insert the new condenser into the vehicle
Install the connections to the condenser
Using the AC machine, evacuate the system of all air and moisture
Allow the system to remain under vacuum for up to 30 minutes
Charge the system with an amount of refrigerant specific to your vehicle
Start your engine and test the system to verify the repair
Note that some vehicle manufacturers may require that the AC receiver/drier be replaced whenever the AC system is opened and exposed to the atmosphere.

OTHER QUESTIONS CUSTOMERS ASK

Can you drive with a leaking air conditioning condenser?
Driving with a leaking or bad AC condenser is not inherently dangerous to the vehicle occupants. However, there are a few things to be aware of when doing so. For instance, your defroster uses the AC system to keep your windshield fog-free. If the condenser is not functioning, your windshield can fog up. A leaking condenser will eventually release all of the refrigerant. It will also allow the oil in the system intended for AC compressor lubrication to leak out. When this happens, air and moisture enter the system (causing corrosion) and the compressor no longer has oil for lubrication. If your condenser is leaking, leave the AC off until it is replaced.
Can a car AC condenser be repaired?
No. A leaking car AC condenser cannot typically be repaired. The AC condenser in your vehicle operates on the “high” side of the AC system. That means the refrigerant inside the condenser has been compressed to a high pressure, sometimes over 300 psi. That makes repairs unlikely. Therefore, condensers are usually replaced, not repaired.
Does the AC condenser use coolant?
An automotive AC system does not use coolant. The word “coolant” generally refers to the ethylene glycol (sometimes called “antifreeze”) used to keep your engine cool. Instead, the AC system relies on a refrigerant that is stored under pressure inside the system. Depending on the age of your vehicle, that refrigerant may be R-1234yf (the latest on the market), R-134a, or R-12 (only on vehicles manufactured before 1996).

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