Seeking Advice for Troubleshooting Heating/Cooling Issues in 2020 Renault Arkana, Suspected Faulty Refrigerant Compressor

Hey there! "Some experience" might be an understatement for me when it comes to car mechanics, but hey, you're in luck! I happened to encounter a similar problem with my 2018 Renault Kadjar. My personal theory was a fault in the refrigerant compressor too, but boy, was I mistaken! Hauled my Kadjar over to the local garage (they're good lads, always ready to help). After a quick once-over, they popped the hood and guess what? No gremlins, just an air conditioning refrigerant that ran empty! They didn't charge a single euro, they topped it up and the darn A/C started working like a charm again. So, maybe check if it might be the same issue with your Arkana. Just for clarity, is your car a manual or automatic? And is it a 1.3l or 1.6l petrol? That might influence the exact location of the A/C reservoir. Good luck!

Hey, cheers for the quick response! You've definitely given me some food for thought there. I was ready to bet my boots it was the compressor but your experience with a simple recharge is making me question that. My Arkana is a 1.6L petrol with automatic transmission and yeah, after 141,574 km on the odometer, or since the last service, a refill seems to be overdue. Thanks again for pointing me in a new direction. Will definitely give your suggestion a go and check the refrigerant level. Hopefully, it sorts me out. If not, well, it's back to square one I guess.

Absolutely no problem my friend, I'm glad I could help! I really hope it's as straightforward as a refrigerant top-up for your Arkana, too. Mine needed the fix somewhere between 125,000 and 150,000 km, so it seems plausible. To find the A/C refrigerant reservoir on your 1.6L Arkana, look for a small cylinder with a plastic cap under the hood. It should be towards the back of the engine bay. But for safety's sake, wear gloves when you handle it, 'cause refrigerant can be pretty cold. Hope this gets your car's air conditioning back to spitting ice cubes instead of warm breezes. And if it doesn't do the trick, don't lose heart. The problem could still be something as simple as a leak or a bad switch. The compressors on these Renault beasts are generally pretty robust. Good luck to you and keep us posted on how it goes!

Hey, you're a lifesaver! Really appreciate it. I've found the reservoir exactly where you described it and it appears to be a bit low. I'll get that topped up straight away and pray this does the trick. Also good tip about the gloves – I hadn't considered the refrigerant could be cold enough to be an issue. Your reassurance about the compressor longevity is also comforting. If the top-up doesn't work, I'll consider probing a possible leak or faulty switch next. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction with this, you've given me some hope! Will update you on how this saga with my Arkana unfolds. Cheers!