A/C Condenser

GhostTX · September 1, 2017

Well, I had to pay the full amount. I told the service manager about my contact with Chevy, and they had given me a case number, but he hadn't heard a thing. My bill came to $1034.37 ($404.37 parts, $630.00 labor). Bill reads as follows:

C/S that the A/C not cooling, check and advise refrigerant leaking from condensor and high A/C line.

Replaced high pressure line and condensor, EVA C and recharged system and retested.

23438932 (hose) 1 $127.36

23264893 (bracket) 1 $6.68

12356150 (refrigerant) 2 $14.26

20982844 (*condenser) 1 $256.07

I have now submitted a claim on the FTC site about this issue and for grins, submitted to that lawyer link earlier in this thread just to give them information. The lawyers have since called me already asking me to be a client and file suit with them. I told them I'd think about it. I'm half hoping GM will reach out on that case number and try to do the right thing.

Spurshot · September 2, 2017

Hopefully your ac is working great now?

I don't think I'd join one of these class suits over $1k. GM will settle for a fraction of the class costs and most of that will go to the slimey lawyers. You'll get a check for almost enough for dinner for two at the local family feed trough. The lawyers don't have to even work on much other than filings and will cut a fat hog and make enough for that new corporate jet they've been wanting. It's a crooked racket. I choose to not participate in these kind of lawyer enriching scams.

GhostTX · September 8, 2017

AC is working just fine.

Also, yesterday the Service Manager at the dealership where I had it serviced called and had just spoken with GM. GM said they'd help with $300 of the cost. Problem is, the service was already done, which the GM rep was surprised by (why wouldn't I get the truck fixed right away?!?). At any rate, since the amount can't be applied to the repair since I already paid, the best method of dealing with it is applying a $300 credit for any future service I get at the dealership. If I were to ask for the money now, in cash, apparently there's a several week bureaucratic paper nightmare to get GM to release the cash to the dealership who would then have to release the cash to me.

At any rate, I've also submitted a similar complaint I did to the FTC to my state's AG consumer complaints.

This is an issue GM should be actively dealing with, rather than owners having to prod them to help with.

Edited September 8, 2017 by GhostTX

oburgtiger · September 8, 2017

I wonder if I can speed up my condenser's failure to get my '14 covered under warranty? I bought mine new off the lot in '15, so I have some time and miles left

Back in a Bowtie · September 8, 2017

tap the top connection with a screwdriver and a hammer. just be gentle lol

I wonder if I can speed up my condenser's failure to get my '14 covered under warranty? I bought mine new off the lot in '15, so I have some time and miles left

tap the top connection with a screwdriver and a hammer. just be gentle lol

jonesumd · September 8, 2017

I wonder if I can speed up my condenser's failure to get my '14 covered under warranty? I bought mine new off the lot in '15, so I have some time and miles left

It can go early. My condenser went under a year with only 2,089 miles on it.

Snoringbear · September 9, 2017

Anybody what exactly the cause of failure was. I "think" I know it was the high pressure line at the condenser....

Mileguru · September 9, 2017

Does anyone know if the 2017's will have the same issue, or did they use a different condenser and/or lines?

jonesumd · September 9, 2017

Does anyone know if the 2017's will have the same issue, or did they use a different condenser and/or lines?

2017 models also have the faulty designed condenser depending if they were manufactured early. If you are buying a new truck, I'd find out if it has the redesigned one before buying it. You don't want to be like me and have to bring your truck in 5 times to get the AC fixed (they replaced my faulty designed one with another faulty designed one). I have to wait until my 2nd faulty designed one fails before they replace it with the 'good' one. I'm not happy about it and went off on the GM guy about it.

Supreme Pizza · September 9, 2017

Buy a new condenser on eBay ($82). Or buy a can of Permatex "the right stuff" gasket maker ($15) to seal the hole. Use alcohol to clean the area before using the gasket maker as a patch. Then recharge the coolant with a refill kit from Walmart ($20). I see people spending thousands of dollars to fix their A/C, when it can usually be fixed for a few hundred max.

Back in a Bowtie · September 9, 2017

Buy a new condenser on eBay ($82). Or buy a can of Permatex "the right stuff" gasket maker ($15) to seal the hole. Use alcohol to clean the area before using the gasket maker as a patch. Then recharge the coolant with a refill kit from Walmart ($20). I see people spending thousands of dollars to fix their A/C, when it can usually be fixed for a few hundred max.

Anyone try this? Successfully? I have an appointment to get mine fixed on Monday, but I'd give this a shot and save myself $700 if it works.

Supreme Pizza · September 9, 2017

I have repaired A/C condensers and radiators with Permatext many times. I have had other people report back to me that my repair advice worked (to their amazement). Here is the way I look at it: What do you have to lose? The condenser is already broken. Putting a band-aid on the condenser is not going to make your rear bumper fall off. Worst case scenario - throw the $15 can of gasket maker in the trash and take the rig to the dealer and pay them what they want. They wont charge you more just because there is a little patch of Permatex on the condenser. You could even buy the $82 condenser on eBay and then pay a little mom and pop shop $100 to install it and recharge the A/C system.

Supreme Pizza · September 9, 2017

I have a 1994 Altima that was in a front end crash before I got it. The condenser had a hole in the front center. I planned on replacing the condenser, but I tried the patch first (nothing to lose) and it worked. A friend of mine was pulling forward in his dads brand new Ford truck and ran over a flower planter. Broke off the the lower outlet tube (that tube that the lower radiator hose attaches to). I cleaned it up with alcohol and used Permatex to put it back on. Told him to wait 24 hours before putting the hose back on. That was 3 years ago, and his dad is still driving that rig with no radiator leaks. The examples could go on and on. Jules's brother had a Honda with a broken seam across the top of the radiator, and it was leaking badly along about a 10" section. I told him to clean it with alcohol and throw a bunch of Permtex at it. He did it at night and he drove it to work the next morning and it was fine, no more leaks. (he was supposed to wait 24 hours before driving it!)

Here are some Google pics, of other people doing the same thing:

Edited September 10, 2017 by starman8tdc

Supreme Pizza · September 9, 2017

Sorry, don't mean to over post, but this is a subject that I have a lot of experience with.

Here is two products you can use:

The Permatex One Minute Gasket maker is the best, because it will flex with the expansion and contraction of the radiator (due to temperature changes). Its a very durable rubber that sticks to anything. I have never seen this product fail.

The JB Quick will work, and set up faster, but it does not flex the same way as the Permatex will. The JB Qucik can fail due to the temperature changes. The JB Quick radiator repair failures are rare, but it does happen when epoxy type products are used for this type of repair.

Edited September 9, 2017 by starman8tdc