Scope of Application
- The memorandum applies to all motor vehicle inspectors and other personnel involved in inspecting mobile air conditioning systems (MACS).
- It particularly addresses the identification and inspection of refrigerant types used in these systems.
Methods of Refrigerant Identification
- In the absence of refrigerant identifiers, inspectors have three options for identifying CFC types:
- Visual identification via a sticker on the compressor indicating whether the refrigerant is R12 or R134a.
- Identification through service ports:
- R134a service ports have internal threading inside the valve.
- R12 service ports have external threading around the valve.
- Identification by vehicle year model:
- Motor vehicles from 1998 and earlier likely use R12.
- Motor vehicles from 1999 and later use R134a.
Prohibition on Use of CFC Refrigerants
- Under Section 11e of the Revised CCO:
- From 2006 onwards, the use of CFC refrigerants in MACS of motor vehicles manufactured or initially registered in 1999 or later is prohibited, affecting their registration.
- From 2012 onwards, the use of CFC refrigerants is prohibited in all motor vehicles without exemption.
Recordkeeping and Reporting Requirements
- Inspectors are required to maintain logbooks that manually record all inspected MACs.
- This facilitates easy data capture and preparation of reporting documents.
- No Motor Vehicle Inspection Report (MVIR) shall be approved without noting the refrigerant type and the year model of the vehicle.
Supersession of Conflicting Orders
- This memorandum supersedes all previous orders and memoranda that conflict with its provisions.
Implementation and Guidance
- The memorandum is issued for information, guidance, and strict compliance by all concerned authorities and personnel involved in vehicle inspection.
Issuance
- The memorandum was adopted on December 27, 2005, signed by Assistant Secretary Anneli R. Lontoc.