My 2009 TCH with 206000 miles needs a freon topup once a month as it is leaking. Has anyone had the leak and what are the most common places that these cars leak (hoses/evaporator/condensor?)

 

Just buy small bottle of freon with fluorescent die and check with uv light. Could be radiator, could be hose, you'll waste time and money guessing.

BTW any other issues past or present? I just got 201k on my 2007 and knock on the wood had Zero issues so far. I still run on original 12v battery, AC never charged, cold as new.

 

Pete4, thank you for the reply, however as the TCH has an electronic compressor (electric motor driven and not ICE belt-driven), it cannot use normal dyes.. I have ordered some hybrid-specific dye and will test it when it comes.

The only other problem I've had so far is having to change the 12V battery - extremely reliable car.

 

Thanks for reminding me, I forgot about electric motor winding being immersed in freon, so the die has to be dielectric and non reactive, otherwise will cause short. Please post the final outcome, may help others in the future. BTW where did you get special die, In case others need it. I just replaced clutch/pulley assembly and charged my wife's Santa FE AC, good thing mine is working fine.

 

My 2008 camry hybrid has a leak too. I filled it with 1 can of freon and the compressor/cooling worked just fine, but after 4-5 days all the freon was gone.

Is there something I can do to check this on my own? I am trying to avoid a trip to the mechanic

 

I pretty much bought this hybrid UV dye kit (Uview 321400H Hybrid Eco-twist )
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Uview-32140...MAAOSwQItUF7Mq

The injecting mechanism broke as I was filling the dye, but I managed to get most of it in to the low port. With UV glasses, I did not detect any leaks anywhere, checked the whole AC loop (except evaporator, that was under the dashboard).

As the car is so old, I've ended up filling a can of R-134A every 2 weeks in the summer that keeps the AC going ... My brother has a 2007 TCH and he has the same problem, also has to top up about 3 times every summer ... Hopefully someone could pinpoint where the leak is happening.

Strangely, just after filling the freon, I can hear the leak, but the dye doesn't show it anywhere and I try to go through all the components and can't seem to find any sign of it.

 

The link below shows that apparently all 2007-2011 Camrys have a problem with the evaporator developing a leak and needing to remove the whole dashboard to get to it (at least 8 hours labor). My TCH now has 232 000 miles and needs to be charged every time I drive if I want AC.

https://electricvehicleforums.com/fo...c-freon-32066/

 

Another development - I completely charged the system 6 days ago and then checked the static pressure today and it was 25psi. I charged it up to about 40psi (low side and about 160psi high when running) and then turned off the engine, but left the charging hoses connected intending to look at the static pressure after 30 minutes. I totally forgot about it and came back 5 hours later and the pressure was 0psi. Would that mean that there is a problem with either the low side or the high side schrader valve as all the refrigerant leaked out with charge hoses connected?