Auto AC repair done by EPA-certified technicians with 15+ years on R-134a and R-1234yf systems — the same hands that service BMW, Audi, Porsche, and Tesla every week. $110 diagnostic credited toward repair, backed by our 24-month / 24,000-mile warranty.
Dealerships mark up labor 40% and chain shops carry corporate overhead, franchise fees, and advertising budgets — and they pass all of it to you. We don't. Same OEM-grade refrigerant (R-134a or R-1234yf), same factory repair procedures, same EPA Section 609 certified handling — without the markup. Every price below is published, verified, and honored in writing before we touch your car.
Matthews' family-owned auto AC shop — full-service refrigerant, electrical, and mechanical climate control under one roof. Cheaper than the chains. Faster than the dealerships. Honest work, every time.
What we do differently — and what you won't find at this shop. Both matter.
Pressure test the low and high sides, UV dye injection if needed, electrical scan, visual inspection of the compressor clutch, condenser, and lines. If you have us fix it, the $110 comes off the repair total. If you don't, you walk out with a written diagnosis you can take anywhere — nothing wasted.
R-134a, R-1234yf, hybrid and EV systems. We recover, recycle, and recharge to manufacturer-specified gram-weights using a calibrated digital scale — not a "topped it off" guess. Federal law requires it. We do it right.
You see what an AC recharge or system repair costs before you call. Every full estimate is itemized, in writing, and in your hands before we touch a hose.
If your AC failure is tied to a wiring fault, a bad pressure sensor, a worn serpentine belt, or a fan controller — we fix all of it under one roof. One invoice. One timeline. One point of contact.
If your AC was cold last summer and isn't now, you have a leak. Adding refrigerant without finding the leak is a $110 band-aid that fails in 2–4 weeks. We find it first, fix it, then recharge once. Done right, once.
Sometimes you do. Often you don't — it's a clutch, a relay, a pressure switch, or a $40 sensor. We tell you the truth even when it's a smaller ticket. That's how we earn the next car.
Dealerships bill AC labor at $180–$220/hr in the Charlotte metro. National chains mark up parts 40–60%. We don't carry that overhead, so neither do you.
Our AC prices are on this page. If another shop won't quote a recharge or system repair over the phone, that's usually because they intend to pick a number after they see your car.
From a $200 recharge before a road trip to a full evaporator replacement on a 2018 BMW X5 — we do it all in our Matthews shop. R-134a and R-1234yf systems, hybrids, EVs, and dual-zone climate control.
Full evacuation, vacuum, leak check, and precise gram-weight recharge of R-134a or R-1234yf refrigerant. Restores cold air the same day in 90% of cases.
UV dye injection plus electronic sniffer to locate leaks at O-rings, hose fittings, the compressor shaft seal, condenser, or evaporator. Pinpoint accuracy — no guessing.
The heart of the AC system. New OEM-grade compressor, accumulator/drier, expansion valve, full system flush, and recharge — the only way to do it right.
The front-mounted radiator-like coil — frequently damaged by road debris, accidents, or corrosion. We replace and pressure-test before you leave.
The hidden cooling coil under the dashboard. Most shops quote $1,500–$2,200 because of labor. We do it for a fraction of dealer pricing with the same OEM-grade core.
If only one fan speed works, or there's no airflow at all, it's the resistor or the motor. Quick replacement, full diagnostic included.
The motor that controls hot/cold mixing. When it fails you get one side cold, one side warm — or a clicking sound from behind the dash. We replace and recalibrate.
Foam evaporator cleaner kills the bacteria causing the "gym sock" smell. Paired with a fresh cabin filter, fully restores cabin air quality.
Blown fuses, bad relays, pressure switches, wiring shorts, broken clutch coils. We trace and repair the electrical side most "AC shops" outsource.
Thermostat, radiator, hoses, and heater core service. Because your AC and heating run on overlapping systems — and you'll need both at some point.
Tesla, Prius, BMW i-series, Ford Mach-E. Electric AC compressors run on high-voltage systems — different procedures, different refrigerant volumes. We're certified for it.
30-minute system inspection: pressure test, UV dye if needed, electrical scan, vent thermometer reading. Free written estimate after. Credited toward your repair.
Knowing what's likely wrong before you call helps you ask the right questions — and spot a shop that's about to oversell you. Here's what we actually see in our bay every week, in order of frequency.
The #1 cause we see — accounts for roughly 7 out of 10 "AC blowing hot air" calls. AC systems are sealed; if Freon is low, something is leaking. Most leaks are at O-rings, the compressor shaft seal, hose fittings, or a pinhole in the condenser from road debris.
The compressor is the engine-driven pump that pressurizes the refrigerant. When it fails you'll usually hear a grinding, clicking, or squealing noise — or the AC will simply stop working entirely. A locked-up compressor can also snap your serpentine belt and leave you stranded.
The condenser sits in front of the radiator and bleeds heat out of the refrigerant. Bugs, leaves, road debris, or a low-speed front-end impact can clog or puncture it. Symptom: AC cold at highway speeds but warm at idle.
Modern cars use small electric motors to mix hot and cold air. When one fails, you'll get cold air on one side and hot on the other (in dual-zone systems), or a steady clicking sound behind the dashboard. Common on Ford, GM, BMW, and Mercedes vehicles.
If only certain fan speeds work, it's the blower resistor. If no airflow at all, it's the blower motor or a clogged cabin filter. AC cooling may be fine — air just isn't getting pushed into the cabin.
The AC won't turn on at all. Could be a blown 10-amp fuse, a stuck relay, a failed high/low pressure switch, or a wiring fault from rodent damage. Most chain shops give up here and refer you to a dealership.
The evaporator lives under the dashboard. When it leaks, you lose refrigerant slowly and may notice a faint chemical/sweet smell on cold start. Labor-heavy because the dash has to come out — but it's the only permanent fix.
If your defroster doesn't clear the windshield in winter, or you're seeing engine temperature spikes alongside AC issues, the heater core, thermostat, or radiator hoses may be involved. Heating and cooling overlap more than most drivers realize.
Most shops put you in a queue before they've even seen your car. We don't. Drop-offs accepted daily, written estimate the same day, most AC jobs done same-day or next-morning.
"Blowing hot air." "Smells musty." "Clicking sound." A real person picks up at (704) 635-1813. We accept drop-offs any weekday — no appointment required, no waiting list, no "schedule for next week."
We hook your AC up to a recovery machine and read the low and high sides. UV dye if pressure is low. Electronic sniffer at every joint. Vent thermometer reading at the dash. Full electrical scan if the compressor isn't engaging. Verbal diagnosis in 30 minutes — written quote in 45. If you have us do the repair, the $110 comes off the total.
You see exactly what's wrong, exactly what each part costs, exactly what labor costs, and exactly how long the job will take. If it's something that can wait, we tell you. If it's safety-critical (locked compressor risking your belt), we tell you that too. Then you decide.
Repairs happen in our Gribble Road shop with full evacuation, vacuum-down, and digital-scale recharge to manufacturer gram-weight. EPA Section 609 certified throughout. Most jobs wrap up the same day for drop-offs before 11 AM.
Properly working AC blows 35–45°F at the center vent. We measure it with a calibrated probe in front of you, walk you through everything we did, hand you the warranty card (24 months / 24,000 miles), and you drive away. If anything isn't right, we fix it on the spot.
Most AC repairs aren't covered by standard auto insurance — they're a "wear and tear" item. That's where our pricing matters most.
If your car is still under factory bumper-to-bumper or you have an aftermarket extended warranty, AC components are often covered. We work with most carriers directly.
My AC stopped blowing cold on the hottest week of July. Three shops quoted me $1,400+ for a new compressor. Prime Motors found a leaking O-ring during the diagnostic — total bill came to under $400 and the AC has been ice-cold ever since. Honest people.
Took my 2018 BMW X3 here after the dealer wanted $2,200 for an AC compressor. Prime Motors did the same OEM-grade replacement for nearly half the price, finished same day, and explained everything. Will never go back to the dealer.
Diagnostic took 30 minutes — turned out it was a small leak plus a cabin filter. Total including the diagnostic was under $400, and they took the $110 off the repair as promised. Other places would've upsold me. Straight shooters.
$110 30-minute AC diagnostic, credited in full toward your repair. Same-day repairs on 80% of jobs. R-134a and R-1234yf systems. 24-month / 24,000-mile warranty on parts and labor. EPA Section 609 certified techs. No upsells, no pressure, no surprises.
