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Auto Systems and Repair

Refrigerant (R12/R134a)

Refrigerant is a fluid capable of vaporizing at a low temperature and therefore used to cool the air supplied by the AC system. In the past, vehicles used R-12 (Freon) before its ozone-depletion properties were scrutinized. Now, vehicles use R-134a, which is much more environmentally friendly.

Symptoms of Wear or Failure

  • Air conditioning does not blow cold air

Related Repair Advice

  • Some refrigerant leaks can be very difficult to locate. Many shops will inject dye into the system in order to try and pinpoint the leak.
  • The proper refrigerant charge (or fill) is critical to proper AC operation
  • Only refrigerant recommend by the manufacturer should be used when recharging the AC system
  • Due to the high cost of R-12 refrigerant, in some cases, it may be cost effective to retrofit an old R-12 system to use the new R-134A refrigerant
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