System Description: Notes

The air conditioning system removes heat from the passenger compartment by circulating refrigerant through the system as shown below.

Fig 1: Heating/Air Conditioning System Pressure Flow Diagram

Courtesy of AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.

This vehicle uses HFC-134a (R-134a) refrigerant which does not contain chlorofluorocarbons. Pay attention to the following service items:

• Do not mix refrigerants CFC-12 (R-12) and HFC-134a (R-134a). They are not compatible.
• Use only the recommended polyalkyleneglycol (PAG) refrigerant oil (SP-10) designed for the R-134a A/C compressor. Intermixing the recommended (PAG) refrigerant oil with any other refrigerant oil will result in A/C compressor failure.
• All A/C system parts (A/C compressor, discharge line, suction line, evaporator, A/C condenser, receiver/dryer, expansion valve, O-rings for joints) have to be proper for refrigerant R-134a. Do not confuse with R-12 parts.
• Use a halogen gas leak detector designed for refrigerant R-134a.
• R-12 and R-134a refrigerant servicing equipment are not interchangeable. Use only a recovery/recycling/charging station for refrigerant R-134a to service R-134a air conditioning system.
• Always recover the refrigerant R-134a with an approved recovery/recycling/charging station before disconnecting any A/C fitting.