Posted on 6/27/2025
If you’ve had your vehicle’s air conditioning system serviced in the past decade, you may have heard of two refrigerants: R-134a and R-1234yf. While both perform the same job (cooling your car’s cabin) they differ significantly in composition, environmental impact, and how they’re handled during service. R-134a was once the standard refrigerant in most vehicles, but a shift toward more environmentally friendly alternatives has led to R-1234yf becoming the new industry standard in newer models. If you’re wondering why this change matters or how it affects your A/C service, here’s what you need to know. The Role of Your Car's Refrigerant Refrigerant is the fluid that circulates through your car’s air conditioning system. As it moves between the compressor, condenser, expansion valve, and evaporator, it changes from liquid to gas and back again, absorbing heat from the cabin and releasing it outside. Without refrigerant, y ... read more