Consumer Alert: Fourth of July Vacationers Need to Avoid Unnecessary Auto Air-Conditioning Repairs
29 June 1998
Consumer Alert: Fourth of July Vacationers Need to Avoid Unnecessary Auto Air-Conditioning Repairs
Nationwide Heat Wave Makes Auto A/C Service a Hot Topic
FORT WORTH, Texas, June 29 -- As early summer heat strangles
the nation this Fourth of July, the International Mobile Air Conditioning
Association is alerting vacationers to be aware of unnecessary and potentially
expensive auto repairs.
Motorists this summer have more choices than ever for recharging or
repairing failing air-conditioning systems, especially if they own an older
vehicle. In this case, more is not a positive. Motorists must learn what
refrigerant their auto uses and understand their options before committing to
any repairs.
Only two refrigerants on the market are recommended by automobile
manufacturers -- R-12, better known as Freon, and R-134a. And in a just
released survey of National Institute for Automotive Excellence members,
92 percent of the nation's top automotive master technicians recommend only
R-12 and R-134a.
Another recent survey that sparked IMACA's consumer alert shows that
nearly half of motorists do not know what refrigerant is in their vehicles
air-conditioning system, and 61 percent either don't know or believe R-12 is
illegal to use.
"The survey is alarming, especially the fact that many motorists think
R-12 is illegal," IMACA Executive Director Frank Allison said. "Motorists who
own automobiles that are 7 years old or older must realize that their
air-conditioning system was designed to run on R-12, and that R-12 is the
refrigerant they should use as long as it is available and affordable.
"It's really very simple. Motorists with older vehicles (all models built
in 1991 and prior, and some in 1992 and '93) should use R-12 as long as it is
practical."
While R-12 is slowly being phased out in favor of R-134a, industry experts
estimate that upwards of 100 million pounds of R-12 are available -- enough to
service the 23 million vehicles on the road today that require the refrigerant
for at least another two or three years.
"If a vehicle only has a few good years left, motorists are probably
better off recharging the air-conditioning system with R-12. If you plan to
keep your older vehicle for many years beyond that or the system needs
expensive repairs such as the compressor changed, consider retrofitting the
A/C system for R-134a," Allison said.
Retrofitting means replacing fittings and other components, as well as
removing and recycling the old refrigerant, and extracting the compressor
lubricants. In some cases, this process can be more costly than staying with
R-12.
For consumers with autos built in 1994 or after, getting the
air-conditioning system serviced is simple: Have a mechanic fix any leaks and
then recharge the system with R-134a.
Using a refrigerant other than R-12 or R-134a can be a safety risk. The
Environmental Protection Agency has warned that some so-called "substitute"
refrigerants for R-12 and R-134a are flammable hydrocarbons, which can cause
engine fires or even explosions. Also, use of flammable hydrocarbons in
vehicles is illegal.
"Hydrocarbons make for good refrigerants, but they must be used in a
system designed for flammable chemicals," EPA policy analyst Christine Dibble
said. "Automotive engines are designed to work with a flammable product --
gasoline. And maybe in 30 years, our automotive A/C systems will run on
butane. But today, that is not the case."
Allison added: "What we're trying to do is inform motorists so they can
make an informed decision when they take their vehicle in for air-conditioning
service. The more you know, the less chance there is you'll pay for
unnecessary repairs.
"It's hot enough this summer; there's no reason to allow auto
air-conditioning repairs to get you even hotter under the collar."
The International Mobile Air Conditioning Association is a not-for-profit
trade association serving the mobile air-conditioning industry and the
motoring public since 1958.