How to Recharge Air Conditioning with Freon in a Toyota Camry

Recharging an air conditioner may make it blow cold air again. You can do this if your Camry is compatible with R134 refrigerant. Some models made in or before 1995 take R12 refrigerant instead of the newer R134 refrigerant.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

things you'll need:

• Goggles
• Gloves
• Leak detection kit
• Pressure gauge
• R134 refill kit

1. Prepare to Recharge

   • 1

     Locate the Low Pressure Side port. It is near the air conditioner condenser. It is usually near the firewall on the passenger side. It has a black cap marked L. Remove this cap.

   • 2

     Determine if your car uses R134 or R12 refrigerant if your car was made in or before 1995. Models using R12 refrigerant will have screw type connectors on the both the High Pressure Side and Low Pressure Side lines. If this is the case, you must have your Camry air conditioning system retrofitted to use R134 refrigerant.

   • 3

     Test your air conditioning system for leaks. You can find kits that will help you to find leaks in the system and possibly seal small leaks at your local auto parts store. If you see any visible damage, take your Camry to a professional to repair the leaks and recharge the air conditioning system with refrigerant.

   • 4

     Check your air conditioning system pressure using an automotive air conditioning pressure gauge. In order to get an accurate reading, the air conditioner has be turned on the coldest setting and set on the highest fan speed.

   Perform the Recharge

   • 1

     Make sure you read and understand all of the directions on the refill kit. Some kits may have specific directions that you must follow.

   • 2

     Connect the refill hose to the connector on the Low Pressure Side of the air conditioning system. Because the connectors are different sizes, the refill kit hose should fit only on the Low Pressure Side port. Additionally, the High Pressure Side connector will usually have a red cap or be marked with an H or the word High.

   • 3

     Allow the system to pull the refrigerant out of the can. Make sure the can is upright. Know that it may take 10 minutes for the can to empty.

   • 4

     Check the pressure. If it is still low, repeat steps two and three using a new can of R134 refrigerant.

   • 5

     Shut the valve on the refill hose and remove the hose from the connector when the air conditioning system is fully charged. Recap the Low Pressure Side port valve.

   • 6

     Leave the air conditioner running for at least 20 minutes. This allows the refrigerant to circulate throughout the air conditioning system.

Tips & Warnings

• Protect your eyes and skin by wearing safety goggles and gloves.

• Don't try to recharge the air conditioning system if a license is required in your area to purchase R134 refrigerant. In this case, you have to allow a professional to recharge it.

• Never try to mix R134 and R12 refrigerant. This causes damage to the air conditioning system and may cause bodily injury. It is possible to retrofit a car that uses R12 refrigerant to accept R134.

• Only work on the Low Pressure Side of the air conditioning system. The air conditioner is under high pressure and trying to add refrigerant to the High Pressure Side can cause an explosion resulting in injury or death.

• Never release refrigerant into the air. This is a federal crime. Take any excess refrigerant to a professional for disposal.