Took the FF to a tyre place last week to get the air con done. This garage is a large outfit that's been running for years and not something I would describe as a back street garage.

It's put on the machine and after about an hour, the guy informs me it's got a leak and would need to be brought back in the morning for a leak test involving dye and a UV light I'm told.
The test is duly carried out and The guy points to two hoses and informs me that they are leaking.

So, I order two new hoses from Dan and fitted them. Returned to the garage and sat and waited a second time. Another hour goes by and I'm called into the Workshop to be informed that it's got "another leak". I can hear a hissing sound coming from the engine bay whilst it's connected to the machine.

By this time, I'm a little annoyed. I asked the manager what happens next and he says it will need another UV test but this time, he can't do it for free and I would have to pay as the dye is expensive. I told him that he wasn't doing a very good job of convincing me that the two hoses I replaced were actually faulty (at £148 for the two as well).
He said he'd do another leak test for free and I've left it with him.

Im tempted to take the old hoses for a pressure test and see if they were actually leaking.

Not impressed! 2010 MY Vogue SE TDV8 3.6 Stornoway Grey- fully loaded

Your hoses could have been leaking at the joints though which you can never prove now they've been undone.

Personal experience with Air-Con systems is to go to Kwik-Fit for their fixed price. It was 40 quid with an offer last time and that's cheaper than diagnosis at large garage rates. Sometimes they even fix it 1st time.

The guy pointed to the flexible sections of the hoses and told me they were leaking from there. As its 13yrs old and 128k miles, I thought it possible that rubber hoses will perish over time.

This garage charged £30 (normally £45) 2010 MY Vogue SE TDV8 3.6 Stornoway Grey- fully loaded

Update
Apparently, the condenser has holes in it. So I need to replace that now 2010 MY Vogue SE TDV8 3.6 Stornoway Grey- fully loaded

common fault that...i had to replace mine cos its right at the front and gets stone damage .... ... - .- -.




Y. O. L. O.
.

As Stan says, common fault, idiot at garage should know as well..... if it's not been working for a while the oil in the system will drain down to the lowest points and away from the rubber seals in the system, you put the dye in and it will show leaks from everywhere....

Change the condenser which is 99% of the time where the "real" leak is, regas it and run it and the oil gets round the system, seals up all the rubber seals and the system is fine...

I have a friendly old aircon man who has been doing it for longer than most of us have been alive, he's seen it all and knows all the little tricks....

Sorry this doesn't help you much but it might help others...

Replacing the condenser is pretty quick and easy and it has the dryer built into the end so the price isn't too bad when that's taken into account..... Pete
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2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand Sold
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

I want to get the old pipes pressure tested now, as I'm not convinced there was anything wrong with them. If they come back ok, I'll be sending them the bill for them 2010 MY Vogue SE TDV8 3.6 Stornoway Grey- fully loaded

I feel your annoyance but you have taken them off now, they will just say they aren't the ones fitted that we said were leaking...... Pete
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2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand Sold
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-