Technician Safety Information
WARNING:- TO AVOID ACCIDENTAL DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLE INJURY, THE AIR BAG SYSTEM BACKUP POWER SUPPLY MUST BE DEPLETED BEFORE REPAIRING ANY CLIMATE CONTROL COMPONENTS. TO DEPLETE THE BACKUP POWER SUPPLY, DISCONNECT THE BATTERY POSITIVE CABLE AND WAIT ONE MINUTE.
- CARBON MONOXIDE IS COLORLESS, ODORLESS AND DANGEROUS. IF IT IS NECESSARY TO OPERATE THE ENGINE WITH VEHICLE IN A CLOSED AREA SUCH AS A GARAGE, ALWAYS USE AN EXHAUST COLLECTOR TO VENT THE EXHAUST GASES OUTSIDE THE CLOSED AREA.
- R-134A IS CLASSIFIED AS A SAFE REFRIGERANT, BUT MISUSE CAN MAKE IT DANGEROUS. THE FOLLOWING PRECAUTIONS MUST BE OBSERVED:
^ ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES WHEN REPAIRING AN AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM.
^ AVOID CONTACT WITH LIQUID REFRIGERANT R-134A. THE REFRIGERANT VAPORIZES AT APPROXIMATELY -25°C (-13°F) UNDER ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND IT WILL FREEZE SKIN TISSUE.
^ NEVER ALLOW REFRIGERANT R-134A GAS TO ESCAPE IN QUANTITY IN AN OCCUPIED SPACE. R-134A IS NON-TOXIC, BUT IT WILL DISPLACE THE OXYGEN NEEDED TO BREATHE.
^ NEVER USE A TORCH IN AN ATMOSPHERE CONTAINING R-134A GAS. IT IS NON-TOXIC AT ALL NORMAL CONDITIONS, BUT WHEN IT IS EXPOSED TO HIGH TEMPERATURES, SUCH AS A TORCH FLAME, IT DECOMPOSES. ONE OF THE PRODUCTS OF THE CHEMICAL BREAKDOWN IS A PHOSGENE GAS, WHICH IS HIGHLY TOXIC.
^ DO NOT ALLOW ANY PORTION OF THE CHARGED AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM TO BECOME TOO HOT. THE PRESSURE IN AN AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM RISES AS THE TEMPERATURE AND TEMPERATURE OF APPROXIMATELY 85°C (185°F) CAN BE DANGEROUS.
^ ALLOW THE ENGINE TO COOL SUFFICIENTLY BEFORE MAINTENANCE BECAUSE SERIOUS BURNS AND INJURY CAN OCCUR.