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Air Conditioning
If your AC goes out, getting it repaired may not be easy!
Older vehicles may require an expensive conversion to meet environmental regulations
If your vehicle was built before 1992, you may have trouble servicing your air conditioner. Vehicles built before 1992 have air conditioners that contain R-12,
otherwise known by the brand name Freon. By the 1980s, R-12 became associated with other chemicals suspected of depleting the ozone layer. As a result, environmental regulations were enacted that would gradually eliminate many green house gases (CFCs: chlorofluorocarbons) from the marketplace. In 1995 automobile manufacturer's ceased production of vehicles using Freon and R-12 was replaced with a more environmentally friendly refrigerant called R-134a.
Finding R-12 is increasingly difficult
As part of the phase out program, R-12 is no longer available for purchase in the US. That makes refilling (recharging) your AC very difficult. While environmental regulations allow for recycling of old R-12 refrigerant, it is becoming increasingly hard to find. In addition, some facilities have stopped providing AC service altogether. Rather than incurring the added expenses associated with mandated recycling programs and certification, some service facilities no longer offer AC service.
Conversion is an expensive alternative
Unfortunately, you simply can’t drain out the old R-12 and add the newer R-134a refrigerant. The newer types of refrigerant are not compatible with the old systems. R-134a only works with newer, compatible AC units. As a result, you may find that when your older car’s air conditioning system stops working properly you will either have to make an expensive conversion of your old AC to the new standard or simply do without air conditioning. |
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1. Air Conditioning
2. Refrigerants
3. Environmental Legislation
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