We’re a 134a A/C refrigerant company and we know how much time and money we save our customers who recharge their own A/C systems. So why would we tell you NOT to buy 134a refrigerant products? Because there are situations where using R-134a doesn’t help and could actually harm your A/C system!
The first reason not to buy refrigerant is if your A/C system cannot hold a charge for at least 2 weeks. You keep having to recharge the system. It may blow cold for a day or a week, but then the a/c starts to blow warm again. This means that your A/C system has a leak and a rather large leak, at that. So stop the recharge madness and see a mechanic to get your system fixed. Otherwise you are literally dumping refrigerant down the drain (or in this case into the atmosphere).
The second reason not to use R-134a with lubricant, is if you drive a Hybrid or Electric vehicle. Straight R-134a is fine for hybrid and electric cars, but most refrigerants that you buy include a lubricant, because your system loses oil as it leaks refrigerant. It’s the lubricant in R-134a that causes the issue in Hybrid and Electric vehicles. Most hybrid and All electric cars have an electric a/c compressor that use a different oil than that used with replacement R-134a sold at retail. If you drive a hybrid or electric car, see your dealership for A/C recharges.
The third reason is a little more obscure. You never want to use R-134a in an R-12 or “Freon” system (that has never been converted to R-134a). However, all US vehicle manufacturers changed from R-12 (Freon) to R-134a in new cars, over 20 years ago, in the mid 1990’s. So if you are driving anything newer, you’re in the clear. But wait, you’ve heard people call your current refrigerant “Freon” (which is the brand name of R-12), could you actually have a model that still has R-12? Again, not after a mid-1990 model year. But, habits are hard to break. The first car with a refrigeration system was the 1940 model year Packard. After calling auto a/c refrigerant “Freon” for over 50 years, when R-134a was introduced, the name just stuck, even though 134a is a completely different refrigerant.
The final reason not to buy more A/C refrigerant products is if you’ve already recharged. If you add refrigerant and your car is still blowing warm, you’ve either overcharged the system or you have a mechanical problem. More is not better! Either go to a mechanic or use A/C AVALANCHE with Smart Clips to avoid over charging your system in the first place!