I bought a new 2003 Excursion in Dec. '03. The following April ('04) I was on vacation and went to use the air conditioner for the first time. The Freon level was so low that the compressor wouldn't kick in. When I got back I took it back to John Markel Ford in Omaha, Nebraska. They threw some Freon in it and called it good. I said, "Wait a minute, wasn't there a leak?" They said no, that it must have come from the factory without any Freon in it. Yeah, right. I saw later on the paper work they wrote that they had also put some dye into the system. The AC got me thru the rest of the summer of '04.

This April ('05) I was again on vacation and had another 85 degree day. Again, when I went to use the AC it was so low that the compressor wouldn't kick in. I took it back again and told them the situation that it was the second time, etc. Again they threw some Freon in it and returned it to me. I said, "Wait a minute, you put dye in last time, didn't you find a leak?" They said no and just shrugged it off.

The compressor is down low and looks like a bear to get to. I think they are just trying to blow me off until the 3rd year when the warranty expires. I have kept the paperwork from each visit. What do you think I should do when the system is dry again next spring?

 

There is a Federal law that prohibits adding freon to an A/C system that is a known leaker.

Mega thousand dollars worth.

 

So by claiming it was dry from the factory, they can claim that the the second time I brought it in was actually the first recharge and that it was necessary to find the leak. Next spring when it is empty again, it will officially be a "known leaker." If they recharge then without finding the leak, I could probably sick the feds on them. I would much prefer they just fix it.

When I was in high school I worked in a tiny machine shop in Nowhere, South Dakota. My boss had a refrigerant detector and that was 1986. But the multi-million dollar Dealerships always claim they only use dye. What's up with that? I bet refrigerant detectors are down to a couple hundred bucks now.

 

Take it to a different dealer, tell them the story and have them evacuate the system, pull vacuum and see if it holds. If it doesn't, you have a leak. Get it fixed the right way!!.