While some shops choose to take the time and effort to perform complex repairs on A/C systems, many others prefer to stick to the basics and then outsource the more complicated work. If you keep A/C repairs in-house, you already know they offer profitable opportunities. Even if you send A/C challenges to a local mechanical facility, you and your technicians can benefit significantly by knowing more than just the basics of A/C operations—and if it keeps just a couple of jobs in-house, that’s all to your benefit. 

For example, on many General Motors (GM) light trucks, the inlet and outlet fittings for the condenser are exactly alike. Because of this, technicians all too often confuse the hoses and connect the system backward. Although the A/C system works, it doesn’t function properly—which is quite a problem when it’s 95 degrees F outside with 99 percent humidity. 

It’s not unheard of for well-meaning body technicians replacing a condenser in a front-end hit to incorrectly re-connect the fittings, says Paul DeGuiseppi, manager of service training for the Mobile Air Conditioning Society Worldwide. This leaves some unlucky motorists to deal with what appears to be a faulty A/C system and leaves you to deal with a disappointed customer.

Unfortunately, mistakes such as this are common when the worlds of collision repair and A/C service collide. And these worlds meet frequently because so many A/C components are nestled in vulnerable positions in the engine compartment and, therefore, become frequent victims of front-end collisions. The following five factors are key to understanding and providing quality A/C care.

Refrigerants: Mention A/C service, and the challenges of working with ozone-depleting R-12; the more environmentally friendly R-134a; and even a few non-mainstream refrigerants immediately come to mind.

Although production of R-12 in the United States was outlawed in December 1995, certified technicians are still servicing R-12 systems in millions of vehicles that are still on the road. Meanwhile, millions of other vehicles are running R-134a. The problem here is that the two refrigerants cannot be mixed. 

For example, if R-12 is accidentally used to recharge an R-134a vehicle, it contaminates the entire A/C system. Contamination is also an issue when draining a system because recovering a refrigerant into the wrong tank can contaminate the equipment and the systems that are charged with the incorrect mixture. 

While this is common knowledge for all but the novice technician, identifying the refrigerant in an A/C system can be a daunting task when it comes time to begin the A/C repair. This is especially problematic if an R-12 system was previously converted to R-134a, but not properly labeled; if the car was in a prior accident and A/C system labels were removed and not reapplied; or if the system was serviced at a shop that doesn’t play by the same rules as its reputable counterparts. 
When in doubt about which type of refrigerant a vehicle was manufactured with, refer to the vehicle service manual. If the system has been converted or contaminated with an unapproved refrigerant, try obtaining more information or service history from the vehicle owner, or use a refrigerant identifier. 

An identifier is especially important given the variety of new refrigerants that have reached the market. DeGuiseppi recalls an Environmental Protection Agency representative saying that coffee beans could be an acceptable refrigerant because they fall within the EPA guidelines concerning human healthy and safety, ozone depletion potential, etc.

Though you’re not likely to see a coffee-based refrigerant any time soon, your shop runs the risk of repairing a vehicle that carries an unusual refrigerant that either doesn’t work or that contaminates the system—and could potentially damage your equipment. Accidentally pulling the wrong refrigerant into your equipment can contaminate—and sometimes ruin—your machine. 

That could be the least of your problems if you attempt to use one of these new refrigerants. Most, if not all, A/C system manufacturers do not approve of their use. Using them to recharge an A/C system may void any existing vehicle warranty, and it may also leave you or the shop stuck with hundreds of dollars in repair bills. In a worst-case scenario, an unapproved A/C refrigerant may be flammable, leaving your employees and shop vulnerable to severe consequences.

Lubricants: Warranty issues also come into play where A/C lubricants are concerned. Along with having the right viscosity and the correct amount of lubricant, technicians must also use the type specified by the manufacturer.
There are a variety of lubricant types, but only one—PAG (polyalkylene glycol)—is OEM-approved for use on virtually every car and light truck that is factory-equipped with an R134a system. This also applies when retrofitting an R12 system for use with R134a. Using unapproved types can void A/C warranties. To avoid this problem, technicians need to refer to the system label, which indicates the appropriate fluid type. But in some cases, this label may be dislodged or carry the incorrect information. When in doubt, refer to the vehicle’s service information. 

PARTS: Consider the following scenario: A customer brings his or her late-model Nissan Maxima into your shop needing front-end work, including repairs to a damaged A/C condenser. Your shop performs all the work to specification, but the driver returns a week later complaining that the A/C isn’t as cold as it used to be. Upon inspection, the entire system checks out. The likely culprit? The condenser was replaced with an aftermarket part that fits but that doesn’t offer OEM performance specifications. “Just because a part looks right and bolts into place right doesn’t mean it will perform to expectations,” DeGuiseppi says. For best results, use only parts that you know offer factory-level performance, whether you rely on your own past experience or your trusted part supplier’s recommendations. 

To further protect yourself against comebacks, remember that A/C systems can be notoriously sensitive. Make a habit of replacing any part whose integrity has been compromised in the accident. This includes replacing receiver-dryers/accumulators if the system has been exposed to moisture. 

Many hoses and lines, for example, feature an internal barrier (usually made from nylon) that can suffer irreparable damage if bent severely in a crash, even if it’s not visible externally. Merely straightening a line or hose won’t correct the problem, and refrigerant flow could be restricted, inhibiting system performance. 

Replacing these parts adds to the cost of a repair and, therefore, often incurs the wrath of price-conscious customers and insurers. But this is a way to prevent related future problems with the system. To protect yourself against a comeback in these situations, make it your policy to explain this to even the most stubborn customers or insurers.

If A/C repairs are required that are not related to a collision, your sales skills will need to come into play with the customer. Fortunately, there are few motorists out there who aren’t willing to pay for the comfort and relief a properly operating A/C system offers in scorching summer heat.

THOROUGHNESS: While you’re making sure that a repaired A/C system includes only those parts guaranteed to work for the long haul, you’ll also want to make sure that you take all of the steps necessary to thoroughly and properly complete the repair. This means paying particular attention to details, such as replacing any system seals you remove during the course of repairs, particularly those around the condenser, says Jerry Goodson, technical writer for I-CAR. “Every one of these seals needs to be put back into place,” he says. “And they also must be lubricated.” These seals may seem insignificant, but they play a vital role in helping the system work, especially in slow driving conditions. They can also sustain damage that may not be visible to you. Would you rather spend the money on the cost of a replacement seal now or suffer the parts and labor expense of a comeback later? 

You’ll also want to pay attention to other details, such as preventing air buildup in the system and in recovery tanks during recovery and recharging. A small amount of air in the A/C system can prevent it from producing the coldest air possible. 

Even recharging the system requires precision. A slightly undercharged or overcharged system is also an underperforming system. Unfortunately, this isn’t a simple matter of adding or removing a bit of refrigerant. Instead, it requires a complete system evacuation and recharge, and it usually entails a complete system check to ensure no other problems were overlooked.
Finally, before declaring the A/C repair complete, verify the proper operation of the entire system by running through the performance checks outlined in the service information. These checks take time, but as always, they go a long way in protecting against a comeback.

TRAINING: Since the introduction of A/C systems, their fundamentals have been essentially the same. But the electronic components controlling the systems are constantly evolving. A/C systems are now often just one segment of a complex climate control center designed to automatically regulate interior vehicle temperatures. 

Repairing these systems goes well beyond parts changing, evacuating refrigerant and recharging. Technicians now must be able to perform electronic and computer diagnostic tests, and they must be able to stay at the forefront of constant technological developments. This means constant training for one or more of your technicians, or you must make a business decision to outsource more complex A/C repairs. 

Here’s a case in point: A/C technicians recently discovered a problem when replacing a faulty constant control relay module (CCRM) on the 1998-1999 Ford Escort ZX2. The replacement module seemed to work until the A/C setting was moved to “Max,” whereupon the A/C system would quit working. 

The problem? Dealer parts departments were supplying the wrong part. They were sending technicians part number (P/N) F8CZ-12B577-BC, which was not installed on the Ford ZX2 until mid-1999, when they should have been sending P/N F8CZ-12B577-AC. Without this information, a technician could waste a significant amount of time and effort, installing replacement modules and then sending them back as defective when they failed to work. 

Considering that replacing a single module on a popular domestic vehicle can prove difficult, imagine the task facing your technicians who have to work on hundreds of different systems from the 1970s to the present. With ongoing training, a good technician can work on any of these systems with a terrific degree of success—at a profit to you and to the technician. But without training, even the best technician is going to waste a lot of time guessing and making costly mistakes. 

Guesswork needn’t be any part of the A/C repair process or business. With the right training and equipment, shops can turn the A/C repairs they have often contracted out to others into a cash cow for themselves. At the very least, technicians will better understand how to handle complex situations and how to identify damaged A/C components.