[330angiestrick]

I was wondering if anyone else had this problem. I had a crack in the AC line in January, 2013 and it was fixed/covered under warranty. I recently turned my AC on and it started blowing warm air again.. I took it to VanDevere Kia dealership hoping it was still covered under warranty. It was not. They charged me $100 for their "diagnostics" even though I walked in and told them what was wrong with it. They told me it would be $390 to fix it.. My fiancé looked under the hood and noticed the line from the compressor just dangling there by my belt.. Is this an easy fix? Do you think I could go somewhere else and pay less than $390?

 

[GeekOnTheHill]

Since the gas is already gone and there's nothing to be recovered, there's no legal reason you can't do it yourself. I suggest you price the line and then decide if you want to do the job.

It doesn't sound to me like you'll save much money, though.

I don't know which line you're referring to, but ALLDATA lists the price of the discharge hose at $111.05, and the suction hose at $318.52. Labor to replace either is listed at 0.6 hours.

Then you'll need to evacuate the system (basically pull all the air and moisture out of it), which you probably don't have the equipment to do; and then recharge it. ALLDATA lists the time for evacuation and recharge at 1.4 hours (most of which would be spent waiting for the evacuation step to finish, so the shop may or may not charge for that whole time). And then there's the cost for the refrigerant itself.

At $390.00, if the dealership will give you credit for the $100.00 "diagnostic charge," it doesn't sound like you're going to save a fortune doing it DIY unless you have the wherewithal to evacuate the system, or know of a friendly neighborhood mechanic or gearhead who's willing to do that part of the job for you. It's not high-tech: It's basically just a vacuum pump and some lines and gauges to make sure you get as close to complete vacuum as possible. It usually takes between 30 minutes and an hour. But it's not the kind of equipment most people have laying around.

So if the dealership deducts the diagnostic fee from the cost of the job, then probably letting them do the job is your best non-DIY option. I don't think too many decent private shops will beat $290.00 for parts, labor, and refrigerant. (But ask around anyway.)

If you do decide to go DIY, you're looking at the cost of the line plus the evacuation / recharge cost. You'll probably pay for the whole time plus refrigerant if that's all you're asking the shop to do, so assuming 1.4 hours @ $75.00, you'll be talking somewhere around $105.00 for the labor plus whatever the refrigerant costs. Your state also may have various fees that the shop has to tack on.

So maybe you'll save something going partial-DIY, but it won't be a fortune (again assuming that the dealership credits you for the diagnostic fee).

 

[grege]

$100 fee? Ouch. Unless the dealer is next door, I would recommend going to a local shop instead, especially if your KIA warranty is toast. You won't save a lot, but many shops will warrant their repair for 2 years.
Greg

 

[5m0k3y]

you can get an air operated vacuume pump from harbor freight for around $15, and i just seen R-134 at wally world for $6.88 a can. You will have to buy one can with the fill hose or you can rent the gage set to fill it instead from most parts stores. Pay attention to the capacity and dont add any more than what it says.

But for starters, look and see why they are breaking, someone didnt put something in corrrect, a support, clamp, ziptie, something isnt right. I have 2 Souls with over 300,000 miles between the 2 and never an issue.

And fill out your drives profile. Are you even working on a Kia Soul?

 

[two souls]

Save big bucks by buying your replacement hose from an Auto Recycler . Be sure it has a guarantee of replacement or money back . Install and vacuum down . If it holds vacuum , your good to go. Used hose will run 30-40% of the cost of a new one .