How much does it cost to repair an AC evaporator coil?

Air conditioning is offered on almost all cars now, offering comfort during the summer months. It is, however, quite a complex system, involving multiple components and many hoses and pipes. 

In this article, we’ll take a look at the likely costs of replacing the evaporator coil in your car and what to look out for if you suspect an issue with your air conditioning. 

How much does it cost to replace an AC evaporator coil?

Replacing an evaporator oil costs between £250 and £850, depending on the make and model of the vehicle. Typically, the more modern and tech-filled the car, the more labour time is required to access and replace the evaporator. 

Other factors in the cost of replacing any car part are your location in the country, as well as whether you take the car to a main dealership or an independent garage. 

For help with large repair bills, split the cost with Bumper's car repair finance.

What is an AC evaporator coil?

The evaporator is one of the key components in an air conditioning system. Along with the condenser/radiator and compressor.

As the name suggests, the evaporator coil provides a place for the refrigerant sealed inside the system to evaporate. In doing so, it absorbs heat energy, which is removed by way of pipes, out of the cabin.

A fan is used to move air past the now cold evaporator coil, creating the stream of super cool air we associate with a well-functioning AC system. This is the basic premise behind any air conditioning system.

Symptoms of a broken evaporator coil

The main symptoms of a broken or ineffective evaporator coil are:

• Lack of cold air from vents (caused by a refrigerant leak)

• Low air flow from vents (due to blocked evaporator fins)

• Musty or mouldy smells (caused by dirt or mould build-up on the coil)

While the above symptoms could be caused by a damaged or blocked evaporator coil, they could also be caused by pump, fan or condenser failure, so be sure to have the system checked thoroughly before paying for repairs. 

Why do AC evaporators fail?

There are two main problems that can occur with an evaporator coil: it can spring a leak, or the fins can become blocked. Both can reduce the effectiveness of the AC system, but for different reasons.

A leak will cause the refrigerant to slowly drain from the system, meaning the condensing and cooling effect can no longer happen, this will result in a lack of cold air when the system is running.

Leaks in evaporator coils are usually caused by age and deterioration rather than damage, as they are well shielded from any likely impacts - unlike the condenser.

If your car is particularly old, has no cabin air filter, or you live in a dusty environment, the evaporator coil can become blocked with debris. This will vastly reduce the amount of air being blown from the vents.

This may also cause a musty or damp smell, but other things, such as a blocked cabin air filter, can cause this too, so make sure to cover all bases.

How long does it take to repair an AC evaporator coil?

Replacing an AC evaporator coil in your car can take anywhere from 3 to 8 hours, depending on how buried behind other components the coil is.

In some cases it can be removed simply by removing a few access panels and the associated fixings attaching the condenser and its pipe connections. In other cars the entire dashboard has to be removed; vastly increasing the labour times.

In general, expect the garage to have your car for 1-3 days at least, as parts availability may also add to the waiting time.

What is the risk in not repairing a leaking evaporator coil?

If any component in your AC system is leaking refrigerant, eventually the system will run out of gas. This then means your AC won’t work at all, but worse than that, it could cause damage to your AC compressor.

This is because the compressor is lubricated in part by the presence of the refrigerant, it will also be working harder to create sufficient pressure with a lower volume of refrigerant. 

These things can all damage the compressor within a relatively short period of time, adding to the eventual cost of repair.

Repair your AC with Bumper

If your car’s AC need a new evaporator coil, compressor, or just an inspection and re-gas, Bumper’s interest-free car repair finance can help. 

Offered through hundreds of garages nationwide, it allows you to spread the cost of car repairs into manageable payments.