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2022 Ford Expedition Limited

Limited 4x4 · 3.5L EcoBoost · R-1234yf system · 62,000 miles

Repair reviewed: Air conditioning — refrigerant leak, rear evaporator replacement
Shop: Harborview Ford (sample dealer) · Franchise dealer
Quoted total: $3,886.85
Labor rate: $195/hr · 10.5 hr billed
VIN: 1FMJU1JT4NEA00000 (sample)
Region used for pricing: Southern California metro

Both sample reports

30-Second X-Raye

Verdict

Mostly reasonable — ask about these items

Why

The diagnosis fits your symptoms: a low charge with dye at the rear evaporator housing explains cooling that fades on hot days and returns after the vehicle rests.
Core pricing holds up. The OEM evaporator, refrigerant, drier, and diagnostic labor are all inside normal ranges for a dealer on this platform.
Two labor lines look duplicated or already bundled: interior trim removal and the separate evacuate-and-recharge operation.
The rear A/C line assembly is being replaced without any documented leak evidence at that part.

Money at risk

$551–$1,100

Potential savings or charges worth reviewing, from 5 savings opportunities below.

Next action

Before authorizing the repair, start with the 9 Must Ask questions in this report. Focus first on how the leak was confirmed, whether trim-removal labor is already included, and whether the recharge operation is separately billable.

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What the shop diagnosed

Refrigerant charge measured low. UV dye traced to the rear evaporator housing area. Technician recommends rear evaporator replacement with system evacuation and recharge.

Your reported symptoms: Rear air blows warm most of the time and the front vents cool for roughly 10 minutes before turning warm. It is worse on hot afternoons and recovers after the vehicle sits overnight.

In plain English

Your Expedition uses one refrigerant loop for both the front and rear air conditioning. When refrigerant escapes anywhere in that loop, cooling fades everywhere — usually first at the rear, and worst when it is hot. The shop measured a low charge, added a fluorescent dye, and found dye around the rear evaporator housing, which sits behind trim on the passenger side.

Is the diagnosis plausible?

Plausible and consistent with what you described. Cooling that works for about ten minutes, fades, and returns after the vehicle sits overnight is the classic pattern for a gradual refrigerant loss rather than an electrical or blend-door problem.

Evidence quality: Moderate — the direction is well supported, the specific component is inferred rather than proven in writing.

What normally supports this diagnosis

A measured static and running pressure reading showing the system is low on charge.
A recovered refrigerant weight compared against the factory fill specification on the underhood label.
A dye trace or electronic leak-detector hit at a specific component, ideally photographed.
A nitrogen pressure or vacuum-hold test confirming the system does not hold pressure.
Confirmation that the compressor, condenser, front evaporator, and service ports were checked and ruled out.

What this estimate actually shows

Refrigerant charge documented as low.
Dye noted in the rear evaporator housing area.
1.5 hours of diagnostic labor billed, which matches real testing rather than a guess.
Rear-first cooling loss on your complaint line matches the component named.

What is missing or should be confirmed

The recovered refrigerant weight versus the factory specification — this tells you how fast the leak is.
A photograph of the dye trace with the leaking component visible.
Written confirmation that the front evaporator, condenser, compressor, and service ports were dye-checked and passed.
Any vacuum-hold or nitrogen test result.
Why the rear A/C line assembly is on the parts list when the dye was found at the housing.

Would more testing be reasonable?

A vacuum-hold test before parts are ordered is quick, inexpensive, and confirms the system genuinely does not hold pressure.
If dye is only visible in the general housing area, a second look with an electronic leak detector would separate the evaporator core from the expansion valve and line fittings.
Weighing the recovered refrigerant costs nothing extra during evacuation and turns a suspicion into a measurement.

Quoted total vs expected range

$3,886.85

Expected $2,950$3,650

Expected total for a rear evaporator replacement with OEM parts at a franchise dealer in this region, including refrigerant and tax.

Where the money goes

Parts$1,46838%
Labor$2,047.5053%
Fluids & materials$225.606%
Fees & charges$14.500%
Tax$131.253%

Line-by-line pricing verdicts

Labor rate
Looks reasonable
$195/hr is normal for a franchise dealer in this region. Qualified independents typically run $135–$165/hr.
Labor hours
Worth asking about
10.5 hours of labor are billed. Once duplicated access time is removed and guide time is applied, roughly 8.3–9.0 hours is supported.
Parts pricing
Looks reasonable
The evaporator, drier, and seal kit are all within OEM dealer ranges. Nothing here looks marked up unusually.
Parts scope
Potential concern
The $328 rear line assembly is priced fairly but is not supported by documented leak evidence.
Diagnostics
Looks reasonable
$292.50 of diagnostic labor is fair for dye tracing plus a performance test, and it is not double-billed.
Refrigerant and fluids
Looks reasonable
R-1234yf at $44/lb and 2.4 lb of fill are both realistic for this system.
Shop supplies
Worth asking about
$92 as a percentage of labor is common, but many shops cap supplies around $50–$75.
Possible duplicate labor
Potential concern
Interior trim removal (0.8 hr) sits inside the evaporator R&R operation, and evacuate-and-recharge (1.0 hr) is often bundled with it too.
Taxes and fees
Looks reasonable
Tax is applied to parts and materials only, and the hazardous waste fee is a normal regulated charge.

Repair pricing varies by location, vehicle configuration, shop type, labor rate, parts selection, availability, and repair complexity. X-Raye pricing ranges are estimates, not guaranteed quotes.

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Must askHow exactly was the refrigerant leak confirmed — UV dye, an electronic detector, a nitrogen pressure test, or a vacuum-hold test?
Each method proves something different. Dye in a general area is weaker evidence than a detector hit or a failed vacuum test at a specific component.
Must askWhat specifically shows that the rear evaporator itself is leaking, rather than the expansion valve or a line fitting nearby?
The estimate documents dye in the housing area. The evaporator, valve, and fittings all live in that same space.
Must askCan you show me the dye trace, or a photo of it, before I approve the parts?
It takes the technician a minute and it is the difference between a diagnosis and an assumption on a $3,900 repair.
Must askIs the 0.8-hour interior trim and console removal already included in the rear evaporator labor operation?
Access time is normally inside that operation, and that line is $156 of the estimate.
Must askIs the 1.0-hour evacuate-and-recharge already covered by the evaporator labor time, or is it genuinely separate?
Many labor guides bundle it. This is another $195 that may already be paid for.
Must askThe estimate bills 7.2 hours for the evaporator. What does your labor guide list for this specific Expedition, and why is the quote higher?
Guide time for this operation is roughly 5.8–6.5 hours, so this is worth $137–$273.
Must askWhat documented evidence supports replacing the rear A/C line assembly, and can we leave it out until a leak is confirmed there?
It is a $328 part with no recorded leak evidence in the estimate.
Must askDoes the rear expansion valve actually test faulty, or is it being replaced as preventive maintenance while the system is open?
Preventive is a reasonable choice, but it should be your choice — it is $148.
Must askWhat warranty covers the replacement evaporator, and does it cover the labor as well as the part?
This is the second most expensive labor operation on the estimate. Coverage on labor matters more than coverage on the part.
Good to askWhich parts on this estimate are Ford OEM and which are aftermarket?
You are being charged OEM prices, so you should be receiving OEM parts.
Good to askAre there any open service bulletins, recalls, or customer satisfaction programs for the A/C system on my VIN?
Manufacturers occasionally extend coverage on a known failure, and the dealer can check this in minutes.
Good to askHow much refrigerant will you recover from the system, and how does that compare to the factory fill amount?
That single number tells you how quickly the system is losing charge, and it costs nothing to record.
Good to askWill the system be vacuum-tested and re-checked for leaks after the recharge, and is that in writing?
It protects you against paying twice if the leak turns out to be somewhere else.
Good to askIs the shop supplies charge capped, and what does the $92 cover on this job?
Percentage-based supplies are normal, but many shops cap them around $50–$75.

What to say to the shop

Opening the conversation
“Before I approve this, can you walk me through how you confirmed the rear evaporator is the source of the leak? I would like to see the dye trace if that is possible.”
On the duplicated labor
“I see interior trim removal billed separately from the evaporator replacement. Isn't the access time already inside that labor operation? Can you check the guide time with me?”
On the recharge line
“Is the evacuate-and-recharge already included in the evaporator labor operation? If it is, I would like that line taken off.”
On the line assembly
“I would like to hold the rear A/C line assembly off this repair unless you can show me it is leaking. If it turns out to be leaking once you are in there, call me and I will approve it then.”
On warranty
“Can you put the parts and labor warranty for the evaporator in writing on the estimate, and check my VIN for any open bulletins or coverage programs on the A/C system?”
Closing
“Once those items are updated, please send me the revised out-the-door total including tax and fees, and I will approve it in writing.”

Review before sending. X-Raye-generated questions are suggestions and may not reflect every detail of your repair.

What X-Raye helped identify

$551–$1,100

Potential charges or savings worth reviewing

Estimate items worth questioning

Specific questions to ask the shop

Alternative repair paths

Clear next step

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