A/C Problem Related to Radio Install

[Larry Weil]

The air conditioning in my four month old 08 Impreza has failed. After
finding the system discharged, the dealer charged it with refrigerant
with a UV tracer, and when I bought it back a few days later told me
that the refrigerant was leaking from the evaporator, and that they
would order a new one to be installed next week.

They also said they the problem could be related to the fact that I have
an aftermarket radio with Sirius installed, and that could have damaged
the evaporator, and if that were the case I would have to pay, though
they would in that case document it so I could go after Best Buy who did
the installation.

This is the same radio and Sirius module that I had in my previous car.
In the previous car the Sirius module (a Kenwood SIR-902, which is
rather large compared to the current units) was installed bolted under
the passenger seat, with the cable running under the moulding to connect
to the head unit in the dash. In the current car, they took the lazy
route, and just placed the Sirius unit behind the head unit not really
mounted to anything but just held in place by gravity.

I¹m wondering if mounting the unit this way could damage the evaporator,
or are they just blowing refrigerant, and/or if anyone else here has had
a similar problem?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Tony Hwang]

The air conditioning in my four month old 08 Impreza has failed. After
finding the system discharged, the dealer charged it with refrigerant
with a UV tracer, and when I bought it back a few days later told me
that the refrigerant was leaking from the evaporator, and that they
would order a new one to be installed next week.

They also said they the problem could be related to the fact that I have
an aftermarket radio with Sirius installed, and that could have damaged
the evaporator, and if that were the case I would have to pay, though
they would in that case document it so I could go after Best Buy who did
the installation.

This is the same radio and Sirius module that I had in my previous car.
In the previous car the Sirius module (a Kenwood SIR-902, which is
rather large compared to the current units) was installed bolted under
the passenger seat, with the cable running under the moulding to connect
to the head unit in the dash. In the current car, they took the lazy
route, and just placed the Sirius unit behind the head unit not really
mounted to anything but just held in place by gravity.

I퉙 wondering if mounting the unit this way could damage the evaporator,
or are they just blowing refrigerant, and/or if anyone else here has had
a similar problem?

Thanks for your help.

Hi,
Working under dash running wiring harness, etc. can accidentally damage
the coil. I think it can happen. When they installed after maket
stereo/radio on my car a/c quit working. When I investigated it myself
they unplugged wiring harness going to a/c/heater control panel without
noticing it.

 

[Bob Bailin]

Hi,
Working under dash running wiring harness, etc. can accidentally damage
the coil. I think it can happen. When they installed after maket
stereo/radio on my car a/c quit working. When I investigated it myself
they unplugged wiring harness going to a/c/heater control panel without
noticing it.

But the evaporator is completely contained within the A/C-heater housing.
Unless somebody really slipped up and drove a sharp tool thru the housing
and scored a direct hit on the evap coil, I don't see how the radio
installer
could have cause this leak.

If it were my car, I'd like to know exactly where and how the evaporator
is leaking.

 

[bigjimpack]

Sounds like dealer trying to get out of warranty repair. If they can
show you a damaged part near the radio area document it and go after
best buy. This is why I do installs myself

 

[Andy]

The air conditioning in my four month old 08 Impreza has failed.  After
finding the system discharged, the dealer charged it with refrigerant
with a UV tracer, and when I bought it back a few days later told me
that the refrigerant was leaking from the evaporator, and that they
would order a new one to be installed next week.

They also said they the problem could be related to the fact that I have
an aftermarket radio with Sirius installed, and that could have damaged
the evaporator, and if that were the case I would have to pay, though
they would in that case document it so I could go after Best Buy who did
the installation.

This is the same radio and Sirius module that I had in my previous car.  
In the previous car the Sirius module (a Kenwood SIR-902, which is
rather large compared to the current units) was installed bolted under
the passenger seat, with the cable running under the moulding to connect
to the head unit in the dash.  In the current car, they took the lazy
route, and just placed the Sirius unit behind the head unit not really
mounted to anything but just held in place by gravity.

I¹m wondering if mounting the unit this way could damage the evaporator,
or are they just blowing refrigerant, and/or if anyone else here has had
a similar problem?

Thanks for your help.

Hey Larry,

I had a similar concern with my 2006 Subaru Inpreza and I
subscribed to ALLDATAdiy.com and it has been very useful. I am handy
and like to do things myself and this subscription gives me diagnosis,
repair, TBSs, recalls and labor times. I hope you find it useful -
it's pretty cheap considering the information comes directly from the
manufacturer.

Check it out - I copied the link below for you.

http://traffic.alldatadiy.com/cgi-bin/redir?pd_link=i1-a44690-o4010-c66365

Andy Deil

 

[Todd H.]

Hey Larry,

I had a similar concern with my 2006 Subaru Inpreza and I
subscribed to ALLDATAdiy.com and it has been very useful. I am handy
and like to do things myself and this subscription gives me diagnosis,
repair, TBSs, recalls and labor times. I hope you find it useful -
it's pretty cheap considering the information comes directly from the
manufacturer.

Check it out - I copied the link below for you.

http://traffic.alldatadiy.com/cgi-bin/redir?pd_link=i1-a44690-o4010-c66365

Andy Deil

If you want to appear casual about it, posting the same link 4 times
in one day sorta raises red flags.

You're a shill for alldata collecting revenue on your specific
affiliate link until proven otherwise. Please quit spamming the
newsgroup with this faux helpfulness.


Andy apparently is an affliate of this program:
http://affiliate.alldatadiy.com/