A/C Condenser Replacement Questions

[The Butcher]

So I'm considering replacing the damaged a/c condenser in my 2011 Cruze 1.4T instead of paying the dealer $700 to do it. I am mechanically inclined and have been working on cars for a long time but have not replaced a condenser before. Can anyone offer some insight into this repair or has anyone performed this repair on their own vehicle? Any help would be greatly appreciated! The car is still under warranty but as gm doesn't cover this repair I don't see any issues with doing it on my own.


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[jblackburn]

I'm assuming the system has probably already evacuated itself.

The condensor is at the front; the radiator and intercooler are sandwiched together behind it. All 3 will need to come out, and it looks like on the Cruze, they will drop out the bottom rather than coming up through the hood.

Replace the receiver/dryer in the system as well. Then you need to pull a vacuum on the system and have it refilled (this part is probably best done by a shop - these variable displacement systems are somewhat tricky to fill).

Make sure they drain the compressor and replace the correct PAG oil into the system or it will burn up.

[lilmrsyeti]

You may want to contact GM..seems several people on here had theirs damaged by rocks...still under warranty and they had theirs replaced by dealership under warranty. Others said they filed an insurance claim and just had to pay their deductible.

[steve333]

How can this not be covered by the bumper to bumper warranty?

[The Butcher]

Not sure, I contacted GM and they're giving me the run around saying its not their problem but I'm fighting them on it.


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[obermd]

How can this not be covered by the bumper to bumper warranty?

The claim to get it out from under the warranty is that the warranty doesn't cover damage from collision. The issue here is GM changed the design of the Cruze to prevent just this damaage. It should be under warranty since there was a vehicle redesign to prevent this particular problem.

[Dale_K]

I talked to service writer at my dealer about this and he told me a couple of times GM has replaced condensers under warranty. I don't know the process or why they were approved while others were not. The basic argument should be that GM knows they messed up and that they install condenser shields in some Cruze models, therefore they should have known better.

I bought the $17 shield out of my pocket and had them put it on when they did the belly pan recall. They didn't charge me for the labor.

[The Butcher]

Spoke to GM today, they agreed to cover the repair as an "act of good will" which I know they did for another member here on the forum as well, this must be the non-committal way of saying "we know about the problem but don't want to admit it or it'll cost us even more money" lol either way happy they're going to cover the repair, it goes in tomorrow morning to get fixed.


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[markcanderwich]

Still under warranty and they had theirs replaced by dealership under warranty. Others said they filed an insurance claim and just had to pay their deductible.

[brian v]

Not another one no .