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Notes on repair work to vehicles with air conditioning and on handling refrigerant
Safety precautions for when working on vehicles with air conditioning and when handling refrigerant R134a
The following safety precautions must be observed for the refrigerant (in some countries additional regulations may apply):
If it is necessary to evacuate the refrigerant circuit during repairs to the vehicle, the vehicle must be taken to a specialist workshop!
Reason:
Only specialist repair workshops are equipped with suitable evacuating equipment and specially trained personnel to handle the refrigerant competently.
Notes:
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◆ It is recommended that an eye wash bottle be kept nearby. Should liquid refrigerant contact the eyes, eyes must be thoroughly rinsed with water for approx. 15 minutes.
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◆ Then apply eye drops and contact a doctor immediately, even if eyes do not hurt. The doctor must be informed that the frost bite has been caused by refrigerant R134a.
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◆ If, in spite of these safety measures, refrigerant comes into contact with other body parts, these areas must also be immediately thoroughly rinsed with cold water for at least 15 minutes.
Only work on the refrigerant circuit in well ventilated rooms. The refrigerant is not to be stored in shafts or openings leading to cellars.
Reasons:
Refrigerant is odourless and colourless and heavier than air and therefore displaces oxygen. If, even after taking precautions, refrigerant escapes there is a danger of asphyxiation without advance warning in poorly ventilated rooms/pits.
Precautions:
Before working on a refrigerant circuit ensure that there are no cellar openings, pits or shafts within 5 m. Any available extraction systems to be in operation.
Do not weld, braze or soft-solder parts of the charged air conditioner.
This also applies to welding and soldering work on the vehicle when the danger exists that parts of the air conditioner will heat up. During paintwork, object temperatures in the drying oven or in its pre-heating zone must not exceed 80° C.
Reason:
Heat leads to high pressure in the system which may cause the pressure relief valve to open. During electrical welding invisible ultra-violet rays are produced, these penetrate hoses and breakdown the refrigerant.
Precautions:
Damaged or leaking air conditioner components are not to be repaired by soldering/welding, they must always be renewed, first evacuate refrigerant from refrigerant circuit using refrigerant evacuation station (take vehicle to specialist workshop).
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