This Subaru Forester came in with an aircon that had stopped cooling properly. Our check found the refrigerant gas empty, with the cooling coil and an A/C pipe leaking and the compressor in poor condition. We replaced the compressor, condenser, cooling coil, expansion valve and both A/C pipes so the system came back right.
Job completed: July 2026
| Car | Subaru Forester, 90,637km petrol SUV |
|---|---|
| Symptom | Aircon not cold, cooling progressively weaker |
| Fault found | Refrigerant gas empty, with leaks at the cooling coil and an A/C pipe; compressor in poor condition, with weak cooling when the car was stopped |
| Repair done | Full A/C overhaul: compressor, condenser, cooling coil with expansion valve, discharge pipe and suction pipe all replaced; system evacuated, recharged and performance tested |
| Parts | OEM-grade A/C compressor and system components |
| Time taken | Timeline confirmed when you book |
| Cost | $3,780 nett with GST for the full A/C overhaul (quoted at $3,470 before GST) |
| Warranty | At least 6 months on all A/C parts fitted |
The Subaru Forester's aircon was no longer cooling properly. In Singapore, a car aircon that cannot keep up with the heat is more than an inconvenience.
The last gas top-up had been about a year earlier. With about 1.5 years of COE left, the owner first wanted to try another top-up and monitor it. The next day the aircon stopped cooling altogether, and the owner asked us to go ahead with the repair.
The Subaru Forester is a practical all-wheel-drive SUV designed for both city and weekend use. At 90,637km this particular car has done solid real-world kilometres in Singapore traffic and heat.
The aircon system on a Forester at this mileage has cycled through years of Singapore's humidity and heat. The compressor is the heart of the system: it pressurises the refrigerant so the cooling coil inside the cabin can absorb heat from the air. When the compressor develops an internal seal leak, refrigerant escapes and the system slowly loses its ability to cool. Refrigerant also carries the compressor oil that lubricates the system; when refrigerant goes, the lubrication goes with it, and the compressor wears faster until it fails completely.
This Forester still had about 1.5 years of COE remaining, so the owner had reason to keep it running well. A proper A/C repair made more sense than letting the system degrade further.
Our check found the refrigerant gas totally empty. The cooling coil was leaking, and so was one of the A/C pipes in the engine bay. The compressor was also in poor condition: with the car stopped, the aircon was not very cold.
The owner first tried a gas top-up, and we added UV dye with it so any leak would glow clearly under a UV lamp on the next check. The next day the aircon stopped cooling altogether.
We quoted the cooling coil with its expansion valve, both A/C pipes and the compressor, and advised replacing the condenser too. When a compressor fails, debris from inside it can end up in the condenser, and an old condenser can then pass that debris into the new compressor and cause it to fail again. That is why the warranty on the new compressor applies only when the condenser is replaced at the same time. This is not upselling; it is the correct way to protect the new part.
Unlike a car in a temperate climate that may run the A/C only in summer, a Singapore car runs the aircon every single day of the year, often at full load in traffic. That keeps the whole A/C system working hard, year round.
Over the years, the cooling coil behind the dashboard and the A/C pipes and their joints can start to leak. The gas escapes slowly at first, so the aircon just feels a little weaker.
On this Forester the leaking coil and pipe came with a compressor that was already weak. We replaced the leaking parts, the compressor and the condenser together rather than chasing one fault at a time.
We replaced the full A/C system components in one visit rather than doing the compressor only.
All replacement parts are OEM-grade A/C components. All A/C parts fitted carry at least 6 months warranty. The owner left with the aircon blowing cold properly again.
From our team's record of this job. Number plates are pixelated.
This job came to $3,780 nett with GST for the complete system overhaul. The itemised quote was $3,470 before GST.
Replacing the compressor alone costs less upfront but carries a risk. A new compressor running refrigerant through the old condenser can pick up debris from it and fail early. For this reason, we warranty the new compressor only when the condenser is replaced at the same time. The system approach costs more today and protects the new parts properly.
If your Forester's aircon is losing cooling capacity, the first step is finding exactly where the refrigerant is going. We diagnose and quote before any work begins.
A Singapore car runs its aircon every day. That makes the aircon system a genuine high-use mechanical component, not a seasonal one. Servicing the A/C regularly, typically once a year, keeps the refrigerant level correct, removes moisture from the system, and catches any early-stage leaks before they become full failures.
If the aircon starts blowing less cold, address it early. A slow leak is smaller than a failed compressor. Topping up refrigerant without finding the leak source is only a temporary fix, and running a leaking compressor on low refrigerant accelerates internal wear.
For a car with 1 to 2 years of COE remaining, a proper A/C repair keeps the car comfortable and maintains resale value if you decide to sell or renew. A broken aircon in Singapore is a real problem for the next owner.
This Subaru Forester (Car aircon compressor and full A/C system overhaul) was handled at 1 Car Service, an independent workshop in Sin Ming AutoCity, Singapore. The work is backed by a warranty of at least 6 months. We hold a 4.9★ rating from 1,817+ Google reviews.
WhatsApp us your car model, year, mileage and what the aircon is doing. We will diagnose the fault and tell you the cost before any work begins. All A/C repairs carry at least 6 months warranty on parts fitted.
This Forester came to $3,780 nett with GST ($3,470 before GST) for the compressor, condenser, cooling coil and both A/C pipes. Replacing the compressor alone is cheaper, but we only warranty the compressor when the condenser is replaced at the same time, to prevent contamination from the old unit damaging the new compressor.
The condenser on a high-mileage car accumulates internal corrosion and debris over the years. When a compressor fails, it also sends metal debris through the system. A new compressor running refrigerant through a contaminated old condenser will ingest that debris and fail early. Replacing both ensures the new compressor runs in a clean system and is covered by warranty.
A UV dye is injected into the A/C system along with the refrigerant. After the system runs for a short time, a UV lamp is used to inspect the system. Any point where refrigerant is escaping will show a bright green or yellow glow from the dye. It is the most accurate way to locate a refrigerant leak.
All A/C parts fitted carry at least 6 months warranty. This applies to the compressor, condenser, cooling coil, expansion valve and pipes. The warranty on the compressor applies when the condenser is replaced at the same time.
A full A/C overhaul on a Subaru Forester, covering all the components we replaced here, is not a top-up-and-go visit. A system evacuation, component removal and refitting, vacuum pull and refrigerant recharge all take time to do properly.
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