[jimntempe]

Just as the title says it, how does one recharge the AC on a 2011+ Jeep Grand Cherokee ? I feel that the AC is not quite as cold as before - or that it takes longer to be cool - or that after 5 years it could benefit from a few sips of 134a refrigerant.

On Subarus, one looks for the low pressure port, connects the hose to the port and to the can, and with the AC on, shakes the can until it empties and becomes cold in the process. I did a cursory search for "AC recharge" and "A/C recharge" without muck luck. There was no DIY thread and only a few complaints along with this response from, reportedly, the HVAC A/C engineer responsible for the system on the WK2 Jeeps (https://jeepgarage.org/f73/air-conditioning-thoughts-24109.html) I also looked up on the WK2 Jeep Wiki page.

So is there a DIY set of instructions hidden somewhere ? Is this something one can do on his own or is it a dealer-only ticket ? Thanks.

As the other poster said, check for leaks first with a UV light. If it has the maximum allowed leaks per SAE standards, which was something like no more than 1/4oz per year PER FITTING, it could be low enough to significantly affect cooling. In my experience they don't leak that much... but they can and it's possible yours has. In five years there should really be almost no visible evidence of leaking. Most of the time when I've found leaks there is not just visible dye but also enough of an oil coating to have collected a layer of oily dirt for an inch or so around the fitting. My 4 year old jgc doesn't have a spec of oil/dirt at the fittings.

Interesting info on this website AC Facts and Myths | Air Conditioning AutoTechAC
but I think it's canadian because you can buy the "little cans" here in the US.

Attached photo shows where the charging ports are on my JGC.