If your car’s air conditioner is broken, don’t count on a coupon special to save you from the summer heat, consumer advocates say.

Experts say such specials, which offer an air conditioning “recharge” for as little as $19.95, often have hidden repair costs that could set you back several hundred dollars.

The fine print usually explains that the offer includes a check of the system and a fill-up with Freon coolant if there are no leaks. If the system is leaking, however, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules require it be repaired before the Freon is replaced — and that could cost from $200 to $1,000, depending on the problem.

Many consumers see a low special price and assume that includes repairs, says Henry Choate, manager of approved auto repair for the American Automobile Association in Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Fears of a breakdown in the hot summer sun seals the deal, Choate said. “They’ve got this doubt in their mind, ‘Can we make it to the mountains and back, or are we going to have a hot vacation?”‘ he said.

Charlotte Gorodetsky made the same sort of assumptions.

The Boca Raton woman took her car to Auto Air of Delray in December, thinking a coupon special would put her car’s air conditioning system in working order.

When a mechanic told her the system had a broken hose that would cost $295 to replace, Gorodetsky was stunned. She refused the repairs.

“That coupon is a come-on,” Gorodetsky contends.

Jim Bradley, manager of Auto Air of Delray, says the $19.95 “A/C recharge” coupon clearly says it includes up to four pounds of Freon and a check of belts and leaks.

“Does it say anything about repairs? Does it says we’ll check it? That’s what we do (check it),” Bradley said.

Lance Hoffman, manager of Precision Tune west of Boca Raton, which is offering a similar special for $24.90, said his mechanics are supposed to tell customers that the price does not include repairs.

“No, that does not include repairs. That can be up to $1,000 on some systems,” Hoffman said.

Lawrence Breeden, director of Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs, says that with any deal, consumers should be cautious.

“They should always verify with the particular business what specifically is included with the offer,” Breeden said.

Choate said the cost of Freon — from $3 to $8 per pound — and the standard $30-an-hour labor charge means repair shops are not making their money on $20 specials.

If a mechanic gives an estimate that seems high — such as a $600 repair job on a 3-year-old car — the consumer should get a second opinion, Choate said.

STAY COOL

The Florida office of the American Automobile Association offers tips for people seeking service for a car’s air conditioning system: — Make sure you understand exactly what the special includes. If a coupon is for a system check, you will be billed that amount regardless of whether you have the car repaired.

— Ask the mechanic to let you observe the pressure check of the system. About half of all healthy systems will register a slight crackling or slow clicking noise when the pressure is checked; this does not mean you have a leak. In addition, a thin strip of oil on the car’s underhood blanket does not necessarily indicate a leak.

— A violent, rapid clicking or squealing noise when the pressure is checked could indicate a leak. Another warning sign is oily dampness around the air conditioner’s compressor. Generally, if more than a pound of Freon escapes from a new car in three years, there could be a problem.

— If an estimate for repairs seems high, get a second opinion.

— For more information, call Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs at 355-2670 or the Better Business Bureau of Palm Beach County at 686-2200.