Do you have a Holden Astra and the air conditioning has suddenly stopped blowing cold air? Then most likely the compressor clutch coil has failed.

It is a common problem with Holden Astra air conditioning. There you are, happily driving with a cold air conditioner and then the next minute you have no air con at all. Most people with Astras would believe they need a regas.

On some occasions that could be true but the symptoms can be a lot different. If you have been losing gas due to a leak then the air con would gradually lose its cooling effect until complete failure of the air conditioning. A sudden loss of all gas would give you the same symptom as the clutch coil but you would probably notice when the gas escaped, or find evidence of compressor oil on the floor or on the car.

What will it cost to fix this problem?

First of all it must be accurately diagnosed. It will cost you $77.00 for me to come out to you and test the system. If it is the clutch coil then to replace the coil would cost $525.00, which includes the $77.00 if the go ahead to repair is done there and then. This includes a new coil, the labour to remove the compressor and fit the new coil, and re-gassing of the system.

However some other problems can show up while doing this repair. The small aluminium bolt that holds the clutch in place can have a nasty habit of breaking while trying to remove it, which then can lead to having to fit a new compressor (which comes with a new coil). Another fault that may become apparent is that on removing the clutch coil assembly the front compressor seal may show signs of failure allowing gas to escape gradually. If this is the case then a new compressor is the best option.

To replace the compressor is quicker than having the coil repaired. It costs more but at least then you know you don’t have to worry about the other issues which can occur. Also your new compressor has a warranty, whereas just replacing the coil does not cover you for other compressor failures, like the seals. So what does it cost to replace the compressor? The total cost including parts, labour and regas would be $900.00.

We can do either repair option on site and it will only take a couple of hours to get your Astra air con working ice cold again.

Return to top of page