OK so car has 95000 miles or so, is a 2001 and I have never had any issues whatsoever with the Air Conditioning system. Yesterday when I got into my car to drive to a client it was blowing hot and has continued to do so since. Before that it's always been ice cold. I can hear the condenser? kick on when I turn on the air conditioning but no cold air comes out. Thoughts? My only suspect is possibly a recent freon leak but I don't have much experience with AC issues. Freaon just doesn't go bad does it? ie after 14 years with the car does it just need a recharge? The only other thing I'll add is yesterday in the McDonalds drive thru a woman backed into the front right bumper of my S2k... maybe a 3-5 Mph accident.. no dents or anything just some paint scrapage. I really doubt such a thing could have affected my AC but I find it aweful coincidental that it happened yesterday and my AC fails to work today so figured I'd add this bit of info just in case. Thanks in advance.

 

Maybe just needs a recharge, most common thing in cars.

 

Well that would be promising. So it's entirely possible that after 14 years of standard use that it just needs a recharge? Am I understanding that right? Ie a leak wouldn't be necessary for it to need a recharage after 14 years? Is there any downside to using the new diy can's of freon you can purchase at pepboys and such over going to a shop and paying out the arse for it? Thanks!

 

Yes, there is a downside, you have no idea what the charge state is of your system. Don't guess and blindly add freon. Take it to a shop with proper skills and gauges. Freon doesn't "just need to be recharged" for no reason. If it does, there is a leak. It may be slow, but there is a leak.

 

When you take it to a shop they can also put die in with the Freon to see where the leak is.