Good morning

our 2010 Lexus Rx450h has an issue with the ac blowing, cold air on the passenger and rear however warm air on the drivers. I have since changed the blend door, changed the cabin filter and ran diagnostics, All coming back with no issues.

I hooked up my gauge to check the ac and it was a bit on the low side.

question: what gas should I use ? Most contain oils or sealants. Ac pro is confusing as it states on their website, they are safe for all ev / electric vehicles …. But they then state “not” to use on ev vehicles ? Any help is appreciated

ps…. Dealership is not an option the Toronto location offered to evac and fill it for 750 bucks, that’s simply not happening

thanks everyone

 

This should have been asked in the hybrid forum.
See these linked threads, as one of them states that it takes R-134a like any other automobile air conditioning system. It just operates off the hybrid system instead of the gas engine. See post 8.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/hyb...ditioning.html

A quick AI search found the following:
A 2012 Lexus RX450h uses R-134a refrigerant. [1, 2]
Because the RX450h is a hybrid, it features an electric A/C compressor. It is critically important to use a hybrid-compatible refrigerant oil (typically ND-11 or PAG 46 designed for hybrids). Standard oils contain additives that are conductive, which can damage the hybrid’s high-voltage electrical system or cause compressor shorts. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Always check your underhood A/C label to verify exact capacity and specifications, and consider consulting a certified technician to avoid damaging the vehicle's electrical components. [1]

Advance Auto said this:
https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/fi...h-refrigerants

Factory Air – 8 oz. Bottle Hybrid AC Oil (Part No.59889)

from
$52.99
High quality OE replacement part with all components needed to complete the job

Product Features:

• Na-Lube AW-6110 lubricant additive
• Retro AC Plus

See More
(4 reviews)

Certified A/C Pro – R-134a PAG 46 AC Oil Lubricant: With ICE 32 For Improved Cooling, 8 oz (Part No.GPL-5)

from
$13.49
Certified A/C Pro R-134a PAG 46 Refrigerant Oil with ICE 32. This product contains approximately 8 fluid ounces of PAG refrigerant oil with ICE32. Low

 

some thoughts on this:

- dont just evac and recharge. you have a leak. the temp difference is low refrigerant.
- you need to find the leak. if there are any oily residues on the compressor, condenser or lines themselves you need to fix those first
- if you are getting an evac and refill because you can't (or the shop can't) find any leaks, you want the dye. sometimes they are small
- without the dye it will just leak again and you spent $ for nothing. AC dont just lose freon over time unless there is a leak. a leak may be so small that it takes a few years to discharge and some people just refill rather than repair. with the cost of labor and parts a repair is usually a one and done solution. if you use the dye and see the leak after a week or so, it's probably sizable enough for a repair
- the cost for Toronto you listed is bogus even for Toronto. I had my 4runner go through this earlier this year. I had 2 refills (one dye to locate leak and one to refill after repair), a new condenser and labor + tax for C$1,500. you're paying toronto markup and lexus premium. I bring my rx350 to my toyota dealer for work because they are just much better and more reasonable with pricing. I live about 30 minus + from toronto though
- do not try and do this repair DIY unless you have a vacuum pump. you can screw this up and cause more problems


the reason dealers use the evac is to see if the AC will actually hold pressure. if they pull a vacuum and it won't hold your leak is big and they will just be venting freon into the atmosphere which they can't do - I would bet some of these expensive dealer machines probably wont let you refill unless it passes a vacuum test. sometimes though a smaller leak will pass the vacuum test and show up via dye