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Johnson Controls / York family

How old is my Fraser-Johnston air conditioner?

Enter the serial number from the label. The date comes from Fraser-Johnston's documented serial rules, not a guess.

Look for “Serial No.” or “S/N” on the label. Spaces and dashes are fine.

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How to read a Fraser-Johnston air conditioner serial number

  • Plant letter + year digit + month letter + year digit (October 2004 onward)

    Example: N0L4123456 (York) was made in October 2004. Since October 2004, York-family serials start with a plant letter, then the year's third digit, a month letter and the year's last digit: "0" and "4" make 2004, and "L" is October. The month letters skip I and J.

Not decoded yet: Coleman, Evcon and Luxaire all-number serials, Luxaire two-letter serials, pre-2004 York serials with year letter P, and geothermal, ductless and commercial units.

Where to find the serial number

The rating plate is on the outdoor unit, usually on the side or back of the cabinet near the electrical disconnect or the refrigerant line connections.

Don't open the unit's panels to look for it. If the plate is faded, the indoor coil or the installer's paperwork may also list the model and serial.

How long does a air conditioner last?

A typical air conditioner lasts about 10–15 years. That's a general estimate: maintenance, usage, climate and installation all matter, and age alone doesn't tell you a unit's condition. Some manufacturer pages cite 15–20 years for well-maintained systems.

Range from NAHB / Bank of America, Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components (2007, archived copy) and Carrier: AC replacement.

Fraser-Johnston air conditioner recalls

No Fraser-Johnston air conditioner recalls were found in U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission data when this page was checked (2026-09-29). A decoded result checks your model number live.

Questions

How can I tell how old my Fraser-Johnston air conditioner is?
Find the serial number on the rating plate and enter it above. Fraser-Johnston air conditioners use the Johnson Controls / York family serial format, which includes the manufacture date. For example, N0L4123456 was made in October 2004: Since October 2004, York-family serials start with a plant letter, then the year's third digit, a month letter and the year's last digit: "0" and "4" make 2004, and "L" is October. The month letters skip I and J.
Where is the serial number on a Fraser-Johnston air conditioner?
The rating plate is on the outdoor unit, usually on the side or back of the cabinet near the electrical disconnect or the refrigerant line connections. Don't open the unit's panels to look for it. If the plate is faded, the indoor coil or the installer's paperwork may also list the model and serial.
How long does a air conditioner usually last?
A typical service life is about 10–15 years. That's a general estimate: maintenance, usage, climate and installation all matter, and age alone doesn't tell you a unit's condition.
Do York, Coleman, Luxaire and Evcon air conditioners use the same serial format?
Yes. Fraser-Johnston, York, Coleman, Luxaire and Evcon use the same serial-number conventions (Johnson Controls / York family), so the same decoding rules apply.
How reliable is the result?
The Johnson Controls / York family rules come from documented sources, but they're in Beta while we check more real-world examples, so results are capped at medium confidence. If a serial doesn't match a documented format, we say so instead of guessing.

Same serial format: York air conditioner, Coleman air conditioner, Luxaire air conditioner, Evcon air conditioner

Other Fraser-Johnston equipment: furnace, heat pump

Sources

Rules last reviewed 2026-09-29. These rules are in Beta while we verify more real-world examples, so results are capped at medium confidence.

Manufacture dates are decoded from manufacturer serial-number conventions and available documentation. Serial formats can change. Verify critical equipment information with the manufacturer when necessary.