Tried a $7 UV flashlight on my car AC and got a nasty surprise

So I had this idea to check for refrigerant leaks in my 2015 Honda Civic using one of those little UV flashlights... figured it would be quick and easy. I sprayed some dye in the system, ran the AC for about 10 minutes, then shined the light around the engine bay. Instead of spotting a tiny leak, I found this massive green glow all over the compressor seal - it was basically spraying out every time the clutch engaged. What I learned is that these cheap lights work way too well sometimes, you might find a bigger problem than you expected. Has anyone else had a simple leak check turn into a whole compressor replacement?

3 comments

3 Comments

ryan7933d ago

Replace the compressor and drier together. Cheap fix now saves a headache later.

colescott3d ago

Was that compressor part of the known defect batch or just bad luck on yours?

eric_adams113d ago

2015 Civics had a known batch of defective AC compressors from the factory.