Has anyone fixed leaking air con from behind the dash?

I went to have my air con done, fortunately it was free because my friend works at kwik fit so they put the machine on to recharge the system and there was a horrible hissing noise coming from inside the car behind the dash and coming through the vents.

They said that it could be a damaged matrix which is behind the dash inside the car or a joint.

Has anyone tackled this issue before or had the same thing?

Would love to hear if someone else has before I whip the dash out as its really not a job that I want to do.

A workmate of mine has a leaking evaporator (what KF are calling 'matrix' ) on his mk1 octy. Whole dash out job which he reckons just isn't worth the time or money. Taking the dash out tends to make cars look like a bomb's gone off inside them, but I guess if you're methodical and patient, it wouldn't be too hard.

Thing is, first job is to recover gas charge and weigh, next place connected system under a vacuum, if there was no major leak then it would pass that test/task, only then should the correct gas load be added to the system. Running leaks are possible, ie roughly not too bad under vacuum but leaking slightly under pressure, but this sounds like being a "bigger" leak, if it is a leak.

if you got a leak its free anyway if for any reason they can't gas ur aircon they won't charge you I got all the bits you need I fitted a new shape dash in mine its not that bad

Shouldn't have charged it anyway...

I changed a dash in a 2007 golf last week, took about 6 hours and wasn't a bad job.

I've changed a Fabia one also a few years back.

if you got a leak its free anyway if for any reason they can't gas ur aircon they won't charge you I got all the bits you need I fitted a new shape dash in mine its not that bad

Fortunately he balanced all my wheels and used the hunter alignment machine FOC.

Ok, if it turns out I need something I'll let you know.

Shouldn't have charged it anyway...

I changed a dash in a 2007 golf last week, took about 6 hours and wasn't a bad job.

I've changed a Fabia one also a few years back.

So the general consensus is that it's not difficult, just time consuming.

I bet the evaporator is pricey !

So the general consensus is that it's not difficult, just time consuming.

I bet the evaporator is pricey !

Yeah, hidden nuts and bolts etc.

Not really expensive no, just guessing but £60 shouldn't be far off.