Technical Air Con Type 2014 500L

[Mike86]

We’ve recently got a 2014 (14 plate) Fiat 500L 1.3 Multijet Trekking Diesel and went to get the air con regassed at a local garage (as the air con wasn't cooling the car down). The garage couldn't find if it has the R134a or the R1234yf coolant so wouldn't carry out the regas. There doesn't appear to be any indication in the manual or any sticker under the bonnet. From a quick look online it sounds like it'll be the R134a coolant but the garage's manual said it could be either.

Can anyone advise? Thanks

 

[AndyRKett]

I am 100% sure that it will be R134a on a 2014 Fiat 500L because While it was first approved in 2008, They still did not have enough of it to use in car Aircon systems in 2014, and it only became a requirement on new cars in 2017/18. This could have been easily looked up by your garage in about 30 seconds, but I am guessing as they made essentially the same Fiat 500L from 2013 - now, they just looked at a book and saw it could be both.

Fiat do weird things like put stickers under the boot carpet. When you open the bonnet look up because up manufacturers put it on the under side of the bonnet as well as the door shuts (round the edges of the doors) so look in those places too.

One thing worth noting is that the absence of the sicker can be an indication the car has been in an accident at some time in its life. they can repair cars to very high standards but unless its done by a very very good body shop with an OCD level attention to detail, they rarely put the sticker back.

On the plus side, R134a should be considerably cheaper.

 

[AndyRKett]

One more point I just thought about, I am pretty sure to prevent accidently filling a newer R1234yf system with older R134a gas there is a difference in the filling valves/connectors. So even if you really really have no idea what it takes, then what plugs in should tell you what you need to fill it with.