General Information

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2022 Audi S3, 2022 Audi RS 3, 2022 Audi A3 Quattro, and 2022 Audi A3. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

CAUTION:

If it is suspected that chemicals were added to the refrigerant circuit to seal leaks, chemical substances to seal leaks in the refrigerant circuit (leak stop additive), do not connect the A/C service station and do not extract the refrigerant.
Chemicals that seal leaks in the coolant circuit form deposits that affect the function of the A/C system and lead to failure of the A/C system and the A/C service station.
Inform that customer that there are substances in the A/C system that are no approved by Audi.

NOTE:

The chemical materials (stop leak additive) for sealing leaks in the refrigerant circuit offered on the market are not approved by Audi AG. There are no permanent-, validity or material compatibility tests. Therefore, damage or malfunctions in the A/C system or the A/C Service Station cannot be excluded.

The stop leak additives offered on the open market have different physical and chemical properties, which can impair the function of the A/C system and the A/C Service Station and can even shut down the system completely.

Audi does not approve the use of chemicals to seal leaks in the refrigerant circuit (leak stop additives).

Chemical materials (leak stop additives) to seal leaks in the refrigerant circuit react with air or the moisture in the air and form deposits in the refrigerant circuit (and in the A/C service station) that lead to malfunctions in the valves and other components that come into contact with such chemicals. These deposits cannot be removed completely from the components (also not through cleaning/flushing with refrigerant R134a).

It is not possible to recognize chemical substances to seal leaks in the refrigerant circuit (leak stop additive) and the label that is supposed to come with them is usually not there. Therefore be careful when working with if you do not know its service history.

Accessories offer containers used to separate out these chemicals (used to seal leaks in the refrigerant circuit). Since Audi does not know composition and the physical and chemical properties of these materials, it is not possible to make a statement about their effectiveness and the deposition rate of these filters.

The Filter for Sealants :VAS6592 offers a certain protection for the A/C service station. This filter is incorporated between the A/C service station and the Service connection on the low pressure side of the refrigerant circuit in a vehicle (the A/C service station may not be connection to the service connection of the high pressure side of the refrigerant circuit for draining, evacuating and measuring). This filter separate certain materials that were added to seal leaks in the refrigerant circuit. It prevents these materials from getting into the refrigerant and refrigerant oil in the A/C service station unchecked and doing damage. For the protection to work, it is necessary that the filter be changed in regular intervals and exactly according to the manufacturer specifications (described in the instructions provided). Audi does not support using chemical materials (stop leak additives) for sealing leaks in the refrigerant circuit. There are many different formulas of these chemicals (stop leak additives), that are offered as "sealant for refrigerant circuits" and it is not possible to make a statement about the effectiveness of the Filter for Sealants :VAS6592 .

If the refrigerant circuit gets filed with a chemical material (stop leak additive) to seal any leaks (or if there is a suspicion of this) and if it then necessary to perform a repair to the refrigerant circuit, then it is necessary to inform the customer of the following:

It is not possible to evacuate the refrigerant from the A/C system due to the stop leak additive that has been added to the system because it will damage the A/C Service Station. It will necessary to hire an outside company the can evacuate the contaminated refrigerant with a suitable device and then dispose of it (for example, a local waste management company that specializes in disposing of refrigerant).
It will be necessary to replace any refrigerant circuit components that have come in contact with the stop leak additive in order to repair the A/C system properly. Certain refrigerant circuit components may already be damaged by the stop leak additive (for example, the A/C Compressor Regulator Valve -N280-) or will get damaged if they are used over again and will fail after a short amount of time. In addition to this, if there is any sediment from the stop leak additive still in the circuit, it could come loose at a later point and cause the A/C system to fail again (currently it is not possible to clean these components with any workshop tools).

Working on the A/C system refrigerant circuit

Refer to SERVICE STATION, IMPORTANT USAGE INFORMATION

Refer to A/C SERVICE STATION, CONNECTING FOR MEASURING AND TESTING

Refer to REFRIGERANT CIRCUIT, DISCHARGING WITH A/C SERVICE STATION

Refer to REFRIGERANT CIRCUIT, EVACUATING WITH A/C SERVICE STATION

Refer to REFRIGERANT CIRCUIT, CHARGING WITH A/C SERVICE STATION

Refer to A/C SYSTEM, OPERATING AFTER CHARGING

Refer to REFRIGERANT TO SERVICE STATION RESERVOIR (CHARGING CYLINDER OR RESERVOIR BOTTLE), TRANSFERRING

Refer to SERVICE STATION, DRAINING