A/C gone!

[hdrygas]

A hole in what? $400 ? Is it the compressor?

[delrey]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hdrygas\";p=\"85042)</div>

A hole in what? $400 ? Is it the compressor?
[/b]

The hole is in the A/C condenser. (He said it's behind the grill & the radiator, and that's why he can say that it must have been caused by a rock or some type of flying road debris.)

[EDIT: Though he *said* the condenser is behind the radiator, it's not. Several folks point that out in the following thread, but I'm just adding to save someone confusion when rereading later]

The dealer just called back to say that he thinks he can get it covered for me – by changing the verbiage on the report from “puncture” to “split”. This may not work though, he says, if Toyota wants the old part back.

If it's not covered by warranty then it'll be about $500 to repair.

I don't think I've ever had anyone be dishonest on my behalf before ... maybe I should hire someone to do my taxes? (JK).

But seriously, does anyone have a strong opinion on what I should do here? I would never lie to the dealer about some damage I caused & try to get a repair covered under warranty. Yet I'm inclined to accept their offer to effectively do this for me.

Obviously I would prefer not to pay $500, but I also sort of feel that driving on normal highway in good condition shouldn't result in an important part of the car not working! It'd be different if this happened after I took the car camping or on some dirt roads. But I've just been driving to work & back ...

Am I just rationalizing being lazy & cheap? Could they be hiding something, maybe worried that the damage happened while they had the car? Or are they just doing what they consider good business to take care of me since they've got repeat business from me & I sent them referrals for folks wanting a Prius and a HiHy?

What would you do in my shoes, and would you continue as a loyal customer afterwards as well?

[efusco]

Your call man...what do your morals tell you to do. I'd probably go ahead and pay if it was damage and not under manufacturer's defect.

[hdrygas]

I had to look at the service manual and at the compressor on my car. It is somewhat exposed ie there is nothing under it and it is fairly low in the engine compartment but it still is several inches above the edge of the bumper. The case on the compressor appears very robust. It would have to be a hell of a piece of road debris to break the compressor casing. I think that you would have had to see it as you drove up on it and I think that you would have heard it as well. Maybe it did split, a defective casting. The only other thing I could see is maybe it spit a hose or connector right where it went in to the compressor and that is why the whole thing needs to be replaced. Manufacturing defect or road debris. A metallurgist could figure it out. Did you see the damage. What does it look like to you?

[IsrAmeriPrius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(delrey\";p=\"85061)</div>

The hole is in the A/C condenser.  He said it's behind the grill & the radiator, and that's why he can say that it must have been caused by a rock or some type of flying road debris.[/b]

This makes no sense. A flying rock would have punctured the radiator or damaged the grill, but how in the world would it hit the condenser without damaging at least the radiator? I suspect that one of their technicians may have caused it while the car was being serviced.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hdrygas\";p=\"85068)</div>

I had to look at the service manual and at the compressor on my car.[/b]

It is not the compressor which was damaged. It was the condenser.

[delrey]

Nope, I haven't seen the damage. I am stuck at work & can't get back over there. He did specifically say that the rock missed the grill & radiator before hitting the condenser. Whatever happened, it certainly wasn't anythign I saw or heard, and I know when it happened within about 12 hours ... it's hard to imagine a tech accidentally doing this during an oil change though, so I'm not sure that I should be suspicious.

[IsrAmeriPrius]

If that indeed is damage from road debris, it should be covered by your regular auto insurance policy, assuming that you carry comprehensive coverage.

[Frank Hudon]

I just went and looked at the wife's car and the condenser is in front of the rad (it's all one unit on the new Prius) and if some thing missed the grill and went in there and punctured the condenser it must have had divine intervention to get thru and be small enough to miss the grill and travelling really fast to make a hole in the tubing. I'd take him up on his offer and let the chips fall where they may. If it happened to you it'll happen to lots as more come on the road.

[Canuck]

If Toyota cannot design the A/C equipment to be protected from road debris I would suggest that it is a defect in engineering and would tell them that you intend to take it further with the company if it is not repaired under warranty. This is not a moral issue or decision.

[jayman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Frank Hudon\";p=\"85118)</div>

I just went and looked at the wife's car and the condenser is in front of the rad (it's all one unit on the new Prius)[/b]

Frank:

I have a 2004 and mine looks like it's made out of aluminum. I wonder if it's more prone to road damage than the older style condensers?

Especially if you're following a semi - like a gravel truck - around here the tires always seem to kick back stones at you. I had to use a flashlight on mine but it does appear to have a bunch of tiny nicks on the header tubes that weren't there when the car was new.

I've known folks who have traveled the Alaska highway. To avoid damage to the rad and/or A/C condenser, they put a steel mesh in front of the grille. It had around a 1/4 to 3/8 spacing, so a rock that small shouldn't cause damage.

I've seen some aftermarket grille inserts (Custom fit and trim-to-fit) of the same material, even a gaudy Diamond Plate finish. I'm wondering if it might not be a good idea to put this on my Prius.

Jay