AC Service
Car air conditioning service and repair
Car A/C systems need regular maintenance to ensure they are working reliably and efficiently.
The majority of manufacturers recommend your air con is tested and recharged every couple of years.
Most systems lose a small percentage of refrigerant each year. (approx. 5% - 10%)
Regular servicing can maintain the system, ensuring it remains reliable and problem free.
We have the latest air conditioning equipment to service & test vehicles that use R134a, 1234yf and the latest CO2 (R744) refrigerant.
A full service starts with the confirmation of the weight of refrigerant still present in the air con system. The age of the air con system and the percentage of the refrigerant lost would determine the next step. If the refrigerant loss is within acceptable limits, a recharge would be all that is required.
We use Oxygen Free Nitrogen (OFN) to pressure test the system when we identify significant loss of refrigerant. We find leaks using leak-detection fluid and the very latest ultrasonic test equipment.
We are vehicle air conditioning specialists and use our extensive knowledge to undertake repairs where other garages may have failed or given up.
Replacement parts supplied and installed at a fraction of main dealer prices. Vehvac staff are trained in line with F Gas regulation, for the safe handling and use of refrigerant.
Vehvac is pleased to offer specialist, antibacterial treatment to cure any nasty odours emanating from the air con system. This treatment kills the bacteria that are the primary cause of bad smells.
For older vehicles with R12 (Freon) refrigerant, we offer an upgrade kit to enable it to run on R134a refrigerant. A simple and inexpensive process that works.
We offer a 3-year parts and labour guarantee on most of the air conditioning parts that we replace.
Trade and retail customers are most welcome
CALL NOW FOR A QUOTE!!
on: 01732 868080
or Email: info@vehvac.com
Air conditioning Service and Recharging pricing guideline - 2026
R134a & 1234yf Refrigerants
As a rough guide, vehicles registered before 2014 run on R134a refrigerant and vehicles after this date use 1234yf refrigerant. These refrigerants cannot be mixed together.
Step one – A/C Diagnosis
If the a/c system is not working, we must determine why.
If there is no refrigerant, or very little recovered, the vehicle will be pressurised with Oxygen Free Nitrogen (OFN) up to its maximum working pressure and left for 20 – 30 minutes. This is known as a pressure drop test. If a significant drop is detected the vehicle will not be recharged. If this is the case, we will do our best to determine where the leak is coming from and give you a quotation for the repair.
Low / no gas diagnosis cost £50.00 + £10.00 nitrogen = £60.00 + vat = £72.00
If no leak is detected but the vehicle has a history of losing refrigerant, we would inject UV dye prior to refrigerant recharging, to make the leak detection process easier in the near future. The cost for the use of this UV Dye is £10.00 + vat = £12.00.
If the vehicle passes the pressure drop test it can then be recharged
Step two - Refrigerant recharging:
You will be only charged the difference between, the amount of refrigerant recovered from your vehicle and the correct amount required, as per the manufacturer’s specification. This is the same for both R134a & 1234yf refrigerants. (CO2 (R744) is treated differently – see the CO2 section below)
Please be aware some vehicles including Land Rovers, Jaguars, Aston Martin, People Carriers, Limousines and minibuses have significantly larger refrigerant charge amounts possibly 700 to 1200 grams, so are consequently more expensive to recharge.
R134a Refrigerant Recharging costs:
R134a Service cost £40.00 + vat = £48.00
R134a refrigerant @ £9.00 + vat = £10.80 per 100 grams
Example: Most vehicles hold approximately 500 grams, so the cost including vat would be £48.00 service cost plus 5 x £10.80 = £54.00 making a total of £102.00 including Vat.
1234YF Refrigerant Recharging costs:
1234YF Service cost at £60.00 + vat = £72.00
1234YF refrigerant @ £20.00 + vat = £24.00 per 100 grams
Example: Most vehicles hold approximately 500 grams, so the cost including vat would be £72.00 equipment cost plus 5 x £24.00 = £120.00 making a total of £192.00 including Vat.
CO2 Refrigerant (R744)
Vehicles that require CO2 Refrigerant and are not electric or hybrid electric (e.g. Mercedes S Class) can be recharged at our Edenbridge workshop.
Please be aware, we currently cannot recharge electric or hybrid electric vehicles, as this requires a main dealer to activate parts of the a/c circuit to open. This may change if the manufacturer software becomes widely available.
Workshop CO2 Recharge costs:
Pressure drop test using CO2 £100.00 + vat = £120.00
If the vehicle passes the drop test, it can then be recharged:
CO2 equipment cost £190 + vat = £228.00
CO2 recharge Refrigerant £100.00 + vat = £120.00
Total: £390 + vat = £468.00
Electrical Fault
Electrical faults can be more difficult to trace.
An initial electrical diagnosis is 30 mins with a cost of £50.00 + vat = £60.00
If the fault cannot be determined within 30 minutes you will be informed and be given the option for continued investigation to determine the fault. Workshop labour is then charged at £95.00 + vat = £114.00 per hour.