AARC Vehicle Dismantling Procedures 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the correct method for handling a vehicle with an unknown or mixed refrigerant before A/C system recovery?
- Vent the system outdoors and proceed
- Use a refrigerant identifier to determine the type before selecting recovery equipment (Correct answer)
- Recover with any available machine regardless of refrigerant type
- Leave the A/C system intact and sell the vehicle as-is
Correct answer: Use a refrigerant identifier to determine the type before selecting recovery equipment
Mixed or contaminated refrigerant can damage recovery equipment and must be identified with a refrigerant analyzer before recovery to select proper equipment and handling procedures.
Question 2: Under the Clean Air Act, what is the minimum size of an A/C system that requires certified refrigerant recovery before disposal?
- Systems with more than 50 pounds of refrigerant
- All motor vehicle A/C systems regardless of refrigerant quantity (Correct answer)
- Systems with more than 5 pounds of refrigerant
- Only systems using R-12 refrigerant
Correct answer: All motor vehicle A/C systems regardless of refrigerant quantity
EPA Section 608 regulations require recovery from all MVAC systems regardless of refrigerant quantity—there is no de minimis exemption for vehicle A/C systems.
Question 3: What is the term for the process of accelerating fluid drainage by puncturing the transmission pan or differential cover with a specialized drill tool?
- Gravity draining
- Puncture draining or drill-and-drain method (Correct answer)
- Vacuum extraction
- Centrifugal separation
Correct answer: Puncture draining or drill-and-drain method
The drill-and-drain (puncture drain) method uses a specialized bit to pierce the pan and quickly drain fluids into a capture system, reducing depollution cycle time.
Question 4: A technician is removing a front subframe. Which factor most directly determines whether it can be resold as a used part versus scrapped?
- The color of the subframe
- Structural integrity—absence of cracks, bends, or corrosion-compromised mounting points (Correct answer)
- Whether the vehicle was a domestic or import brand
- The mileage on the odometer
Correct answer: Structural integrity—absence of cracks, bends, or corrosion-compromised mounting points
Subframes are safety-critical structural components; only units free of cracks, deformation, and severe corrosion at mounting points can be certified for resale.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes 'vehicle inventory management' in an AARC-compliant operation?
- Photographing only the exterior of arriving vehicles
- Tracking each vehicle from acquisition through depollution, parts harvest, and final disposition using a documented system (Correct answer)
- Storing vehicles in first-in, first-out order only
- Keeping a handwritten log of vehicles crushed per week
Correct answer: Tracking each vehicle from acquisition through depollution, parts harvest, and final disposition using a documented system
AARC-compliant inventory management requires documented tracking of each vehicle through every stage—acquisition, depollution, dismantling, parts cataloging, and final disposition.
Question 6: What is the recommended action when a vehicle arrives at the recycling facility and the airbag warning light is illuminated, indicating a fault?
- Deploy all airbags immediately using a deployment tool
- Flag the vehicle as having potentially undeployed or malfunctioning airbags and follow enhanced airbag handling protocols (Correct answer)
- Assume airbags already deployed and proceed normally
- Remove the airbag modules without any additional precautions
Correct answer: Flag the vehicle as having potentially undeployed or malfunctioning airbags and follow enhanced airbag handling protocols
An illuminated SRS warning light indicates a system fault; airbag modules may be armed but malfunctioning, requiring enhanced caution and specialized handling protocols.
Question 7: When dismantling a vehicle for the used parts market, what is the standard practice for testing an electrical component such as an alternator before tagging it for sale?
- Visually inspect the external housing only
- Bench-test the component using appropriate test equipment to verify output specifications (Correct answer)
- Assume it works if it was removed from a running vehicle
- Test it by reinstalling it in another vehicle
Correct answer: Bench-test the component using appropriate test equipment to verify output specifications
Bench testing electrical components with appropriate equipment confirms they meet output specifications and protects the recycler from returns and liability for selling defective parts.
AARC Vehicle Dismantling Procedures 5
What is the correct method for handling a vehicle with an unknown or mixed refrigerant before A/C system recovery?