2018 GMC Sierra AC condenser leak

willcofinance · May 6, 2020

Wasting a day at garage getting condenser fixed. $1200!!!! They told me these are the same condenser since 2014. They all have had major problems. This shouldn’t happen on an 18 month old $65,0000 vehicle.

I was actually looking at GMC for another vehicle due to the great incentives they are offering now. Not anymore!

GMC STEPUP YOUR GAME!

PS. Dealership said it would be $1800-$2200 to fix.

btj_z71 · May 6, 2020

I gave the dealer a chance to fix mine, then took it to Firestone. Lifetime warranty on the repair, and the parts, including a new condenser and compressor (2nd compressor replacement), and new lines. Same price, around $2200, but have the AC under lifetime warranty now.

rav3 · May 6, 2020

30 minutes ago, willcofinance said:

Wasting a day at garage getting condenser fixed. $1200!!!! They told me these are the same condenser since 2014. They all have had major problems. This shouldn’t happen on an 18 month old $65,0000 vehicle.

I was actually looking at GMC for another vehicle due to the great incentives they are offering now. Not anymore!

GMC STEPUP YOUR GAME!

PS. Dealership said it would be $1800-$2200 to fix.

Wow, that sucks. I have a couple questions for you.

1. How many miles on your truck when this happened?

2. Why is it so expensive? What's the cost break down if I may ask?

3. Did you fix it or have another independent shop fix it?

I see several videos on YouTube calling this a "common problem". I think they all 'crack' at the same spot. I wonder if this can be strengthened in this area some way. Aluminum is a " some what brittle" material, that will work harden & crack from vibrations. Anyway to reinforce it in the area that cracks? Is there a better replacement out there?

newdude · May 6, 2020

Had to make another thread on it? You had one already going:

Did you even try to start a case with GM to get some sort of coverage for it as some people that replied suggested? Also GM cut the procedure in 1/2 on those you tilt back the whole cooling module and slide the condenser in and out. Cut the time in 1/2.

rav3 · May 6, 2020

35 minutes ago, newdude said:

Had to make another thread on it? You had one already going:

Did you even try to start a case with GM to get some sort of coverage for it as some people that replied suggested? Also GM cut the procedure in 1/2 on those you tilt back the whole cooling module and slide the condenser in and out. Cut the time in 1/2.

@newdude......Interesting post you posted about the time being cut in half. Below is a video from YouTube where this guy removed & replaced the condenser in less than an hour, but he's done it several time. Recovery & replacement of refrigerant is in addition to this.

2014 - 2019 Silverado Sierra No AC FIX!!! Condenser Replacement!!!

And with the cost of the condenser of $138 ACDelco 15-63889 Professional A/C Condenser + the refrigerant (I'm not sure of the type & cost of 3 cans) labor must be pretty pricy.

newdude · May 6, 2020

1 hour ago, rav3 said:

@newdude......Interesting post you posted about the time being cut in half. Below is a video from YouTube where this guy removed & replaced the condenser in less than an hour, but he's done it several time. Recovery & replacement of refrigerant is in addition to this.

2014 - 2019 Silverado Sierra No AC FIX!!! Condenser Replacement!!!

And with the cost of the condenser of $138 ACDelco 15-63889 Professional A/C Condenser + the refrigerant (I'm not sure of the type & cost of 3 cans) labor must be pretty pricy.

R1234yf is way more /lb than R134a. 2018 and newer and some 2017 take R1234yf. If the system was empty that right there is a significant $$$ for the R1234yf alone. GM pays 0.8hr warranty time for R&R the condenser and 1.2hrs for R&R the R1234yf system. If you mark it up to a fair customer pay rate that would be 1.2hr for the condenser and 2hr for the refrigerant R&R. R1234yf recovery and charge is a more time consuming operation than the old R134a. GM only pays 0.3 warranty time for R134a systems.

amxguy1970 · May 6, 2020

Two post, to threads, both complaining about the same thing, you could have easily just continued the other thread instead of blowing up with another new one. Either way thanks for being a contributing member of these forums and informing everyone about what they already knew. There was a change made first of all with a TSB regarding it. Second, now your truck is worth 65k? Did it appreciate or what? Price your truck is worth (that isn't what you paid so don't lie) doesn't guarantee having a trouble free vehicle. Just because you spent more than guy buying a WT does that mean he should have problems and yours should be trouble free? You know the truck is based on a 25k truck right the bones of it are? If anything those basic trucks should be trouble free as they buy them to work and the box checker versions should be the ones that have trouble since they can afford it and aren't used for work; if we are using the price means no troubles theory...

What exactly failed? If it was the condenser lines which was a problem with the trucks that was redesigned:

"In October of 2014, GM informed technicians in a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB PIT5331) to replace the faulty line with a newly designed tube and to install a bracket (part #23264893) to minimize any flexing or movement."

The condenser was also redesigned. So if it is the old one (which it isn't) there is a new one to replace it, if it is the new one (which it should be) there aren't a slew of failures and it is a rogue one out of warranty.

You didn't even give them time to follow up with the dealer, GM or anything, you gave it one day. Did you follow up with any of the TSB's or the special coverage someone posted in your other complaint thread?

Special Coverage Adjustment 17336 Air Conditioning Condenser (Combi-Cooler) Refrigerant Leak

Copyright 2017 General Motors. All Rights Reserved. Page 1 of 7

Reference Number: N162080780 Release Date: July 2018 Revision: 04 Revision Description: This bulletin has been revised to include a labor time increase in the warranty information section and to remove the locally obtained parts information in the parts section. Please discard all copies of 17336-03. Attention: This special coverage applies ONLY to refrigerant leaks as fully described within the below service procedure. This special coverage ONLY applies to vehicles explicitly identified in the GM Vehicle Information System. Note that; transmission fluid/oil leaks at any location upon/in the combinational cooler, refrigerant leaks caused by; collision, stone/rock impingement, road debris, etc. are NOT covered by this special coverage program.
Make Model
Model Year RPO Description From To Cadillac Escalade 2015 2017 Escalade ESV Chevrolet Suburban Tahoe GMC Yukon Yukon XL Involved vehicles are identified on the Applicable Warranties section in GM Global Warranty Management system. This site should always be checked to confirm vehicle involvement prior to beginning any required inspections and/or repairs. Condition On some 2015-2017 model year Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV, Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL vehicles, may have a condition where thermal cycling on the combination transmission fluid/oil and AC condenser cooler creates a crack that may allow refrigerant to escape. This condition consequently may deactivate the AC system which may cause potential customer annoyance. Special Coverage Adjustment This special coverage covers the condition described above for a period of 5 years or 60,000 miles (100,000 km) for Chevrolet Suburban, Tahoe, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL and 6 years or 72,000 miles (116,000 km) for Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV, whichever occurs first, from the date the vehicle was originally placed in service, regardless of ownership. For vehicles covered by Vehicle Service Contracts, all eligible claims with repair orders on or after October 6, 2017, are covered by this special coverage and must be submitted using the labor operation codes provided with this bulletin. Claims with repair orders prior to October 6, 2017, must be submitted to the Service Contract provider. Vehicle owners or lessees who paid for repairs referenced in this Special Coverage (“Customers”) are eligible for reimbursement of their reasonable and customary expenses in accordance with the procedures specified below. The conditional right to reimbursement is provided by GM solely in the interest of customer satisfaction and is personal to Customers. Customers may not assign and GM does not consent to any assignment of any Customer’s right to submit reimbursement claims, or to receive reimbursement, or any other rights granted by this Special Coverage to any third party, including but not limited to service contract providers, and this Special Coverage is not intended to and does not confer any third party beneficiary, subrogation or contribution rights, or any other rights to reimbursement, against GM, whether in law, equity or otherwise, on any third parties. Correction Dealers are to inspect the air conditioning condenser and replace if necessary. The repairs will be made at no charge to the customer.

Please go to another brand, I bet your laundry list of issues and complaint threads start much sooner. The grass isn't always greener. Anyways, don't let us know what happens, just get it fixed and sell the truck and move on and realize the world can't always be how you want it and sometimes stuff happens...

Tyler

JimCost2014 · May 6, 2020

James Dink · May 6, 2020

ir's 140 dollar part and a vac and charge is like 80 bucks lol

newdude · May 6, 2020

11 minutes ago, James ****** said:

ir's 140 dollar part and a vac and charge is like 80 bucks lol

Not and $80 if its R1234yf like his 2018 runs.

Jn20 · June 10, 2021

Repair shop confirmed I have a minor leak in AC condenser on 2014 Sierra. The freon they put in held for about 1.5 months, so we know that the leak is slow. Does anyone know if using the red angel A/C stop leak would work for this? Quoting a $1,200 fix to replace the condenser.

MikeBMW · June 10, 2021

7 hours ago, Jn20 said:

Repair shop confirmed I have a minor leak in AC condenser on 2014 Sierra. The freon they put in held for about 1.5 months, so we know that the leak is slow. Does anyone know if using the red angel A/C stop leak would work for this? Quoting a $1,200 fix to replace the condenser.

I guy in my office has a 2014 Z71 and replaced his condenser in our parking lot with everyday hand tools.
I think he paid about $150 for the condenser and about the same for a recharge at a local shop.
The only trick is getting the trans line correctly lined up with thr new condenser.

CrawlSlow · June 11, 2021

16 hours ago, Jn20 said:

Repair shop confirmed I have a minor leak in AC condenser on 2014 Sierra. The freon they put in held for about 1.5 months, so we know that the leak is slow. Does anyone know if using the red angel A/C stop leak would work for this? Quoting a $1,200 fix to replace the condenser.

It's cheaper to replace your AC condenser then using freon with leak stop added. If you are unable to fix it now, just drive your car with windows down until you are able to get the condenser replace.

vhreso · June 12, 2021

My condenser just went on my 2018 silverado. It was 2 months out f warranty and only 34000 miles. I called GM and they said they may help cover it but they took way too long. The dealer quoted me 1400. I fixed it myself for less than $200. GM took 2 weeks to call me back. Living in florida with young children I just couldnt wait that long.