Car air conditioning repairs in the UK typically cost anywhere from £60 for a simple re-gas to £1,500+ for a full system replacement. Most common fixes (e.g. condenser or fan motor replacements) fall between £150 and £500. 

Air con broke? If you’re reading this in the hot summer months, you’ll want to repair your air conditioner as soon as possible – before things get really uncomfortable. But how much is an air conditioning repair going to cost you? 

Good news: we’ve got you covered. Below you’ll find a simple breakdown of what typical car A/C repairs cost in the UK, what affects those prices, and how you can spread the bill into interest-free chunks with Bumper.

• How much does it cost to repair car air con in the UK?
• How does the AC system work in a car?
• How do I know if my aircon needs regassing?
• How do you know if your car’s AC isn't working properly?

How much does it cost to repair car’s air con in the UK?

Air con repairs in the UK vary depending on your vehicle, garage rates, and how quickly the issue is spotted. 

How does the AC system work in a car?

A car’s AC system is made of multiple parts that work together to keep you cool, including: 

• Refrigerant recharge: Refrigerant is the gas that cools the air inside your car. Over time, it naturally escapes, and a re-gas simply tops it back up so the A/C can work properly again. 
• Evaporator coil: Warm air from the cabin passes over the coil, which cools it down using the refrigerant before being blown back into the car. 
• Condenser unit: Found at the front of the car, this releases heat absorbed from the cabin into the outside air. It also turns the refrigerant from a gas back into a liquid so it can be reused. 

Fan motor: The fan motor pushes cold air through your vents and into the cabin. If it’s not working, you might not feel any cold air coming through.

How do I know if my aircon needs regassing?

If your A/C is blowing warm air, takes ages to cool down, or hasn’t been re-gassed in over two years, it’s probably time. Most systems lose refrigerant slowly over time, so if cooling power’s dropped off, a re-gas is usually the first fix garages try.

It’s a quick job, usually done in under an hour. If your A/C still doesn’t work after that, the garage will look for deeper issues like a leak, faulty compressor, or a damaged condenser.

See how you can split your air con regas costs with Bumper here.

How do you know if your car’s AC isn't working properly?

Here are some of the most common warning signs that your AC isn’t working properly: 

Loud rattling or whining noises

Hearing strange sounds when you turn on the A/C? That’s usually a red flag that the bearings in the fan motor are worn, there is debris stuck in the vents, or the compressor is struggling to do its job. 

Damp or musty smells

If switching on the air con fills with car with a smell of mould or old socks, moisture is probably trapped in the system, building up bacteria in the evaporator coil. 

Fogged windows (even when the A/C is on)

One of your air con’s hidden talents is dehumidifying the car. If your windows are still misting up with the system on, that means it’s not pulling moisture from the air properly, pointing to low refrigerant, clogged filters, or other internal faults. 

Split the cost of air con repair costs with Bumper

No matter what’s causing your A/C to underperform, getting it sorted shouldn’t leave you sweating over the cost. With Bumper’s flexible car repair finance, you can fix your air conditioning now and pay later in interest-free monthly instalments. 

It’s fast, fair, and trusted by thousands of UK drivers – so you can stay cool on the road, and even cooler when the bill lands. Check if your garage offers Bumper, or apply online in minutes now.