Q – My 2001 Carrera lost all it’s AC refrigerant over the winter and now I am told that the compressor and left front condenser are seeping. I drive a black car so it has to be functional. I realize that compressors just wear out but I wonder why the condenser failed? Keith
A – You are right about compressors. They simply wear out and nothing you could have done would prevent that. There is a way to get more life out of your condenser. Take a strong light and look through the air grilles in the front fascia of the bumper assembly. You can see the AC condenser in the left front fender area in front of the tire. In almost every one I have looked at (maybe not Fred’s) there is a corner of the condenser that has a build up of leaves and debris creating a little mulch pile in the corner. That corner is where I usually detect leaks and my theory is that the decaying organic matter attacks the aluminum. Clean it our every year with first a vacuum cleaner then a pressure washer. If needed, remove the air grill to pull that junk out of there. MC