Air Con problem!

[sniper]

Last night I noticed a liquid leaking at the front of my wife's Rav4,it looks like the air con radiator is where the liquid is leaking from. The liquid seems to be water and the drips even froze when the car was driven (-3),does anyone have any idea if this liquid is likely to be the refrigerant or will that have drained away and maybe the liquid is from condensation in the system?
(Not a job high on my list at the moment!)

[Predictable Bob]

I don't know the Rav but every car I've had with air con has dripped - I think it's just water that condenses out

[madcampbell]

Last night I noticed a liquid leaking at the front of my wife's Rav4,it looks like the air con radiator is where the liquid is leaking from. The liquid seems to be water and the drips even froze when the car was driven (-3),does anyone have any idea if this liquid is likely to be the refrigerant or will that have drained away and maybe the liquid is from condensation in the system?
(Not a job high on my list at the moment!)

...? when I had air con on mine it would always have a dribble of "water" from under the front....but why the hell has she got the air con on in this weather!!! or is that your point..!! IOTW coming for one of us ...

[sniper]

...? when I had air con on mine it would always have a dribble of "water" from under the front....but why the hell has she got the air con on in this weather!!! or is that your point..!! IOTW coming for one of us ...

Its not the usual puddle that you get after using air con from the condensation as this leak is in the radiator at the front.
I don't think my wife had been using it much! But she thinks I am an IOTW candidate for trying to fix it in -4 degrees at 10pm!! -In my defence I was just trying to make sure the main radiator wasn't leaking.

[madcampbell]

Its not the usual puddle that you get after using air con from the condensation as this leak is in the radiator at the front.
I don't think my wife had been using it much! But she thinks I am an IOTW candidate for trying to fix it in -4 degrees at 10pm!! -In my defence I was just trying to make sure the main radiator wasn't leaking.

Why do you think it's the air con then? when the leak is from the radiator area and if it was the air con does it work(then again i this weather its going to be hard to tell) .. I believe the air con unit is pressurised so would be empty now... and not working

[sniper]

Why do you think it's the air con then? when the leak is from the radiator area and if it was the air con does it work(then again i this weather its going to be hard to tell) .. I believe the air con unit is pressurised so would be empty now... and not working

I can see the liquid bleeding from left to right across the air con radiator,I did try the aircon out but at -4 it is hard to tell if it is working 100%!

[Bogus]

If its leaking from the aircon the liquid will be a mix of refrigarant and lub oil.
Does the stuff feel oily?

Bogus

[sniper]

If its leaking from the aircon the liquid will be a mix of refrigarant and lub oil.
Does the stuff feel oily?

Bogus

Thanks for that but no the liquid isn't oily at all,it had no smell and was like water.seeing as it froze in drips then i guess it has to be water-but where from?!

[si tate]

If your sure its clear water then you can rule out aircon fluid, antifreeze,oil & brake fluid. The only thing left is the washer bottle & if you have been filling it up with just clear water & tried to use it when frozen then you may have popped a pipe off with the preasure of the pump trying to force frozen water through it.

[sniper]

If your sure its clear water then you can rule out aircon fluid, antifreeze,oil & brake fluid. The only thing left is the washer bottle & if you have been filling it up with just clear water & tried to use it when frozen then you may have popped a pipe off with the preasure of the pump trying to force frozen water through it.

Thanks,going to check the washer bottle state of play as leak was on same side.

[sniper]

If your sure its clear water then you can rule out aircon fluid, antifreeze,oil & brake fluid. The only thing left is the washer bottle & if you have been filling it up with just clear water & tried to use it when frozen then you may have popped a pipe off with the preasure of the pump trying to force frozen water through it.

Looks like you are right. My wife just asked me to fill the washer bottle up whilst I am looking under the bonnet as it has run out!So now it all makes sense,the washer jets had frozen and when she used them the fluid leaked underneath the top of the bonnet and because the car was parked facing uphill (steep drive way) the fluid slowly made its way to the front of the bonnet to where it dripped part way down the aircon rad on the left side.It had stopped dripping when I was looking at it but more water appeared when i took it for a test drive as more water had a chance to run forward again.The reason it froze is that the washer bottle had not been topped up for a long time as the car is only doing about 15 miles a week and so still had a very weak mixture from summer motoring.
I also tested the aircon (as best I can at -1.5 degrees!) and it appeared to work-with no leaks to be seen now.
Thanks all for ideas on this.

[si tate]

Its great when you find its not gunna cost you.