64 50 010 Drawing off, evacuating and filling heating and air conditioning system (R 134a): Notes

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2013 BMW Z4, 2012 BMW Z4, 2011 BMW Z4, 2010 BMW Z4, and 2009 BMW Z4. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

WARNING: Only persons in possession of a professional certificate of competence for the maintenance and repair of heating and air conditioning systems are authorized to carry out repair work on the refrigerant circuit. This certificate must be presented by 04/07/2010 at the latest. (applies only to EU countries; follow country-specific regulations in non-EU countries)
Refrigerant circuit is under high pressure!

If the protective caps on the filling valves are difficult to open, there is a danger of injury from leaking valve inserts.

Repair work may only be carried out on a depressurized refrigerant circuit!

Before conducting repairs, check the actual pressure drop on the pressure gauge of the A/C service station.

Avoid contact with refrigerant and refrigerant fluid.

Follow safety information for handling R 134a refrigerant See 6450... INSTRUCTIONS FOR HANDLING REFRIGERANT R 134A or 6450... SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS FOR HANDLING REFRIGERANT R134A .
Follow safety information for HANDLING REFRIGERANT FLUID .

IMPORTANT: Risk of damage!
Only BMW-approved tetrafluorethane R134a refrigerant may be used.
Restart engine only when air conditioning system has been correctly filled.

IMPORTANT: Risk of damage!
Carefully move the climate control service station!
Observe the operating instructions and maintenance intervals of the service station!
Highly sensitive components, such as scales, are installed in the climate control service station. These will be damaged by improper handling, such as fast driving over bumps. This will result in a significant reduction of the measuring accuracy when drawing off and filling.

IMPORTANT: The vehicle must be parked on the ground during the entire drawing off, evacuation and filling procedure!
Filling a raised vehicle will result in filling shortage.

NOTE: In case of complaints, carry out a heating and air conditioning performance test!
If the system fails the test, draw off, evacuate and fill the heating and air conditioning system in accordance with the operating instructions of the relevant service station.
It is essential to adhere to the service station service intervals.

Notes for drawing off heating and air conditioning system:

To help separation of refrigerant and refrigerant fluid, run engine at low speed (800-1200 RPM) and with heating and air conditioning system turned on for a few minutes.

The limits the entrainment of refrigerant fluid while it is drawn off.

Drawn-off refrigerant fluid must be changed and reintroduced via the A/C service station.

Recycling:

Dispose of drawn-off refrigerant fluid as hazardous waste.

Observe country-specific waste disposal regulations.

Notes for evacuating off heating and air conditioning system:

Before each filling, evacuate the refrigerant system.

Observe an evacuation time of at least 30 minutes .

The evacuation procedure removes all traces of ambient air, water vapor and any other gases present from the heating and air conditioning system. This enables subsequent system filling with refrigerant.

If the vacuum does not remain stable when the system is off, run the procedure for leaks in the refrigerant circuit.

Notes for filling heating and air conditioning system:

Before filling with refrigerant, replace the refrigerant fluid entrained during drawing off.

Also top up any lost fluid as indicated in the table: