One of the four
A/C Compressors
The only part of the circuit that works. The rest just endure.
A compressor that fails sends its debris through the whole circuit. Replacing it alone, with no flush and no receiver drier, is buying the same failure twice.
Parts in the catalogue
Before you buy
The symptoms, and what hides behind them
A symptom points somewhere, it proves nothing. Here is what we see most often on this family, and the cheaper causes worth ruling out first.
Worth knowing
This family in particular
Why is flushing the circuit mandatory?
When a compressor fails, it does not fail cleanly: it sends metal shavings throughout the circuit. Those shavings lodge in the condenser and the expansion valve. Fitting a new compressor to a circuit that has not been flushed condemns it within six months. It is also the most frequent reason for a warranty refusal, here as anywhere else.
Is the receiver drier really necessary?
Yes, and it costs thirty to fifty euros. It captures the moisture in the circuit. Once it is saturated it no longer protects anything, and the moisture left behind forms an acid that attacks the seals, then the compressor. Replacing it at the same time is the rule, not an upsell.
My A/C blows lukewarm. Is it necessarily the compressor?
No, and the compressor is rarely the first thing at fault. In order of frequency: a circuit that has leaked slowly, the pressure switch, the control solenoid valve, a clogged condenser, and only then the compressor. A pressure check costs less than a part you do not need.
R134a or R1234yf, how do I know?
The label under the bonnet tells you. Broadly: R134a before 2017, R1234yf after, with an overlap period. The two do not mix and the fittings are different. Check before you order, or ask the assistant.
Manufacturers
Who makes these parts
Vehicles