Toyota Alternate Refrigerants And A/C Retrofit

 Toyota Alternate Refrigerants And A/C Retrofit

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The E.P.A. has officially banned the manufacture of Refrigerant 12 (Freon) after January 1, 1996. As a result, surplus supplies of R–12 will begin to dwindle over the next several years until, eventual- ly, R–12 will no longer be available. This uncertainty about the availability of R–12 has caused significant concerns for Toyota dealers when servicing HVAC systems not using R–134a refrigerant. Similarly, the reduced availability of R–12 has prompted demands for R–134a retrofit kits and/or alternate refrigerants. This TSB will clarify Toyota’s current recommendations for servicing and retrofitting HVAC systems on Toyota ve- hicles using R–12 refrigerant. ALTERNATE REFRIGERANTS: Previously, the E.P.A. has endorsed other alternative refrigerants.

These endorsements, combined with the uncertain future availability of R–12, have led to a limited acceptance of using alternative refrigerants when servicing or retrofitting R–12 HVAC systems. Use of these refrigerants can lead to several service related problems, including: S Poor system performance and leak detection capabilities. S Contamination of R–12 and R–134a during refrigerant recovery and recycling. Recently the E.P.A. released a statement clarifying that approval of alternative refrigerants relates only to the toxicology, flammability, ozone depletion and global warming characteristics. The ap- proval does not imply acceptability of alternative refrigerants use with respect to serviceability or performance.