How did
we ever get along without air conditioning
in our cars? It's a feature we take for granted
until, suddenly, it's blowing hot air.
In the past few years, many owners have discovered
that fixing an inoperative air conditioner
can cost a few hundred dollars or more, depending
upon the make and model of vehicle. The reason
is that the old standby R-12 refrigerant,
trade named DuPont Freon, has been replaced
by R-134a. Touted as being environmentally
safer than its predecessor, R-134a has been
standard since ’94.
If your older vehicle needs major repairs
to the air conditioning system you can expect
to replace refrigerant and the oil in the
compressor in addition to the old components.
You also may need to install a retrofit conversion.
Do not allow anyone to mix refrigerants. They're
not inter-changeable. You cannot add R-134a
to your older air conditioner without first
flushing the system. Further, some substitutes
are volatile mixtures of propane, butane and
flammable hydrocarbons. Keep in mind the fact
that if your vehicle is leaking refrigerant,
you're damaging the ozone layer.
An annual inspection of the vehicle, including
the air conditioning system, may help forestall
costly repairs. Many automotive service shops
offer AC inspection specials when warm weather
arrives. Otherwise, ask your service center
to evaluate your system before those hot and
humid days of summer.