Service Report: Air-con cooling coil replacement (Not for the faint-hearted)

[chinmeng]

History
I was one of the unlucky Latio owner that faces the air-con problem after about 2 yrs of ownership. The air-con started to get not cold from the 2nd year onwards and I need to topup cooling gas at interval of about every 3mths. The worst was 2 weeks ago which the compressor failed to turn on. As usual topup gas but 2 days later cooling gas completely leak again. Went to Autopoint at Ang Mo Kio Ave 5 to check and was told the cooling coil is completely spoilt.

Amount Quoted by that shop:
1) Original air-con cooling coil = $468
2) 3rd party cooling coil = $268
3) cooling coil valve = $68 (must change together with the cooling coil)
4) Not including labour cost
5) 7% gst (wtf!)

Went in to JB and checkout the price of the cooling coil replacement: RM950
The above price includes original cooling coil & valve, labour cost, air-con filter & refill the coolant. No gst or whatever nonsense! So proceeded with the repair which starts from 12pm and got it done near 9pm.

Anyone interested to change the air-con cooling coil in JB after warranty period can pm me and I can tell you where to get the repair job done. Pls note that the above price may varies a bit due to the cooling coil in demand as I heard many Vios and Latio affected.


Original Latio air-con cooling coil


Start of dismantling of the dash board




You need to have enough courage to stay there to see them dismantle further... my precious ride..


This will be what you will expect to see in order to take out the air-con cooling unit.


finally it is out after 3~4 hrs of dismantling.


coolant leak all over the unit


The faulty cooling coil.




The replacement unit with valve on the left. So another 4~5 hrs to assemble back and the air-con to work again.

[jonpaul0104]

wow....ur car not under warranty anymore? didn't know that such a tedious job to change the cooling coil....

looking at the amount of dismantling the dashboard area....i am sure that some plastic clips must have broke off.....this is my own experience.....

[d.titan]

Hi bro,
Hope everything is working fine now..
Very good price u get, can pm me the address of the workshop.
Thanks

[kanzo]

hmm.. for my case.. my coil was still under warranty so i went back to Tan Chong. I was surprised when SE told me its a 1/2 day job nia. I asked him if need to remove the whole front dash.. he told me only remove glove compartment etc.

thinking back.. kinda fishy.. wonder if they did replace my coil.. 

can any bros who had similar exp with faulty air con coil please enlighten?

[Demio]

Hi Bro,
    Wasted. I guess i am too late,
haa...

 If u are looking for any air con parts...cooling coil and valves...etc, can contact me for alternative pricing...
I got lobangs for this types of air con parts...

[clarence]

chinmeng,

It is unfortunate that you exceeded your warranty period by a mere 3+ months.

[chinmeng]

wow....ur car not under warranty anymore? didn't know that such a tedious job to change the cooling coil....

looking at the amount of dismantling the dashboard area....i am sure that some plastic clips must have broke off.....this is my own experience.....

ya. so sway the problem comes just after warranty over. I believe sure have broken clips but dun worry after everything fixed back you won't notice it.

[chinmeng]

hmm.. for my case.. my coil was still under warranty so i went back to Tan Chong. I was surprised when SE told me its a 1/2 day job nia. I asked him if need to remove the whole front dash.. he told me only remove glove compartment etc.

thinking back.. kinda fishy.. wonder if they did replace my coil.. 

can any bros who had similar exp with faulty air con coil please enlighten?

After the mechanic took out the air-con cooling unit, so need to remove about 9 screws to remove the casing to take out the coil. If remove the glove compartment can only take out the filter. Look back at the photo to see how big is the unit. No way it can be removed without dismantling the dash board. Unless later version of Latio has changed the air-con coil location.

[a40x]

I also have the same problem. Went to TCM to check and was quoted about $1300 for the cooling coil and low pressure hose. Lucky my colleague brother is working for a workshop. Sent my car there, after checking only the cooling coil and expansion valve need to be replaced. Cost to replace the parts and labour $420.00 and took half a day to repair.

[dsrio]

I also have the same problem. Went to TCM to check and was quoted about $1300 for the cooling coil and low pressure hose. Lucky my colleague brother is working for a workshop. Sent my car there, after checking only the cooling coil and expansion valve need to be replaced. Cost to replace the parts and labour $420.00 and took half a day to repair.

bro, do let us know the contact for the workshop, considering $420, i would rather do it here then go malaysia as lazy lah.

[kanzo]

I also have the same problem. Went to TCM to check and was quoted about $1300 for the cooling coil and low pressure hose. Lucky my colleague brother is working for a workshop. Sent my car there, after checking only the cooling coil and expansion valve need to be replaced. Cost to replace the parts and labour $420.00 and took half a day to repair.

did they remove as much as per the pictures provided above?

[chinmeng]

S$420 is a very good price consider it is a major repair work! Pls let those brothers or sisters that are affected by this problem know the address of the workshop.

[a40x]

Can't comment as I was not there when removed the cooling coil.

[darrylker]

Hi Bro Chin Meng,

Thx for sharing your problem. Currently my 3.5yr sedan ride is facing similar problem with my 'not-so-cold' aircon. It has been like that for the past 2 months. Maybe I'll get it checked if its same prob as u, if so will contact you for yr JB contact. Hope yr ride's fine now :)

[clarence]

Seems like many Latio owners are experiencing "Not So Cold" aircon just immediately after the 3rd year when warranty ends?

Is this true?

[chinmeng]

Thx for sharing your problem. Currently my 3.5yr sedan ride is facing similar problem with my 'not-so-cold' aircon. It has been like that for the past 2 months. Maybe I'll get it checked if its same prob as u, if so will contact you for yr JB contact. Hope yr ride's fine now :)

No problem with that. I use to think that why spend close to RM1k to change the coil and can topup the coolant every 3 mths as per topup is about only RM25. but after the 3rd topup, the leak become so bad that it completely leak out in 2 days.

Now I see condensation outside the windows with setting at 18 deg C.

[govinmurali]

I my 2008 latio has air con coil issue, canu let me know the add in jb where u repair the  coil

[tsc2828]

History
I was one of the unlucky Latio owner that faces the air-con problem after about 2 yrs of ownership. The air-con started to get not cold from the 2nd year onwards and I need to topup cooling gas at interval of about every 3mths. The worst was 2 weeks ago which the compressor failed to turn on. As usual topup gas but 2 days later cooling gas completely leak again. Went to Autopoint at Ang Mo Kio Ave 5 to check and was told the cooling coil is completely spoilt.

Amount Quoted by that shop:
1) Original air-con cooling coil = $468
2) 3rd party cooling coil = $268
3) cooling coil valve = $68 (must change together with the cooling coil)
4) Not including labour cost
5) 7% gst (wtf!)

Went in to JB and checkout the price of the cooling coil replacement: RM950
The above price includes original cooling coil & valve, labour cost, air-con filter & refill the coolant. No gst or whatever nonsense! So proceeded with the repair which starts from 12pm and got it done near 9pm.

Anyone interested to change the air-con cooling coil in JB after warranty period can pm me and I can tell you where to get the repair job done. Pls note that the above price may varies a bit due to the cooling coil in demand as I heard many Vios and Latio affected.


Original Latio air-con cooling coil


Start of dismantling of the dash board




You need to have enough courage to stay there to see them dismantle further... my precious ride..


This will be what you will expect to see in order to take out the air-con cooling unit.


finally it is out after 3~4 hrs of dismantling.


coolant leak all over the unit


The faulty cooling coil.




The replacement unit with valve on the left. So another 4~5 hrs to assemble back and the air-con to work again.

Last time though of replacing new cooling coil at JB but finally have it change in Singapore

In Singapore, none of the dash board will be removed. They just need to dismantle your foot brake first before reaching the old cooling coil

There is different between Malaysia and Singapore standard.