rseboltaz wrote:

> Our 01 Highlander's A/C system has been threatening to fail.
> I live in AZ and last year the unit was squealing.
> Thinking it was a belt, I took it into the dealer.

Was the belt loose? If not, the usual cause of a squeal
is a failing magnetic clutch attached to the compressor.
On the older Toyota models this clutch could be changed
separately, but I'm not sure about a late model such as
yours. I think it is replacable, but because the cost
and labor involved is similar to getting a new remanufactured
compressor, most people opt for the latter.

> The dealer wanted about $1200 to put in a new a/c unit.
> Does this sound reasonable?

You could save money on parts buy buying a genuine
Toyota remanufactured compressor from 1sttoyotaparts.com
for 28% off a dealers usual retail price and a new
receiver-drier and 3 cans of R134a from an auto parts
store and then tell your local dealer to install them.

Installation would involve no more than 2-3 hours
labor to install the compressor, receiver-drier,
add a little ND#8 compressor oil, then evacuate
the system using a vacuum pump and recharge with
2-3 cans of R134a refrigerant.

Ask the dealer to give you your old compressor back
and then maybe you could see about getting the
magnetic clutch replaced on it (if you want)
and then you would have a spare compressor.

Toyota compressors and other AC system components
including the magnetic clutch can last to 300-600,000
miles (mine has 484,700 miles) if they are operated
properly (after a few days or weeks of non-use turn
the AC on only at idling speed rather than at highway
speeds) and don't run the system if it get low on
refrigerant and run the system at least 5 minutes
a month during the winter months.

As long as your existing compressor still blows cold
air (even if it's noisy) you do NOT need a new
condenser, evaporator, expansion valve, or new
hoses and the system doesn't need to be flushed
because there is no contamination of the system
from failed compressor parts. So you could potentially
save money replacing the compressor BEFORE it
gives up entirely (although if the magnetic clutch
is the only thing wrong with it, then a failed
clutch won't contaminate the system since it's
an external part bolted onto the compressor.

Paul Cherubini