Mechanical Repair
A/C recharge near you
A/C recharge with the refrigerant recovered, a vacuum test for leaks, then a charge by weight with oil and dye and the vent temperature checked.
- Time at the shop
- 60 min
- about
- Mobile service
- Available
- at your address
- Shops in Canada
- 4
- doing this work
- Your price
- You set it
- shops bid on it
You set the budget
Shops near you send their bids
4 shops in Canada do this
Mechanical Repair
What an A/C recharge is
A car’s air conditioning is a sealed loop of refrigerant and oil. It should not need topping up, but over the years tiny amounts seep past seals, and the air from the vents slowly turns from cold to merely cool. A recharge puts back the correct amount and shows whether the loop still holds it.
The technician reads the pressures and vent temperature, connects a service machine and recovers what is left, weighing it to see how much was lost. The system is held under vacuum to draw out moisture and test for leaks. If the gauge holds, the right oil, UV dye and a measured weight of refrigerant go in, and the pressures and vent temperature are read again to confirm the result.
Allow about an hour; a mobile technician who carries a recovery machine can do the same job at your address.
- For cars, EVs, vans and trucks
- Takes about 60 min
- Can be done at your address
What does an A/C recharge cost?
It depends on your vehicle and the shop. Post a job with your budget and compare the bids shops near you send.
Get bids
Name your budget. Shops near you bid.
4 shops across Canada do A/C recharge.
What to expect
A/C recharge, step by step
What the job normally covers, what to mention in your request, and the signs that it is time. Every shop says what its bid includes.
The job
What’s included
- Vent temperature measured and high- and low-side pressures read to see how the system is performing
- Compressor, belt, condenser, hoses and fittings inspected for the oily stains that mark a leak
- Remaining refrigerant recovered into a service machine and weighed, so the amount lost is known
- System held under vacuum for a set time to draw out moisture and show whether it leaks
- Refrigerant oil and UV leak-detection dye added in the amount the system needs
- System charged by weight to the factory amount on the label under the hood
- Vent temperature, pressures and compressor cycling checked again after charging
- Cabin air filter checked where it is easy to reach, since a clogged one weakens airflow
Checklist
Before you post
- 01Find the label under the hood that names your refrigerant, R-134a or R-1234yf; it changes the price a lot
- 02Confirm the price includes the vacuum leak test and dye, and ask what the fee becomes if a leak is found
- 03Ask for the refrigerant to be recovered and weighed in, not topped up from a can with a gauge
- 04Tell the shop if a store-bought can, sealant or an earlier recharge has been used; it may need to test the refrigerant first
- 05Ask whether the shop will call before repairing a leak (O-rings, hoses, condenser or compressor) and how that is priced
- 06An electric compressor on a hybrid or EV needs special oil and equipment, so ask the shop if it has both
Signs
When you need it
- Air from the vents is cool rather than cold, or turns warm after a few minutes of driving
- Cooling has faded gradually over one or two summers
- The compressor clutch clicks on and off every few seconds
- The A/C was cold last year and you want it checked before the first heat wave
Sound familiar?Tell shops near you what you need and what you want to spend.
Get bidsHow it works
Get an A/C recharge done in four steps
You set the budget and choose the shop. Posting is free, and you pay the shop you hire once the work is 100% done.
- 01
Post your job
Choose the service, describe the job and your vehicle, and set your budget. It takes two minutes and costs nothing.
- 02
Shops compete
Nearby shops that do the work see your request and send their best offer: price, when they can start, what is included.
- 03
Accept the best offer
Compare bids, ratings and distance, then hire one shop. The others are told, politely.
- 04
Talk and get it done
Your conversation with the shop opens right away to agree on the day. You pay only after the job is complete.
Keep exploring
Related services
A/C repair
A/C repair for air that will not cool, cycles, leaks or smells: leak test, compressor, condenser, hoses, blower and blend-door faults fixed.
Drive belt replacement
Serpentine belt replacement, also called a drive belt, with the tensioner and pulleys checked, to stop squealing and keep the alternator turning.
Radiator & cooling system repair
Overheating, coolant leaks and a cold heater traced by pressure test, then the radiator, hoses, thermostat or fan repaired and the coolant refilled.
Maintenance & Servicing
Scheduled maintenance service
Scheduled maintenance service to your owner’s manual: oil and filter, rotation, fluids, plugs and an inspection, with a dated record for your vehicle.
Mobile Mechanics
Mobile mechanic
A mobile mechanic comes to your driveway, workplace or parking spot with tools, a scan tool and common parts to diagnose, service or repair your vehicle.
Questions
Questions about A/C recharge
General answers for drivers in Canada. The shop you hire confirms the details for your vehicle.
Why is my car’s air conditioning not blowing cold?
Low refrigerant from a slow leak is the most common cause, and a recharge with a vacuum test restores the cooling and shows whether the system holds it. Others include a compressor that is not engaging, a blown fuse or relay, a stopped cooling fan, a clogged cabin filter and a blend door stuck on heat. Air that is cold on the highway but warm at a stop suggests a fan problem. No cold air at all points to more than a low charge.
Is it safe to recharge my A/C with a can from the store?
It is risky. The gauge on a can reads pressure, which changes with the outdoor temperature, not the weight of refrigerant, so overfilling is easy and it strains the compressor. Cans made for R-134a do not fit R-1234yf systems. Cans with leak sealer can block a service machine and the small passages in the system. A shop charges by weight, the only reliable measure.
Does my car’s A/C need a recharge every year?
No. A sealed system should hold its charge for years, losing only a little. If you need topping up every season, there is a leak that a recharge only postpones. A shop can trace it with UV dye and a black light, an electronic sniffer or a vacuum hold test, and replacing a worn O-ring or hose usually costs less than paying for refrigerant again each spring.
What is R-1234yf and why does it cost more?
R-1234yf is the refrigerant most recent vehicles use in place of R-134a, because it does far less harm to the climate. It costs more to make, and it needs its own service equipment with different fittings, so the two cannot be mixed. The label under your hood names the one your vehicle takes.
Should I run the A/C in winter?
Yes, for a few minutes every month or two. The refrigerant carries the oil that keeps the compressor seals moist, and seals that sit dry shrink and start to leak. In most vehicles the defrost setting also switches on the compressor to dry the air, so you use it on winter mornings anyway, and it clears fog faster than heat alone.
Something else to ask? Once you hire a shop, you talk to it directly in your request’s conversation.
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