Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum

I have an '03 Taurus with a leaky front seal on the compressor. I'm about to buy an new one, but I want to know if I should replace the condenser, as well. There was nothing wrong with the old compressor, it just leaks a little. It never locked up or gave me any problems. Don't wanna change the compressor, just to have the new one go out, because I didn't change the condenser coil.

It depends on the condition of the condenser, the condition of the car... and what you find on the orifice tube screen.

I believe the OEM unit was a serpentine in 2003. Some aftermarket replacements are parallel flow types.

A new condenser is under $125 If the old one is in nice shape outside, and the orifice tube is fairly clean I probably would just do a compressor.

I replaced compressor only on our 2005 Yukon as the compressor did not seize.

I replaced compressor, condenser, drier and flushed the lines when the compressor in my 2004 Frontier seized. So depends on the individual situation.