AC blowing warm, cooling only on the move, or smelling musty? We test the system, find the real cause and fix it at your home, office or roadside anywhere in Dubai, day or night.
Car Aid Auto Mobile Repair Service LLC repairs car air conditioning across Dubai, on site or at its workshop in Al Quoz Industrial Area 1.
Most AC problems announce themselves the same way. Match what your car is doing to the likely cause, then let us confirm it with a proper pressure test.
| What you notice | Likely cause | Usual fix |
|---|---|---|
| AC blowing warm or hot air | Low refrigerant, almost always from a leak | Leak test, repair, then recharge with the correct gas |
| Cold while driving, warm at traffic lights | Dirty condenser or weak radiator fan | Condenser clean, fan and relay check |
| Weak airflow even on full fan | Sand-clogged cabin filter or failing blower motor | Filter replacement or blower motor repair |
| Rattle, grind or loud click when AC switches on | Compressor or compressor clutch wearing out | Compressor test, clutch or compressor replacement |
| Musty or sour smell from the vents | Mould and bacteria on a damp evaporator | AC disinfection and new cabin filter |
| AC works on and off | Pressure sensor, relay or electrical fault | Electrical diagnosis and sensor or relay repair |
| AC does not switch on at all | Blown fuse, failed relay or control fault | Electrical diagnosis and repair |
| Needs a gas top up every few weeks | Untreated refrigerant leak | Find and fix the leak instead of refilling again |
Typical prices for common AC jobs. The exact figure depends on your car and the refrigerant it uses, and you always get it in writing before we start.
| AC job | Price | Time |
|---|---|---|
| AC inspection and diagnostics | AED 80 to 250 (often waived if you go ahead) | 30 to 60 min |
| AC gas refill, R134a (most older cars) | From AED 150 | 30 to 60 min |
| AC gas refill, R1234yf (many newer cars) | From AED 350 | 30 to 60 min |
| Cabin air filter replacement | From AED 50 | 15 to 30 min |
| AC leak detection and repair | AED 200 to 800 | 1 to 3 hours |
| AC disinfection and odour treatment | AED 100 to 400 | 30 to 45 min |
| Blower motor replacement | From AED 300 | 1 to 2 hours |
| Condenser replacement | From AED 800 | 2 to 4 hours |
| Evaporator replacement | From AED 1,200 | 4 to 8 hours |
| Compressor replacement | AED 1,500 to 3,500+ | 3 to 5 hours |
Want the full breakdown? Read our car AC repair cost guide for Dubai.
We measure vent temperature and the high and low side pressures with gauges. That tells us whether the problem is gas, airflow, the compressor or electrical before anything is replaced.
If the gas is low, we find out why using UV dye or an electronic leak detector. Refilling a leaking system only buys a few weeks.
You get the fault and the price before work starts. Nothing extra is done without your approval.
The system is evacuated to remove air and moisture, then recharged with the right refrigerant (R134a or R1234yf) to the amount your car's manufacturer specifies.
We check vent temperature again with the engine idling and the fan on high, so you see the result before we leave.
Refill from AED 150
Used in most older cars. Widely available and the cheaper of the two to refill.
Refill from AED 350
Used in many cars built from the mid-2010s onwards, especially European models. Lower environmental impact, higher gas cost.
The label under your bonnet shows which one your car takes. The two must never be mixed: the wrong gas can damage the compressor. Not sure? Send us your make, model and year and we will tell you.
In summer your AC runs at full load for hours, often in stop-start traffic with little air flowing over the condenser. Fine sand clogs cabin filters and condenser fins, and humidity near the coast feeds mould on the evaporator. That combination wears out seals, hoses and compressors far sooner than in milder climates.
The fix is simple: have the AC checked once a year, ideally in March or April, before the heat arrives. A small leak or a dirty condenser costs little to fix in spring and a lot to fix in August.
Want it handled for you every year? AC inspection is part of every minor service and an AC gas top up is included in the major services of our car service packages.
Range Rover owner? See our Range Rover specialist page.
Car overheating as well? Read what to do when your car overheats in Dubai.
At Car Aid, an AC gas refill starts from AED 150 for R134a systems and from AED 350 for newer cars using R1234yf. Leak detection and repair typically costs AED 200 to 800, a condenser from AED 800, and a compressor replacement AED 1,500 to 3,500 or more depending on the car. Prices exclude 5% VAT, and we confirm the exact cost after diagnosis.
The most common cause is low refrigerant from a leak. Other causes are a clogged condenser, a failing compressor, a weak radiator fan, or an electrical fault such as a relay or pressure sensor. A pressure and temperature test identifies which one before any parts are replaced.
Yes. Gas refills, leak detection, filter changes, disinfection and most electrical AC faults are done on site at your home, office or roadside anywhere in Dubai, 24/7. Jobs that need the dashboard removed, such as an evaporator replacement, are done at our workshop in Al Quoz Industrial Area 1.
Check the label under the bonnet, usually near the front of the engine bay, or tell us the make, model and year. Most older cars use R134a, while many cars built from the mid-2010s onwards, especially European models, use R1234yf. The two must never be mixed, and the wrong gas can damage the compressor.
At least once a year, ideally in March or April before the summer heat. Dubai's heat and dust wear AC systems faster than most climates, and an annual check catches small leaks and dirty condensers before they become a compressor failure.
Only after the system is checked for leaks. AC systems are sealed, so low gas almost always means a leak. If you need a refill every few weeks, the leak should be found and fixed, otherwise you keep paying for gas and the compressor can be damaged running low.
A gas refill or filter change takes 30 to 60 minutes. Leak repairs take 1 to 3 hours, a compressor replacement 3 to 5 hours, and an evaporator replacement 4 to 8 hours because the dashboard has to come out.
Yes. We repair AC systems on Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Porsche, Range Rover, Land Rover, Jaguar and Lexus, using the correct refrigerant and parts for each vehicle.
Tell us what the AC is doing and where the car is. We will give you a free estimate and come to you anywhere in Dubai, 24/7.