2016 mustang evaporator issues

[forestg]

My wife's 2016 mustang is going in to the dealer for the fourth time due to AC failure. The last time it went in the system was at atmospheric pressure. They kept it over night under vacuum and found no loss. They recharged and looked for dye leaks and used sniffer. Found no leaks. 3 months later it has failed again. Is there a known issue with evaporators that anyone is aware of?

[Cornbinder89]

Light duty/Auto's are not my Bailiwick, but a total loss in 3 months should be easily detectable. It is possible to leak under pressure and not under vacuum, so that is one point to look at.

[Tom Greenleaf]

Sorry if a misread but why is suspect part/area the evaporator? Easy, there would be dye evidence now while empty out where it would drip. That should be clean or dusty maybe.
I don't know of it as common this car is still under dealer warranty if they can't see evidence now at common places it's really not up to you to figure out - right?

There is one thing that can leak and not leave evidence not usually a total loss though. 99.9% tons older to antique if stored cold or just exposed to serious cold compressor's shaft can shrink more than the seal it's not moving so no oil or dye to see. Too new for that IMO. Both my own OLD vehicle can do that takes colder than 20F or so no problem above 40F stored or used daily not so much - either.

What a bummer for you time to kick some butt and get this resolved and if they can't pay for who can. Pls keep us posted time to go above dealership folks to higher levels plus would insist on extending the warranty as it's not good for them to be low much worse if run low,

[Cusser]

Well, at least with four trips to the dealer, likely at least the first complaint was during the warranty period (if not all visits), so should all be covered by warranty. Sad that a dealer cannot find a leak, especially one of this magnitude.

Reminds me of the GM dealer who gave up and actually said "we have no idea what's wrong with your sunroof". And fought me when I demanded a refund, because before the repair I had established that I would pay for a repair, but would not pay for guessing.

[Tom Greenleaf]

Good for you if you got that fixed later than purchase date. There used to be hidden warranty of fitness that exceeded most new car warranty items listed. Anything safety there's almost no limits.

A/C once if not now was time not miles. Then at least in Mass. "Powertrain" items imperative things too if you couldn't use the vehicle.

Up the time that was me and ages ago now THE newbie there got the crap work - me. It doesn't pay as much per problem and only ONCE or dealer eats it!

Today now that cars are all shaped so airflow with windows, real vents including windows some rear too not heated thru ducts in the dash crap it's imperative or find people dead heat if sun too is nasty fast as many know.

Scream this is a competitive car maker still no need for an unhappy customer who bought NEW you expect NEW makes sense. If erratic or same failure back to dealer eats it will think hard if they aren't good enough to fix anything pawn that job off on another dealer or something?

Shake the cage and don't give up. I'd be on fire never owned a new car if it failed with a thing would be apoplectic I think!

[forestg]

Took to the dealer again and diagnosis was low on gas. Ford has issued a TSB that if no other leaks found it is probably the evaporator. They have to order one and then remove the dash to get to it. Major operation per the service manager. Internet search indicates that this is a known issue on 2015 through 2017 mustangs. Ford does not acknowledge this. My concern is that when dash is removed something will get broken or not reconnected causing further problems.

[Tom Greenleaf]

OK, They admit to a "TSB = Technical Service Bulletin" was issued? What the heck does "probably" mean? There's no need for a maybe leaks and it clearly does can be found.

I feel for you now the Service Manager calls it a major operation which is anything more than an oil change to some being sarcastic but is. Your worries are real in that taking it apart to replace an evaporator even this relatively new all the plastics, one time fasteners, plain wire connecting plugs, foam or sealing products used are already brittle never mind bumping things is a real problem. This stuff isn't made to take apart is what I'm saying.

It's now found low on refrigerant. Just FYI there is no dipstick to measure that you recover what was in a system and measure what came out vs what a known full/proper charge is and do the math - that's how low it was is the only way I know of.

Rock and hard place for you. Let them fix it how hard it is shouldn't be your concern but it's scary no question. Listed hours are a guess IMO to remove and replace a given part based on zero issues to do it and having appropriate tools and know how to do it.

Nice as now it comes down to a real person doing it either paid by the hour or only the time sheet already set is the max Ford would pay the incentive to rush is still on. Stinks but let them do their thing.

Take pictures if you can of before and after if you find patched broken parts note that in YOUR notes after it's fixed to your satisfaction.

There should be no rattles, noises or operating problems in sight when all done like it was never worked on at least and the end of this problem for you but it was there is IMO a bummer.

Said this many times on forums is the real reason A/C fails most of the time into a new problem coming or in wait already unseen is while it's leaking slowly the system still operates with A/C request, defog/defrost and some just anyway. Oil is needed to pump/compress the gas just sits in puddles till it's charge is enough, temperatures enough to make liquid to move it along only to lube the compressor mandatory or they burn up dry not meant to only run in vapor alone. That may show sooner or later as early compressor failure than some so called "normal" life of one which is the heart of the system can also destroy itself and parts down line get clogged makes this it's own trade no longer can clean out those items they all get replaced every time - stinks. Customers ticked off and they can claim they don't owe you to do it twice?

Guess you just have to let them do their thing and hope for the best. A lot depends on the caliber of the tech who actually does all the work allowed the time to do it carefully and check when done it's performance is right on target can only hope that's what happens.

Good luck. Seems you've done all you can now dealer found the TSB if this doesn't end it you may have a legal case marks when nobody is happy or wins!

[forestg]

Took a week to get parts, remove dash and found a leak in the evaporator coil.Seems this is a known problem by Ford. Everything working now but only time will tell whether permanently fixed or not.

[Cornbinder89]

Thanks for keeping us up to date, we often never know how things turn out.