Should A/C on 23 month old Q5 with 24000 miles need regassing?

[Callum BC]

Hi,

The A/C in my Q5 stopped blowing cold about 7 weeks ago and with the recent hot weather I'm finally getting around to getting it fixed / regassed.  However my question is why should a car less than 2 year old need the A/C regassing, could there be a problem with the seals?  Over the past 20 years I've had 5 cars (different makes) and never once had to regass an A/C system and speaking with numerous colleagues and friends, none of them have ever had to regass either (even one A3 owner who's had his car for 8 years).  If there's a problem with the seals this would be covered by the manufacturer's warranty and I shouldn't have to pay the £150 for the top-up.  

I'm assuming the regassing process will test the seals, but I fear the dealer will simply recompress the system and send me on my way, minus my cash.

Has anyone else experienced similar?

Thanks,

Callum

 

[Magnet]

Sorry but cannot answer your question Callum, but no doubt others with similar aged vehicles will come along for you. 
All I can say is that £150 to regass a system seems very high to me, even if the the system is correctly emptied, tested for holding pressure/vacuum,  and then regassed.
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[cliffcoggin]

Callum.

How do you know it has lost its gas? There may be another fault such as compressor drive failure, which I assume is a belt.

Whether the AC should have developed any sort of fault in two years is debatable. The fact remains that it has and if the guarantee does not cover its repair you will have to foot the bill yourself.

[Callum BC]

Thanks gents, I thought £150 from an Audi delaer might be expensive as well, but Halfords are quoting £129, so it seems the going rate.

Good point regarding something else possibly being at fault and not necessarliy regassing, but I'm just going on what the service people at Audi suggested when I described the issue.   Will find out more on Friday when it goes in to get fixed.

[Magnet]

Hello Callum,

Halfords - £129 - not surprised. 
If this were mine, I would be Googling my area for specialists who do this - its a relatively quick and routine job.

Obviously things may be different in your area, but I’ve never paid anything close to £100 in recent times - much less actually. 
Kind regards,

Gareth.