Heating and Air Conditioning: Description and Operation

The air conditioner system removes heat from the passenger compartment by circulating refrigerant through the system as shown below.

Outline:

This vehicle uses HFC-134a (R-134a) refrigerant which does not contain chlorofluorocarbons. Pay attention to the following service items:

^ Do not mix refrigerants CFC-12 (R-12) and HFC-134a (R-134a). They are not compatible.
^ Use only the recommended polyalkyleneglycol (PAG) refrigerant oil (ND-OIL 8) designed for the R-134a compressor. Intermixing the recommended (PAG) refrigerant oil with any other refrigerant oil will result in compressor failure.
^ All A/C system parts (compressor, discharge line, suction line, evaporator, condenser, receiver/dryer, expansion valve, O-rings for joints) have to be proper for refrigerant R-134a. Do not confuse with R-12 parts.
^ Use a halogen gas leak detector designed for refrigerant R-134a.
^ R-12 and R-134a refrigerant servicing equipment are not interchangeable. Use only a Recovery/Recycling/Charging System that is U.L.-Listed and is certified to meet the requirements of SAE J221O to service R-134a air conditioning systems.
^ Always recover the refrigerant R-134a with an approved Recovery/Recycling/Charging System before disconnecting any A/C fitting.