?under warranty

jodiannie

Hi I’d appreciate a bit of guidance on this one please.
I bought a 2nd hand 3 yr old car from the dealership who had originally sold it new and has been servicing it since new. At test drive the Aircon was not working, they promised to regas but being Autumn I didn’t need to test this til the following summer. It wasn’t working then so they regassed it for me and added UV dye in case of leaks. It worked ok over the sumner but again this summer its faulty. Regassed again and they found evidence of dye leakage but now its faulty again (quicker this time though). Its now out of its 1yr warranty but It needs a new condenser, and I’ve asked them to fix it as the problem clearly originated during warranty.  They are refusing, saying its a new problem because the leak is now quicker. I feel I have a good case but don’t know how to take it forward.
any advice???

Grumpy_chap

Hello Jodiannie,
I am trying to understand the age of the car.  Reading through your OP:

• The car was three years old when you bought it (end of summer start of autumn)
• The following summer, the air can was regassed and worked OK until the autumn.  That makes the car 4 years old by then
• Now this summer the air con is not working and needs regassing again.  That makes the car getting on for 5 years old and you have had for nearly 2 years.

Is that correct?

If so, I don't think you will have much success getting the air con fixed under warranty (which you are out of by quite some time) or claiming on the faults "present and developing at time of sale".  Also, aircon is not an essential for the car doing what the car needs to do, i.e. provide transport.

How much is the new condenser?
How long do you intend to keep the car?
One option is to just pay a local independent to regas every spring 

AdrianC

So this was bought in autumn 2018...? And you left the aircon switched off over both winters?

That, in itself, will exacerbate the leakage of gas - leave it on all the time... Not only is it by far and away the best way of demisting in the winter, but lack of use dries seals out and starts them leaking.

Also, do you know why the condenser is leaking? Normally, they would only leak through corrosion (unlikely in a 5yo car) or through damage from road debris, like gravel. They're like a second cooling radiator, and mounted at the front behind the grille and bumper.

After nearly two years, you don't stand a hope in hell with the 1yr warranty...