Halfords Autocentre air con recharge

[Beavis]

Just asking this on behalf of a friend.

Had his Range Rover P38 air con recharged on Tuesday. Paid their special £45.
Collected Tuesday evening.
yesterday morning, air con not cold - even though system was on.
He called them up and they told him to take it back this morning.
They checked under UV lamp, and said that its all leaked out, and would need a replacement part - which they are sourcing. (he normally uses an Indy so is getting a price from them once he finds out what part it is). It wasn't compressor/condensor/dryer - something like a sensor...

my question....should they have noticed a leak as big as that before refilling? If its leaked out in a matter of hours surely its a big leak and i thought it was illegal to refill a leaking system so thought they should check first??

many thanks

[stephend]

I thought they were legally obliged to pressure-test with nitrogen before filling...

[Beavis]

Originally Posted by stephend

I thought they were legally obliged to pressure-test with nitrogen before filling...

many thanks for the reply. Halfords reckon they tested it before filling, and it "passed".....seems strange that it can lose gas so quickly if that is the case.

my friend also told them before they worked on it that he only had it recharged last year, but it appears to have lost the gas, so they should have known it was losing gas, but they said it can often require an annual topup....

[chrissy66]

Not one to be Suspicious... but I went to local Kwik Fit opening offers on Air Con Regas... took it in drained system ... low and behold Leak found would have to return it to them at later and less busy :-) time Took it to local fella aorund the corner £40.00 tested and regassed still fine today .... just saying

[Beavis]

Originally Posted by chrissy66

Not one to be Suspicious... but I went to local Kwik Fit opening offers on Air Con Regas... took it in drained system ... low and behold Leak found would have to return it to them at later and less busy :-) time Took it to local fella aorund the corner £40.00 tested and regassed still fine today .... just saying

they called him back and said he needs a new drier. they would fit new range rover one and refill for £170 - including free refill.
if he went elsewhere they wouldn't do the free refill. hmmm.

i think he could probably get it supplied and fitted elsewhere for £100, but then has to pay c.£45 for a refill - so he thought for extra £25 he thinks that they will have to sort it and won;t be able to wriggle out of it if theres a later problem.