How to add Freon to the air conditioner on a car

When a car reaches a point when it is not blowing any cold air, then Freon has to be added to the vehicle’s air conditioning system.

If you go to a mechanic, you might be charged a lot.

However, one can save money by doing this in a DIY style.

Before recharging the car air conditioner system, make sure if the car uses the new R134. To check this you can consult the car manual; you can also consult the repair manual.

Cans of Freon can be purchased online so one can look around for the best deal.

Here are some simple steps to help add Freon to a car air conditioner.

Steps

1. First, the recharging hoses have to be attached to your system. These hoses attach to the air conditioning system’s compressor from the gauges. The shorter hose has to be attached to the can or bottle of Freon.
2. The valve of the bottle or can has to be opened for a considerable time to wash out the air from the system. Now the hose connection has to be tightened again and the valve should be closed.
3. Now turn on the engine and the air conditioner should be turned HIGH. Give some time to the refrigerant to enter into the system by opening the valve slowly from the low-side fitting. The can should be held upright and the Freud should not be allowed to enter into the system.
4. The valve has to be closed now and the hose has to be removed from the low-side fitting once the can gets empty. When removing the can, be careful because there is still some Freon left in the can.
5. The steps should be repeated if the system requires more cans of Freon. Excessive adding of Freon can be worse than not having sufficient and can be harmful to the car’s air conditioning system.

Cautions and Tips

• Eye protection should always be worn because refrigerant quickly freezes any type of liquid.
• The coolant can cause frostbite so the skin should also be protected.
• Don’t add Freon to a car that uses R-12 for the cooling system or the model prior to 1993. This is not legal and only a certified mechanic should do this.
• It can be dangerous if any type of coolant is incorrectly added to the air condition system. These systems are pressured and if a fitting is incorrectly connected to a refrigerant can, it can explode causing serious injuries or may even result in death.
• Make sure not to put too much Freon in the system or else you would have to drain it.

Also, read:

• 3 Bad Idle Air Control Valve Symptoms (and Replacement Cost)
• Car Cooling System – What To Do To Keep Its Cool?

First Cars With Air Conditioning: A Brief History