2013 Tacoma 1 day old w/ leak in A/C

I have a brand new(1 day old) 2013 v6 DC SB PreRunner Tacoma and I noticed green fluid bubbling at the condenser connection(see pic). I contacted the dealer and they set me up for service this Saturday. My concern is, being a technician myself and working with refrigerant on home appliances, is that once repaired by the dealership the cooling system may not run as efficiently as from the factory--i.e. if they over/under charge the unit. This is a very common practice in home appliances due to the lack of skilled technicians. Am I okay having the dealer do an a/c repair on a truck that is 1 day old and will this put me at risk for more problems down the road? Or should I give the truck back and demand another one? I was also thinking if a repair is made to ask if they will give me an extended warranty at cost, a warranty may make me feel better. I would appreciate for any input on this matter!

 

I think I'd just let them fix it and not worry about it. Chances are your dealership has a tech or two that'll know how to charge it correctly.

Oh... and Welcome, and congrats on your new truck.

 

They just don't build them like they used to.....

 

Welcome to TW and Congrats on a new Tacoma, I would also suggest taking it back to the dealer as it is so new.

 

I guarantee that you won't be able to talk them into changing your vehicle. This is 100%. Even just bringing it up will do nothing but create friction in dealing with them, and that is definitely not in your best interest.

A car is a far more complex piece of equipment than a refrigerator. I'm not aware of any that don't have a few glitches that need to be worked out at the early part of ownership. Generally, these glitches get worked out during the warranty period (which is, in fact, the whole point of the warranty).

Cars tend to be very hard on their A/C equipment. Home appliances have the advantage of not being shaken and bashed around or being subject to the effects of extreme weather that cars do (like salted slushy roads). Most dealerships should have someone on hand who is greatly skilled with A/C's, and they will have all of the proper equipment, components, and procedures for dealing with your specific vehicle. I really wouldn't worry about it.

If your A/C is leaking and you know exactly where, let them fix it, then when you get home, brush on some soapy water to make sure that it is, in fact, no longer leaking. I'm sure it will be fine once repaired. Judging by your picture, it is probably just an o-ring that got damaged during assembly.


Edit: and Mr. Murphy would tell you that if you DID convince them to swap out your vehicle, you'll end up with a much worse problem, like an engine or transmission that self destructs, probably just after the warranty expires.

 

I would let them fix it, dealer will have a machine charge it(all the tech will have to do is push in the right amount to charge).It looks like a easy fix. I would be more worried if the had to change the dash for paint flaking off.

 

It appears that the gasket/o-ring is not sealing properly or the hold down bolt is loose. They have the ability to properly repair, purge with nitrogen, pull and hold a less than 400 micron vacuum to ensure a clean system which will also validate system seal. The machines they use should be capable of weighing in to the oz. the amount of refrigerant called for by the name plate data. Your system probably holds about 1.64# of R-134a, where as a typical home appliance could be 14 oz as you know.

Plus since the system is still holding refrigerant the chances of high levels of moisture contamination in the POS "POE" oils is low. just sayin...

 

I'd like to believe it's a bit harder to become a vehicle mechanic than a home appliance technician.

 

It's a new truck under warrenty... take it in and get it fixed.

 

Welcome! I would just let them fix it. Like The Phoenix said, not to mess with Murphy's law.

 

If by some unlucky chance you end up taking it back 3-4 times then you will be ready for the lemon law. Until then take it to them at the dealer so if down the road they can blame you for any negligence. Start taking name and such in the event you need it later but just realize they probably have a good tech and he should be able to to it right the first time.

 

One can always wish.

 

i'd take it in, asking for a discounted extended warranty couldn't hurt...there is a long list of service checks the dealer is supposed to do on the truck prior to letting the customer drive it away.

possible they rushed on this truck and overlooked it? only the dealership knows.

possible other checks were missed? only the dealership knows.

it's great you found it, just keep all your documentation just in case.

Welcome to TW

 

refrigerant, and/or oil is green? sorry for the lame post but seriously, i need to know.

i know there aren't any other green fluids that go into the truck, but if there is liquid there, (refer oil) then i would expect that most of the refer gas to have already escaped. does your a/c work or does the light blink then turn off? please tell us what the dealer says

 

My first time to any type of forum and I just have to say thanks for all the replies and advice. The fluid was indeed fluorescent green, a uv dye I presume. I dropped it off at the dealer today and the service advisor told me that they do not add dye at the factory, that it must have been attempted to be repaired when it arrived at the dealership. What bugs me is that the dealer told me it was fresh off the truck when in fact it probably wasn't. I'm easy going but I do not like being lied to--especially when it involves dropping $30K on a vehicle. I did ask the fleet manager if she would be willing to sell me a warranty at fair price given the situation. I was told a 7 year 120K mile warranty would run me $1400(which they claim is dealer cost). I think this is high, considering my dad bought the same exact warranty for his 2013 FJ Cruiser last week for $648(his dealer claimed that was $20 above cost). I am just waiting to hear what they find and hopefully it is no big deal--just wish they would be fair to me seeing how this is the 7th Toyota I've owned. Any input on the pricing of warranties would be helpful. I've heard of a dealer in Wisconsin that sells a ton of them dirt cheap. Has anyone heard of this? Thx.

 

The factory AC oil/gas in my 2007 Tacoma was also flourescent green. So my guess it comes that way from the factory.

Fritz

 

I got my truck back yesterday and all seems to be well. Thanks for all the responses. It pissed me off a bit that the dealer implied that I had attempted to repair it myself. They said that their lead tech noticed there was dye in the system and had his suspicions that I had added it in attempt to fix it. This is absurd to speculate that I would do such a thing on a vehicle that is a day old but I guess they probably see it all. I'm guessing that the dye is now being added by the factory. The dealer said they would contact the factory on Monday to find out. Regardless of all the hassle the first few days, I absolutely love the truck and can't wait to drive it more. I feel like a kid again.

 

I've had my 2013 Tacoma for 6 monts now. The a/c just stopped working so I took it in. Just got the call from the dealership. They said my condenser was hit by a rock. They have to replace it and it's not covered under warranty. The cost will be $1,400! This is BS. Shouldn't ths be a protected part? I never heard a rock hit me.

 

tell that to your AC tech when you are sweating your balls off on a summer day and your AC is broken

 

Why would a rock hitting your condenser be considered warranty? If it was truly completely protected then the condenser would not get any airflow and your AC would not work. Your best bet is to try insurance.