Kia Soul EV Owner's Manual Quiz
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning

Compressor Oil Repair Procedures

In this manual: Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
General Information — 17Maintenance — 17Drive Shaft and Axle — 15Suspension System — 36Steering — 24Restraints — 48Brake System — 37Body (Interior and Exterior) — 207Body Electrical System — 203Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning — 80Electric Vehicle Battery System — 115
10steps
~60min
3/5difficulty
Done 0 of 10

Oil Specification

  1. The HFC-134a system requires synthetic compressor oil (POE), whereas the R-12 system requires mineral compressor oil. The two oils must never be mixed.
  2. Compressor oil (POE) depends on the compressor model. Be sure to use the oil specified for the compressor model.
    • Because the electric compressor uses high voltage, POE oil with high volume resistivity must be used.
    • Do not use the same A/C recovery/charging station as for conventional belt-driven compressors.
    • If POE oil mixes with PAG oil in the system, dielectric breakdown may occur due to reduced volume resistivity, and the A/C compressor may not operate.
    • If POE oil has mixed with PAG oil, replace the compressor with a new one and clean the inside of the air conditioning system (condenser, refrigerant line, evaporator, etc.).
  3. The oil must not contain moisture, dust, metal powder, or the like.
  4. Do not mix with other oil.
  5. Water content in the oil increases when exposed to air. Immediately seal the oil from air after use. (HFC-134a and R-1234yf compressor oils are prone to absorbing moisture.)
  6. Compressor oil must be stored in steel containers, not plastic.
Handling of Oil. Compressor Oil Inspection. The oil used to lubricate the compressor circulates with the refrigerant. Whenever any system component is replaced or a large amount of gas leaks, add oil to maintain the original oil quantity.

Total oil quantity in the system, POE oil: 180 ± 10 cm³ (6.1 ± 0.3 fl oz)

Oil Recovery Operation: There is a close relationship between oil and refrigerant. During normal operation, part of the oil circulates with the refrigerant in the system. When checking the oil quantity in the system or replacing any system components, the compressor must be operated before the oil recovery operation. The procedure is as follows:
  1. Open all doors and the hood.
  2. Start the engine, turn on the A/C, and set the fan control knob to the highest position.
  3. Operate the compressor for more than 20 minutes at 800 to 1000 rpm to stabilize the system.
  4. Stop the engine.

Test yourself

A quick Kia Soul EV Owner's Manual quiz: every answer comes with an explanation and a link to the manual page.