Diagnostic Information for A/C Refrigerant Leak at Condenser Connection

Investigation of vehicles with A/C refrigerant leaks from the inlet connection at the condenser have shown the cause in each instance to be a damaged or incorrectly compressed O-ring seal (1) between the inlet pipe fitting and the condenser fitting, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 2 shows the incorrect installation.

It has been found that the lead-in at the pipe will allow the pipe to be installed crooked within the condenser fitting. Tightening of the clamp bolts results in the pipe being further mispositioned. While the specified torque may be attained, the O-ring will not be fully compressed, or may become damaged. This condition may be worsened by the lack of clearance between the pipe and the radiator support panel, which could cause the pipe to be crooked when installed into the condenser joint.

If diagnosis of poor A/C performance indicates a low refrigerant charge to be the cause, verify that the O-ring is the source of the leak by using the leak test procedure outlined in SI, then use the procedure below:

1. Remove and replace the installed O-ring to ensure that the replacement parts and the joint area are completely clean. Inspect for evidence of metal shavings present at the joint, which may have resulted from a previous incorrect installation.
2. Carefully insert the inlet pipe fully into the condenser fitting, ensuring that it is installed squarely and does not bind. Make sure there is adequate clearance between the radiator support panel and the pipe.
3. Tighten the clamp to 7.5-12.5 N·m (5.5-9 lb ft).
4. Verify that the joint has clamped squarely and that the O-ring is fully compressed (the O-ring should NOT be visible).
5. Leak test the system to confirm that the leak has been corrected.

For vehicles repaired under warranty, use: