Air Conditioning (A/C) System Flushing

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2013 Ford Escape. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

NOTE: An Air Conditioning (A/C) refrigerant analyzer must be used before the recovery of any vehicle's A/C refrigerant. Failure to do so puts the shop's bulk refrigerant at risk of contamination. If the vehicle's A/C refrigerant is contaminated, refer the customer to the service facility that carried out the last A/C service. If the customer wishes to pay the additional cost, use the A/C recovery equipment that is designated for recovering contaminated A/C refrigerant. All contaminated A/C refrigerant must be disposed of as hazardous waste. For all equipment, follow the equipment manufacturer procedures and instructions.

NOTE: Suction accumulator or receiver/drier, Thermostatic Expansion Valve (TXV) and/or evaporator core orifice, and hoses with mufflers, should be removed when flushing the Air Conditioning (A/C) system. Internal plumbing of these devices makes it impossible to correctly remove any residual-flushing agent. These components are typically discarded after A/C system contamination. Hoses without mufflers can normally be reused unless they are clogged with foreign material. All components must be flushed individually.

NOTE: Only the listed A/C Flush and Purge Machine, A/C Flush and Purge Fitting Kit, A/C Flush Adapter Kit and A/C System Flushing Solvent are approved for use on Ford vehicles. No other flushing device or solvent is approved for flushing heat exchangers (Air Conditioning [A/C] condenser, A/C evaporator). Use of any other flusher or solvent may cause damage to the A/C system and the flushing unit.

NOTE: Specialized equipment to flush debris and contaminates from the A/C refrigeration system is currently not available. After a compressor or receiver dryer (desiccant) failure resulting in system contamination, the condenser, evaporator, thermostatic expansion valve with tube, evaporator-to-compressor suction line and compressor to condenser discharge line must be replaced. Once the special flushing equipment is made available, this procedure will be revised.