Posted on 6/27/2025

Your car’s air conditioning system plays a big role in keeping you comfortable, especially during the hot summer months. But when cooling performance starts to fade, it’s natural to wonder what kind of inspection your A/C system needs and whether it uses R-134a or R-1234yf refrigerant. Knowing the correct type of refrigerant is essential for proper service. Using the wrong kind can damage components, reduce efficiency, and even void warranties. Fortunately, there are some simple ways to find out what your vehicle needs and when it’s time to schedule an inspection. Start with the Vehicle’s Age and Make The refrigerant your car uses largely depends on the year it was manufactured. Most vehicles made before 2015 use R-134a, which was the industry standard for many years. Beginning in 2015, many manufacturers started switching to R-1234yf, a more environmentally friendly alternative. By 2021, nearly all new vehicles in the United States came equi ... read more