What's involved
What this repair actually is.
The evaporator is the cold coil inside the dashboard where cabin air actually gets chilled. When it corrodes and leaks, refrigerant escapes into the housing and no recharge will last. Like the heater core, it lives behind the dashboard, so replacement is a major teardown: recover refrigerant, remove the dash and HVAC box, install the new evaporator and expansion valve, reassemble, evacuate, and recharge.
Symptoms
How you can tell.
- A/C keeps going flat but no leak is visible outside
- Leak detection found dye or refrigerant at the evaporator drain
- Oily residue dripping from the A/C drain tube
- Brief chemical smell when the A/C first starts
- Repeated recharges fade within weeks
If you delay
The leak only gets worse, every recharge is money down the drain, and refrigerant blowing through the vents is nothing you want to keep breathing.
Educational estimate. Real pricing depends on your vehicle, the inspection, parts availability, taxes, and shop rates. Use this as a guide while you shop quotes.
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