HyundaiTech or anyone else any ideas on AC problem

First I want to thank you hyundaiTech I got the Denso SparkPlug that you
told me to get and I am happy, a bit much at 10 a piece but according to the
website it will be easier on the car than Platinum or copper.

Next, I have a friend in Northern VA with a Santa Fe like mine 2002 but with
56k on the odometer. He said his ac was getting weak so he replaced the
coolant with with an R134A kit from the wally (Walmart). He hooked it up
and it blew colder air for a second but then after 5 minutes or so it got
warmer than before. He said he got the kit with stop leak, oil charger,
o-ring conditioner and leak finder. He thought maybe there was a leak but
he's not seeing any areas that look like there might be a leak (and he also
said it has been weak since May. I told him since the stuff he got had leak
finder it should paint the area that's leaking (Wrong assumption maybe?).
Anyway. Is there a wrong way to do it? He said there is connector on it
that only allows it to be hooked to the low side (Not sure about AC's so
don't know what this means.) He claims he did nothing wrong but who knows.
Could it be a leak that was intensified by him filling it (he said it went
to 35psi when he unhooked it? Is r134A the correct stuff for the 2002 Santa
Fe. I don't know if the warranty would cover leaks in a system so would
that be covered. How much would something like this cost to fix if it is a
leak or something else if you can diagnose it? He said the compressor is
running, but cycling on and off every 5 or so seconds. Thanks for any help
in advance.

 

I don't know about the Santa Fe, but there have been quite a few reports
of Elanta air conditioning condensers being punctured by rocks and other
road debris. It's to the point that many owners (myself included) have
installed screening behind the grill to prevent this from happening. The
Elantra GT Club and Elantra XD sites have info on doing this. Perhaps
the Santa Fe suffers from the same vulnerability.

 

It sounds like your friend did everything pretty much right.
Unfortunately, the leak tracer typically can't be seen well without a
black light and special goggles.

If the system is leaking the defective component is covered for 5
years/60k miles. I wouldn't expect the rock puncture Brian describes on a
Santa Fe-- the condenser is actually rather well protected. Let the dealer
know you've added leak tracer to the system. Even better, take the can in
with you when you go in for service. That way, they'll know what was put
in and it will probably help them find the leak.

Send him to whatever dealer has been providing you good service.

 

A strange twist of fate, my friend called me at work today and told me that
it was working fine now. It is his work car and he drove over 50 miles no
problem. He thought maybe it was plugged because he did not shake the can
but after running about 10 minutes (When he found out it stopped working to
when he turned it off on Friday) and sitting for a couple days maybe it had
time to thin out (there is oil and other stuff in there). Not real sure but
he said it is working like a champ now. He said he is going to skip the
dealer, he was quoted at least 96 bucks because they charge for the recharge
whether it was a faulty Hyundai part covered by warranty or otherwise. I
agreed with him because if it stops working again he can always take it back
in, if he takes it in now and they find nothing wrong he gets gigged 96
bucks. Is the AC system on the 4 cylinder any different then the one on the
V6? He has a 4, I have a 6 and quite honestly I am afraid to charge it
myself now, mine is running fine now but next year I imagine it will need
it.

 

The systems have minor differences, but in most ways they're the same. If
the stuff your friend added had sealer in it, that could be bad. How the
sealer works is that it seals when it comes in contact with moisture. If
there's any moisture in the system, it could clog the system. So, if
that's the case, perhaps it's best he doesn't show them the can.

The dealer isn't allowed to charge your friend to recharge the system and
charge Hyundai to repair the system. If the system is defective and
covered by warranty, then Hyundai will pay the dealer for the repair work,
including the diagnosis, the refrigerant, and the associated labor to
evacuate and recharge. Most dealers, however, will quote 1hr labor to
check and diagnose, because if they can't find a leak, Hyundai won't pay
them for any work they've done. If they check the system and find a
warrantable problem, they should then not charge the $96.

I agree he should probably wait until it has an issue. I would also
recommend not attempting recharge yourself until you're outside the
warranty period.