karlo

A lot of good points have already been made here, especially about leaks and why simple “top-ups” are often a waste of time and money. One thing that often gets overlooked is that noticeable loss of cooling over a short period almost always means a leak rather than “normal” refrigerant loss. In practice it’s usually the condenser, ageing O-rings, service ports or the compressor shaft seal, and you’ll often see oily residue around the leak point because the refrigerant escapes together with oil. I recently came across a fairly clear write-up that explains common leak causes, typical symptoms, how often systems really need recharging, and why running low on refrigerant can damage the compressor if it’s ignored. It also covers why DIY cans are risky without proper evacuation and charging by weight. If anyone’s interested, the article is here: https://refrigerant-euro.com/blog-en/car-ac-refrigerant-leak-causes-symptoms/ It pretty much reinforces what’s been said above — find and fix the leak first, then vacuum and recharge properly, otherwise you’re just delaying a bigger (and more expensive) failure.

Hello everyone! My name is Karlo Maders. I recently became the owner of a Škoda Superb and decided to join the forum to learn more about ownership, read advice from experienced drivers, and eventually share my own experience. Glad to be part of the community — wishing everyone safe and enjoyable driving!