Automotive Heating and Air Conditioning, 9th edition
Published by Pearson (April 30, 2025) © 2026
James Halderman

Title overview

For courses in engine repair and rebuilding.

Preparing tomorrow's automotive professionals for success

Automotive Heating and Air Conditioning covers practical skills for servicing automotive heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. The text is written to ASE standards (A7) and many tasks of the ASE (A7) content area. It focuses on the generic theory underlying the operation, diagnosis and repair of the units and subassemblies found across makes and types of vehicles. This text is part of the Pearson Automotive Professional Technician Series.

The 9th Edition has been fully updated and expanded to match the latest ASE tasks and address instructor and reviewer feedback. Contact your Pearson rep for information on the ASE Test Prep and Study Guide and ASE Correlated Task Sheets workbook.

Hallmark features of this title

A format geared toward student success

  • Learning outcomes and objectives are aligned with ASE standards and chapter content.
  • Concise, easy-to-read chapters present content in manageable sections, making it more digestible and easily understood by readers.

Practical applications

  • Case studies in technical chapters cover the three C's (complaint, cause and correction) of handling real-world customer issues.
  • A sample A7 ASE-type certification test with answers at the end of the text prepares students for exam success.

Learning aids and resources

  • Step-by-step photo sequences detail best-practice approaches for procedures such as diagnosing and troubleshooting faults.
  • A chapter-ending summary, review questions, key term flashcards and chapter quiz provide ample practice.

New features of this title

New chapter organization and expanded coverage

  • NEW: 2 new chapters have been added: Service Information, Work Orders, and Vehicle Identification (Ch. 1) and EPA Section 609 Certification (Ch. 17), which includes a sample 609 test with answers.
  • REVISED: Expanded and updated content covers refrigerants and refrigerant oil, including R-1234yf (Ch. 5), heat pump systems used in many electric vehicles (Ch. 13), air-conditioning system performance testing (Ch. 14) and A/C System Diagnosis and Repair (Ch. 16).

Additional learning aids

  • EXPANDED: Case studies have been added to selected chapters, building on students' problem-solving skills for diagnosis and repair.
  • EXPANDED: More than 50 new full-color photos and line drawings bring subjects to life.
  • NEW: All terms used adhere to the SAE J1930 standard, aligning student knowledge with the latest industry standards.

Key features

Features of Pearson eText for the 9th Edition

  • 79 animations give students an enhanced visual reference for essential automotive concepts and skills.

Table of contents

  1. Service Information, Work Orders, and Vehicle Identification
  2. Heating and Air-Conditioning Principles
  3. The Refrigeration Cycle
  4. Air-Conditioning Compressors and Service
  5. Refrigerants and Refrigerant Oils
  6. A/C System Components, Operation, and Service
  7. Air Management System
  8. Antifreeze and Coolant
  9. Cooling System Operation and Diagnosis
  10. Heating System Operation and Diagnosis
  11. HVAC Electricity and Electronics
  12. Automatic Temperature Control Systems
  13. EV and HEV HVAC System
  14. A/C Inspection, Performance Testing, and Leak Detection
  15. Refrigerant Recovery, Recycling, and Recharging
  16. A/C System Diagnosis and Repair
  17. Epa Section 609 Certification

APPENDICES

  1. Sample A7 ASE Certification-Type Test with Answers
  2. ASE Education Foundation-A7 Correlation Chart
Glossary

Author bios

About our author

Jim Halderman brings a world of experience, knowledge and talent to his work. His automotive service experience includes working as a flat-rate technician, a business owner and a professor of automotive technology at a leading U.S. community college.

He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Ohio Northern University and a Master's degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. Jim also holds a U.S. patent for an electronic transmission control device. He is an ASE-certified Master Automotive Technician (A1–A8), plus A9, F1, G1, L1 and L3.

Jim is the author of many automotive textbooks, all published by Pearson. Jim has presented numerous technical seminars to national audiences, including the California Automotive Teachers (CAT) and the Illinois College Automotive Instructor Association (ICAIA). Jim was also named Regional Teacher of the Year by General Motors Corporation and is a member of the advisory committee for the department of technology at Ohio Northern University. Jim was also named MVP at the North American Council of Automotive Teachers (NACAT) conference in 2013.

Jim and his wife, Michelle, live in Dayton, Ohio. You can reach Jim by email.

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