AC and "recharging" - scam ?

[sdsumike619]

You hear all the time about people saying that the AC in their car "just needs to be recharged", however, I read somewhere that it isn't true as the AC system is a sealed/closed system and doesn't "run low" on refrigerant and the whole recharging thing is just a scam. Or if someone is trying to sell you a car and says that it just needs to be recharged, that there is a bigger, more costly problem to be dealt with..

What's your thoughts?

[ansidious]

The refrigerant is usually low when there is a leak. In that case, recharging is only a temporary fix which keeps the actual problem unattended.

[sdsumike619]

Ah ok, that makes sense then, thanks!

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by sdsumike619

You hear all the time about people saying that the AC in their car "just needs to be recharged", however, I read somewhere that it isn't true as the AC system is a sealed/closed system and doesn't "run low" on refrigerant and the whole recharging thing is just a scam. Or if someone is trying to sell you a car and says that it just needs to be recharged, that there is a bigger, more costly problem to be dealt with..

What's your thoughts?

If it is low on gas there will be a leak someplace.
Very few just need a recharge without finding the leak and fixing the problem.
And sometime the problem can run up into the K figures.
Some older R-12 systems would have cold weather seap/leaksand would be good for 1-3-5 years with a recharge.
But not many of them left.