Chrysler Repair: Air conditioning failure, plymouth voyager, chrysler corp

Question
The AC has failed on our 98 Plymouth Voyager.  The dealer says it will cost about $300 to find out what the problem is and is not willing to give a cost estimate of the repair until we do the test.  Does it make any sense to try and just have someone recharge the system?

Thanks for your help.

Answer
Hello Gerard,
Yes, I would rather take a vehicle to a shop that specializes in air conditioner servicing. I would be very surprised if any reputable shop would want $300 to diagnose what the problem is. This sort of overcharging is why many owners avoid the dealerships. The chances are good that it does need a recharging, but if you take it to a reputable shop they should be able to determine that in a few minutes. So call around and see how each shop treats the problem as far as diagnosis, recharging costs, and other repair possibilities. I have had good luck at such independent shops, particularly those that have a track record and have been in business for a number of years. They wouldn't be in business very long if they were taking advantage of people. And their overhead is much lower than at a dealership. There is nothing unusual about Chrysler Corp A/C systems so there is no need to go to a dealership.
Usually if the refrigerant is getting low the temperature of the outlet air gradually begins to rise which is a clue that rather than some component failing that the refrigerant level is low. But then too, there is a low pressure cut-off switch that when tripped will cause a sudden loss of cooling, even though the main problem is low refrigerant. So there is no certain way to know what the issue is without taking a reading or two of the system. But that is not a $300 job!