French Court Rules That Daimler May Sell Cars with Older Refrigerant

The first decision has come on France and Daimler'sDaimlerGermany, 1889 > present12 models
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ongoing dispute over the use of an older refrigerant in its cars. The court ruled that the cars using the R134a may be sold in France temporarily until the court makes its final decision.

The dispute arose when Daimler began crash testing the Mercedes-BenzMercedes-BenzGermany, 1924 > present197 models
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A-ClassMercedes-Benz A-Class Gen.3 [W 176]Germany, 2012 > present33 versions
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, B-ClassMercedes-Benz B-Class Gen.2 [W246]Germany, 2012 > present42 versions
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, CLA-ClassMercedes-Benz CLA-Class Gen.1Germany, 2013 > present63 versions
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and SL-ClassMercedes-Benz SL-Class Gen.4 [R231]Germany, 2012 > present17 versions
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with the new R1234yf air conditioner refrigerant. It found that in some situations, the refrigerant could be flammable. Daimler decided to not sell cars with the refrigerant due to the safety hazard and reverted back to R134a refrigerant.

The problem is that R134a is significantly more polluting if exposed to the at air than R1234yf, and R134a no longer meets EU pollution rules. France decided to ban the importation of the cars based on this. 

The court decided that the threat posed by R134a is not high enough to keep the vehicles from being registered. 

"We expect the French authorities to start registering our vehicles within the next 48 hours," said a Daimler in a statement following the decision. 

France is the only country that has attempted to ban the Daimler vehicles for using the refrigerant.

Daimler has suggested that it skip the switchover to R1234yf and wait until 2017 for a new CO2-based air conditioning refrigerant because it is even less polluting than R1234yf.

Source: Automotive News Europe