If it sparks, smokes or smells like burning
Stop the unit and turn its breaker off, as Mitsubishi Electric's instructions say, and leave the covers on. If the breaker keeps tripping, stop resetting it and get the system checked. If storm water or floodwater has reached the outdoor unit or the switchboard, don't switch anything back on until a licensed electrician has looked at it.
What goes wrong on the Coast, and why
Storms and power cuts
Sunshine Coast Council says storms usually run from November to March. During ex-Tropical Cyclone Oswald, 32,000 power interruptions had been recorded on the Coast by 28 January 2013. When power comes back, give the unit a few minutes: Mitsubishi Electric's units won't run for about 3 minutes after a restart.
Rain through the wall
Samsung lists rainwater getting in through the wall hole among the causes of indoor unit leaks. A drip that only appears after heavy rain is a clue to check the wall seal before the drain.
Drips on sticky days
Mitsubishi Electric says not to run a unit for more than 4 hours at 80% humidity or more, or with windows or an outside door open, because condensation may drip. With the doors open on a humid afternoon, a drip can be the weather, not a fault.
Salt on the outdoor unit
Beachside streets around Mooloolaba, Maroochydore, Bulcock Beach and Golden Beach take the most sea air. Corrosion is often outside warranty: Mitsubishi Electric's card excludes salt damage to paintwork, metalwork and trims, and Daikin's makes extra protection in sea air the owner's job.
Before you book a repair
Check the breaker and the remote
Breaker on, fresh batteries, the right mode, and Timed Off or Sleep not switched on, as Samsung suggests.
Clean the filters
Mitsubishi Electric lists dirty filters among the reasons a room won't cool.
Look at the outdoor unit from the ground
Leaves, a branch brought down in a storm, or anything else blocking the air. Never climb onto a roof to look.
Note any error code
Your manual names it, and the technician will want it when you book.
Find the warranty card
Daikin's card says warranty repairs are done by Daikin or a repairer it arranges. Mitsubishi Electric asks owners to contact an Authorised Retailer or Accredited Repairer within 30 days of noticing a defect.
What makes a Coast repair bigger or smaller?
A tripped breaker, a blocked drain or a failed sensor is often a short visit. A corroded coil or a refrigerant leak isn't: a leak has to be found, repaired and tested before the system is recharged, and the ARC says topping up before that is illegal.
Age changes the sums. Solar Victoria's buyers guide puts a system older than 15 years at typically more than three times the energy use of a modern reverse cycle unit. For a big repair on an old, salt-pitted unit, get a replacement quote alongside it, or try our repair or replace quiz.
Who can repair an air conditioner in Queensland?
The QBCC counts repairing air conditioning as mechanical services work, licensed at any value. If the fault touches the refrigerant, the technician needs a full RAC01 licence, because the restricted RSS03 doesn't cover repairs.
A restricted electrical licence for refrigeration and air conditioning covers repair work but not new wiring, the QBCC says. Our national repairs page has more on warranties and consumer law.
Questions for the repair technician
- What's the fault: salt corrosion, storm damage, wear, or something in the original install?
- Is it covered by the brand's warranty, or does this model exclude corrosion?
- If the refrigerant is low, where's the leak and how will it be fixed?
- Do you hold an RAC01 licence, and what's your QBCC licence number?
- Is the part in stock, and how long will it take if not?
What we'd do
What we'd do
Spend five minutes on the checks, then ring the brand or the original installer if the system's still under warranty. If it isn't, get a repair specialist who knows the brand to put in writing whether the fault is corrosion, storm damage or wear, because that decides whether fixing it is worth it. On an old unit that's been eaten by salt, we'd get a replacement quote at the same time. Where we have licence-checked repair specialists near you, they see the job, and your contact details go only to the one who takes it.
