Air Con - Grit ingress damage

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Thu 16 Aug 2012 13:58
Air Con - Grit ingress damage - Ed V

My C5 requires repairs to leaking system - total bill of £600. I had the same problem with a Volvo 960 some years back. The Volvo unit was right at the front so less surprising than that the C5, where the system is better protected, also suffered stone ingress.

Could the units not be placed further back in the engine compartment, away from the dangers of grit causing such damage?

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Thu 16 Aug 2012 14:08
Air Con - Grit ingress damage - RT

The aircon condenser has to be placed in the airflow to dissipate heat, like the engine radiator.

Putting a filter across the front grills is theoretically possible but would require much larger openings - like a basking shark.

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Thu 16 Aug 2012 19:58
Air Con - Grit ingress damage - elekie&a/c doctor

I have been in the automotive a/c industry for over 40 years ,and can honestly say that the number of cars that have genuinely suffered condenser damage through stones or similar debris is minimal.I have recently seen a Mondeo that hit a fox.Both the coolant and a/c rads were bent like a banana but were not leaking.The biggest issue with condensors is corrosion.This is why they leak.Cheap and cheerful materials that will just last the warranty period(hopefully)hth

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Fri 17 Aug 2012 11:39
Air Con - Grit ingress damage - Ed V

Interesting - brings me back to an earlier post about perceived "quality".

Do most major manufacturers then use the same unit producers, or do the expensive brands, MB, BMW etc., use better ones. Or is it only the Toyotas of this world that don't produce unwelcome £600 bills.

Or is it just a hidden cost of motoring with plenty of extras like airocn?

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