Auto Air Conditioning: Repair Cost Isn't So Cool

Nice to flip on the air conditioning in the car on those 80-degree-plus days, wasn't it?

However, the day may come when you revert to what one mechanic calls the "2-55" air-conditioning system.

What's that? Roll down two windows and drive 55 miles per hours on the freeway.

New state and federal clean-air laws may make repair of air-conditioning systems in older vehicles cost-prohibitive.

Unless you have a car produced from 1991 on, it's likely the air-conditioning system in your vehicle works with the refrigerant R-12. Freon, R-12 and R-22, all refrigerants, are chlorofluorocarbons that destroy the ozone layer protecting the Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation.

Federal law has banned the production of Freon, or R-12, by 1995. It can't be made after that, but it can be recycled. It must be recovered and cannot be released into the atmosphere.

The bottom line: Less R-12 is available and it costs more.

Additionally, under the new rules, technicians won't be able to "top" off the coolant in an air-conditioning system if it has developed a slow leak. The leak must be found and repaired.

Repair shops need special equipment to recover R-12. Technicians who perform these repairs must be certified by an Environmental Protection Agency-approved organization.

By the end of 1994, it's estimated there will be about 150 million cars with R-12 coolant still on the road.

Some shops that previously repaired air-conditioning systems have taken themselves out of the business, says Ted Slatten, publisher and executive editor of Automotive Dateline, the publication of the Automotive Service Association of Washington.

They have found it too costly to maintain two sets of equipment, one to deal with systems that use R-12 as a coolant, another for newer vehicles that use R-134a.

As a result of these changes, repairs could cost motorists from $200 to $800 on old air-conditioning systems, Slatten said. Converting an existing system so it can use R-134a coolant could cost from $500 to $1,000. Some systems may not be convertible; others may cost several thousand dollars to convert and/or replace.

Here's some advice:

-- If your vehicle's air-conditioning system needs repairs, ask to see the repair shop's EPA registration application and/or certificate and its technician's certification.

-- Ask for an advance cost estimate.

Beware of quick-fix artists, Slatten advises. When there's a time of transition into new rules, the "snake oil salesmen" come along with promises about what some new product may do to save you money.

One technician said:

-- "Don't let someone put R-22 (a commercial refrigerant) into your car system. It runs at a higher pressure, is not made for automotive use and is a potential hazard in cars."

And don't be surprised if some dealers choose only to do warranty work on air conditioning in vehicles they've sold, because of liability. Shops that release CFCs into the atmosphere face monetary penalties.

-- If you're in the market for a vehicle, inquire about which refrigerant is used in its air-conditioning system.

Meanwhile, you may want to exercise that old-fashioned option and roll down the windows.

For more information call the Environmental Protection Agency's CFC hotline, 1-800-296-1996, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pacific time.

Ask for "Auto Air Conditioning and the Ozone Layer: A Consumer Guide" or Auto Air Conditioning and the Ozone Layer: A Checklist for Citizen Action."

Or call the state Department of Ecology, 1-800-RECYCLE, and ask for a copy of "The Ozone Layer Depletion and Action Guide."