This Registry concerns the air-conditioning (HVAC) evaporator core — the heat exchanger behind the dashboard that cools cabin air. It is not the emissions-system "EVAP" (evaporative-emissions) component that appears in fault codes like P0442. If a dealer or a document says "EVAP," note the exact wording; the Registry records which system was actually meant.
Symptoms that may indicate refrigerant loss
Common patterns owners report — each can also have other causes, which is why written diagnosis matters.
A condenser leak, compressor fault, service-port leak, line leak, or blend-door (IHKA) fault can produce similar symptoms. The Registry classifies cases by diagnostic evidence, never by symptoms alone.
GETTING A DIAGNOSIS THAT HOLDS UP
A verbal “it’s probably the evaporator” cannot be verified. Ask the facility to state the finding, the method used, and the recommended repair on the invoice or a diagnostic report.
Ask for the amount of refrigerant recovered and recharged, by weight, on the paperwork. A system that should hold its charge but comes back light is core evidence of a leak.
Electronic detector at the evaporator drain or dash vents, UV dye, nitrogen or pressure testing — the method belongs in the record. “Evaporator-drain positive” is far stronger than a guess.
Ask for the evaporator part number on the estimate or invoice — and whether a superseding (revised) part number was used. Recurring and superseded part numbers are among the Registry’s open questions.
If a replacement is done, ask — before the repair — whether you may keep the removed evaporator, and photograph its manufacturing markings. Not every shop permits it; asking costs nothing.
A dealer diagnosis plus an independent confirmation (or the reverse) makes a record much harder to dismiss — and moves it up the Registry’s evidence scale.
Keep the paper trail
The difference between an anecdote and a record:
Asking for warranty or goodwill review
The usual path, each step documented:
The Registry records outcomes; it does not negotiate for owners, provide legal advice, or guarantee any result.
Before you upload
Originals stay in private storage either way, but you may redact what the Registry doesn't need: account numbers, payment-card digits, and other people's personal details. Leave visible the facility name, dates, mileage, findings, part numbers, and amounts — that is what makes the document verifiable.
Do not submit communications with your personal attorney or other material you believe may be protected by attorney-client privilege.
