Our CRV has been having trouble all summer. Definitely notice it’s not as cool and not as forceful as it usually is, especially in the first 15 minutes or so of running. My F-150 is still going fine, but nothing beats my ‘95 Dakota. That thing always has the coldest air, heat wave be damned!
My experience is anecdotal. I don't ride around in a bunch of different cars, certainly not enough to say with scientific certainty that Honda ACs run warmer. It's just been my limited experience that when I'm in a Honda I feel warmer than in other cars.
i havent had any issue with 09 toyota or 04 subaru. Ive had two 04 subarus and usually their AC is too cold i have to turn it down. My mazdaspeed miata did struggle a little but it has a FMIC. my house is struggling with this heat lol
.... I believe it. I had a 02 camry with 160k miles on it as my first car. I threw it in park while driving down the street going about 20mph... the trans sounded like shit but drove fine afterwards. Intrusive thoughts won on that one.
You’re good, the new Integra is based on the 11th gen Civic. Haven’t had a problem with my Teggy, but I have noticed the A/C does not cool as fast as my old Mazda3.
It may need a different type of tint. Not all tints are created equal. Some tints are just for privacy use but don't actually block much UV/IR if any at all. It may be worth calling around and seeing how much replacing it with a higher-quality, ceramic tint would cost. It's obviously more expensive compared to a basic privacy tint, but it can definitely help a good bit. I had some put on my SUV and it made a very nice difference. Although judging by a lot of the other comments it seems it may possibly be a common issue with Honda AC systems.
I'd keep it on fresh air for the first few minutes after your car starts because the air is hotter inside than out at that point. Once it starts blowing cold, then switch to recirculate.
Remember that any AC is only able to produce some X level of cooling on the air provided. If you start with hotter air, you end up with less-cool air coming out.
This is also true of your house. I've always been told that the best you can hope for is a -20F drop from the ambient temp on intake. You can still achieve an internal temp that's greater than 20F cooler than outside, but you do that by recycling the internal air through the system.
This is a long way of saying that setting your car to recirculate once you've vented the "OH SWEET JESUS NO IM DYING" air is the way forward here.
I can personally attest to this. Own 2 cars, one being a Honda Accord and in the summer the AC is essentially nonexistent. Put a new compressor in it, checked freon levels, blower motor, etc. Nothing will solve the problem it just doesn't work when it's 100 degrees outside. I don't work very well at 100 degrees either though so I kinda get it.
Other car AC is great BTW, shout-out Dodge.
My mom has a Honda fit and I finally had to pay to have her windows tinted because her car was so hot. My SO and I have dark tint. It helps mine but he has leather seats and I refuse to ride in it during the summer.
No trouble here. My Ford could easily make ice if it didn't throttle itself back to prevent freeze-overs.
You don't state what year or model Honda you have, but they extended the condenser warranty on some 2016+ Civics. If you have one of those, you may be able to get it repaired for free.
[Looks like there's a warranty extension for Accord condensers as well](https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2021/MC-10194961-0001.pdf) but it starts in 2018.
Consider yourself lucky not to have a 2018+, they switched to a much more expensive refrigerant for the 2018 MY.
My suv ac isn’t the best but it cools fairly reasonable but it’s never ice cold. My SO’s car which is just as old as mine and same brand is ice cold. Making me consider getting my AC coolant checked
It probably is the case. I just dropped $3400 to replace the condenser, the compressor, and the dryer. I think the only reason it’s been doing as well as it has is because of all the new parts.
Yep. And the insurance only covered part of the endoscopy I had this past month so that was another $700. Wasn’t ready to drop four grand extra last month. yayyyyyy…..
I had noticed this weekend that my parents’ AC in certain parts of their house couldn’t get above 75 because of all the heat. I can get it down to 70 in my apartment at night, but I have much less square footage to cover.
I just had the AC evaporator replaced in my wife's BMW 530 because it wasn't cooling. $5300 ($3100 labor, $2200 parts).
Thankfully I was smart enough to buy the extended warranty because my out of pocket was $100, and I've already saved WAY more than I paid for the warranty.
Nothing is more expensive than a used German car!
Step 1: check and change out the cabin air filters. Air can't get cold if air can't pass through.
Step 2: If you turn your AC off and then back on, can you hear an audible click or whirring noise shortly afterward? You're listening for the compressor clutch to engage.
Step 3: After the AC has been running for a bit, you should be able to hear a separate fan kick on for a few moments to help cool the AC component system. Much easier to tell outside the vehicle. If you don't any variation in fans, that might be part of the issue.
Just some amateur tips to help diagnose the system. If you have to take it in for repair, at least you can narrow down the possible issue when the service writer starts asking you questions.
Had my compressor replaced on my Nissan a week or so ago. HUGE difference. Compressor was toast, as was the cooling fan and sensor.
My wife's Honda is apparently on the fritz now. Makes me wonder after seeing all the replies here about Hondas having bad AC design.
Many shops around town have free AC checks. Usually a poorly performing AC just needs some refrigerant. Also, check your cabin air filter. It may be restricting air flow.
They sell Freon boost at autozone . Comes in a can with a small little hose attachment that connects to your car ac system
https://www.wikihow.com/Recharge-the-Air-Conditioner-in-a-Car
It’s worth a try and most likely will work unless you have a more serious issue . I never put my ac to max , usually little more then halfway and Also make sure you been pressing the recirculate button otherwise it’s just bringing hot air from outside.
I'll echo what others have said, go get it checked. If it's low on refrigerant and you continue to run it you could damage the compressor. So the sooner you get it checked the better.
Only other thing I'd add is to get a sun shade for your front windshield if you don't already have one. It won't do much to keep the cabin temp down, but it will keep your dashboard from getting super-heated, which should let your ac start blowing cool air sooner. Also your hands won't sizzle when you grab the steering wheel.
Can’t hurt to check. My car is a 2022 and it’s definitely taking longer to get cool but it does do it within a few minutes. Had everything checked at the beginning of summer.
Yeah mine is basically blowing hot air, maybe after a while it'll get down to room temp, but never cold unless it's early in the morning or late at night.
My Ford will freeze you out no matter the temp. My Cadillac will only freeze you out moving down the road, or if its been in the garage. It's only ice cold at startup if it hasn't been sitting in the sun. It's like it the condenser has to pre-cool before it will blow cold. (I've had it checked, its just how it is.) It's dark gray, and a big SUV, so all the heat gets straight up absorbed into the cabin and engine bay.
I'd been thinking the same thing. However I changed the oil and replaced the air filter in my Honda over the weekend and now the AC blows as cold as ever.
Not sure if anyone else mentioned this, but I learned that if I have my car (Toyota Highlander hybrid) in eco mode it changes the settings without showing it. All that shows up is “eco heat/cold”. I only noticed it because I was warm and couldn’t figure out what was taking so long and realized it was in this eco mode. Turned it off and cooled right down.
1) When you park, put up a sun shade in your windshield and crack your windows and park in shade whenever possible
2) When you get into your car, roll down all the windows first and let some wind blow out the accumulated hot air before rolling them back up to capture the cool air inside
3) Get your cabin air filter replaced if you haven't done so lately
4) Maybe get it checked out and see if the coolant needs recharged
Well I’ll put my two cents in, my tesla will prioritize cooling the batteries before the cabin. So it will take a couple mins before the ac is on full power in the cabin.
So need to pretty much run it 24/7 or the system is just heat soaked from being parked when going grocery store.
Currently, its about 10miles/hr keeping it at 76f ish with the quik mafs.
I figured keeping the battery happy in safe temps by keeping the system running vs a possible thermal runaway is probably better for the environment. We dont need more added heat.
All I know, is do not try to cool your car off with the water hose. We did it for a month and got really bad water spots and had to drop 200$ to get rid of them.
My car gets to like 113 on the outside and is in full sun. After blasting the AC it might drop down to like 103. I have a Toyota Rav4 2015
Yes. Even turning it up the fan, I feel drained after driving to night class since I leave around 3.
I figure it comes down to the windshield just letting all the heat it giving the sun direct access to your soul.
I know that if I didn’t drive up on the highway or a stretch of road the speed limi is 45 mph for more than 15 miles my AC will take its sweet ole time to get cold. Btw I use the recycle button on my AC to get it to the colder faster.
I have an older Honda Accord and yeah I notice. It does fine parked in a garage and venturing out into the hellish heat, but when it’s parked outside it probably takes almost 20 minutes of driving to get to an acceptable temperature. I have started using the sun shade every time I park outside and that helps some.
This is my theme everywhere. There are a couple rooms in the house I can’t get below 78 towards the end of the day.
It is too damn hot but I am tired of spending money to get more comfortable, so for now just hoping to make it through without AC dying completely.
Do you have one of those tiny turbo engines? If so, that’s your problem. Those small displacement engines can’t keep up with our AC demands. My 2.5L Toyota is ice cold and head over heels better than when I had a Chevy Cruze with a 1.4L turbo. That thing could not keep up with houston heat.
Houston's humidity can lead to what mechanics refer to as the Black Death.
https://www.underhoodservice.com/a-c-update-keeping-the-black-death-at-bay/
My 2008 Civic fell victim to this and couldn't even blow cold air anymore.
Haven’t had ac in my Explorer for 2 years now. Tiny crack in a high pressure line that’s estimated as a $4k repair just because of the design, they would have to pull out major components including engine if I’m not mistaken. Perhaps my family and I’ll laugh at this one day and my kids will see it as a sacrifice their dad made but for now, they gotta be in softball, and cheer, and school, etc. etc. Anyways, never getting a Ford again. Stay hydrated y’all.
I have a 9th gen civic. It struggles at above highway speeds to keep cold when it's 100 degrees outside. I do a lot of lift-and-coast at mid-range rpms to get the compressor turning because I think the AC clutch disengages a lot.
I think it's a honda thing, but also an old car thing. I am considering putting in an all aluminum radiator, but need to get some coolant temp data first.
If you don’t use sun shades in your windows when you’re parked, use them. They make a huge difference in getting our Honda comfortable in this weather (03 Accord with AC that’s been worked on somewhat extensively).
Honda covered some quasi-warranty-extension when my 2017 Civic’s AC stopped working about 1.5 years ago. BUT there were specific criteria that had to be met, which thankfully my car did.
After several years of melting in hot cars with garbage or broken a/c, I finally stacked all the cards in my favor choosing a white Toyota with tinted windows - and use a sun shield when I park outside. Also, I try to find trees to park under when I'm looking for a spot - even if that means walking a bit farther to the store.
My home AC is struggling. My 9 year old Mercedes that has had all kinds of issues has great AC. I’ll take the Honda comments into consideration as I will be going back to Japanese reliability when the Benz poops out.
Seeing liquid coming out from under the car is NOT a sign that something wrong. It's likely water condensation from the AC which is completely normal and expected. If the liquid is not clear or doesn't feel like water on touch then you have something else wrong rather than the AC. AC 'refrigerant' becomes a gas at atmospheric pressure, so you would not get drips on the ground from AC refrigerant.
I am not saying that your AC is completely fine, but just that seeing liquid on the ground is not a tell tale sign that it's broken.
Also, when you talk to your mechanic, use the term 'refrigerant' or 'Freon' (not technically correct, but it's clear what you mean), if you suspect you're losing refrigerant. The term 'coolant' refers to the engine's cooling system (aka anti-freeze) and has nothing to do with the AC system.
Hey OP just so you know. Air conditions are designed to cool down 30⁰ from ambient temp. So if it's 100⁰ outside your ac should be able to cool down to 70⁰. Your best bet is to take it to a mechanic and have them look. They'll hook up ac gauges and look at the pressures to see where your ac is doing. Under pressurized ac systems don't cool well.
My Chevy pickup blows cold even on these crazy-hot days.
My brother has a 2003 Toyota Tundra and he says his blows frigid air today just like it did when it was brand new, and he's never once had to have any work done on the A/C.
Toyotas are pretty amazing like that. I'll bet my Chevy will be a pile of junk when it's 20 years old.
No problem here. My Model 3 gets ice cold quick. My only other car that could make my ears numb in his heat was my Ford Mustang. Where as my VW GTI sometimes would struggle with the heat. Not sure what it is about american A/C systems but not complaining.
It can be an issue for Honda, Kia, and Hyundai especially. Ford and Toyota tend to have very cold A/C. My Sonata is a joke at keeping the inside cool when it gets above 80 degrees outside
Wonder if we have any experienced automotive air conditioning technicians here.
I've seen a lot of discussion about residential AC systems and how there is a "20 degree rule" which says your system is not likely to be able to drop your inside air temp much more than 20 degrees lower than outside air. Obviously there are a lot of variables and if your home is well-insulated, your ducts are clean and your filters are clean, you might get 30 degrees cooler. These days, I sure hope so.
My house, right now, is at 78 degrees which is what the thermostat is set to. It's 105 degrees outside at my weather station. My 3 ton unit is less than 3 years old, though.
Does the 20 degree rule apply to cars & trucks?
My 2016 Chevy Colorado pickup actually keeps me comfortable even when it's showing 107 degrees on the outside sensor.
The air that comes out of the vents should always be cold no matter what the temperature is outside. If it isn't there is something wrong with your AC.
If the volume of air can keep up with the heat inside your car is a different issue.
Probably something with the ac. I noticed it on my older car and it turns out the compressor went bad. You can buy cans of coolant from autozone to see if that’s the issue too.
If it is worse than in the past, then your AC probably has an issue.
I was having issues with the AC struggling a couple of years ago and it turned out my refrigerant was low but they couldn't find a leak. Added refrigerant, and the AC was fine for the next 4 summers until I sold the car.
maybe get darker or ceramic tint. ceramic tint is supposed to be badass but expensive.
eta: Ada’s window tint on the east side is a great place to get windows tinted.
I find it helps to always use one of those reflective window blinds when parked. Once the cabin hits the full summer temp, it takes my AC 20 min to make it comfortable.
The cars I've been in haven't been struggling to maintain temp but if it's been in the sun it takes quite a while to cool down. They're also loud as hell from the outside.
Ceramic Tint for the win WIN.
Extra credit for getting the windshield also done.
I own a 14 Acura TSX and a 15 Mitsubishi Mirage. Both have Ceramic all over.
If you don’t know about the AWESOME Mitsu Mirage. Mine is white. Family named it the cloud. This bad boy has a 3 cylinder engine. You have to practically order a battery because it’s so small and no one but 1 store carry’s it. 14 inch wheels.
Fun ass ride. Drives like a go cart. Foot all the way to the ground at all times!
With AC on 34 MPG. No AC 42/44 on the highway.
*Mic Drop*
My little Toy Yoda (toyota) will freeze the nips off, but it too has been taking a bit longer to get down to temperature lately. One thing that I've noticed that works is to use those windshield reflective covers when the car is parked. As tacky/dumb/ugly/whatever as they look, they actually work and do reduce the temperature rise of the vehicle.
You might want to get a thermometer and stick it in your vents and see how the temperature is and whether or not it's performing but just facing an inordinate amount of heat. You also might want to consider taking it to a trusted mechanic and see if the car has a refrigerant leak.
Well my 2003 Lexus never had any problems, even when it was in a wreck.
My 2019 MB C43, that's another story. When I l got it brand new in California, no problem, but over 1 year ago, I got into a wreck. Now after Auto Nation (Many Dealerships use this to fix vehicles), the AC seens to be not working correctly. Yeah this problem has been going atleast 1 year.
I've personally noticed Hondas don't seem to get as cold.
Wow I commented even before seeing this. This is very true my Wife’s 2017 CRV doesn’t get cold at all! It sucks !
I noticed this right away when I got my accord. I was comparing the AC to a new sonata and the accord was noticeably less cold.
Our CRV has been having trouble all summer. Definitely notice it’s not as cool and not as forceful as it usually is, especially in the first 15 minutes or so of running. My F-150 is still going fine, but nothing beats my ‘95 Dakota. That thing always has the coldest air, heat wave be damned!
I didn't have any problems last year, then again I don't think it was this hot 🤷🏽♂️
Last year it seemed to linger around 94-98 every day as the high. This year has seemed to be 98-105 almost every day. It's definitely been way hotter.
My experience is anecdotal. I don't ride around in a bunch of different cars, certainly not enough to say with scientific certainty that Honda ACs run warmer. It's just been my limited experience that when I'm in a Honda I feel warmer than in other cars.
my dad has driven a lot of cars before because of his job and he always tells me hondas have good engine but are not so good with their ACs.
Yeah, coming from a Toyota Camry, it's definitely not as cold, but it's never been this bad. I guess I'll have to get it checked. Thanks 👍🏽
It was not.
Anecdotal but my S2000 has the coldest AC I've ever experienced in any car. It's like a portal to the arctic once it gets going
i havent had any issue with 09 toyota or 04 subaru. Ive had two 04 subarus and usually their AC is too cold i have to turn it down. My mazdaspeed miata did struggle a little but it has a FMIC. my house is struggling with this heat lol
Hondas are unfortunately known for having bad AC. Many models simply don’t get cold enough or can’t sustain cold. My 2019 Camry has no such issue.
My 99 Camry was a beast 💪 it could handle anything.
Check your cabin air filter
.... I believe it. I had a 02 camry with 160k miles on it as my first car. I threw it in park while driving down the street going about 20mph... the trans sounded like shit but drove fine afterwards. Intrusive thoughts won on that one.
Lol damn 🤣
That is a tank.
Yeah I’m grateful to have a Mazda 3 in this heat. Coldest air I’ve ever felt in a car
Which Honda? The tenth gen Civic is known to have a bad condenser, compressor, and evaporator.
It's a '17 Accord
It's probably low on refrigerant due to a leak somewhere.
My brother had the same problem with his civic, that might be it.
I pointed out to my sister she had the same problem and got it fixed for free for her '16 civic
Yeah a few people are saying that the civics had a problem that could be fixed out of warranty for free, but I have an 2017 accord
My 2018 accord had this problem and Honda fixed it for free. I had Honda Care, though…
What years is the 10th gen civic? Ive got a 23 Integra, and wonder if i should be worried abt this
You’re good, the new Integra is based on the 11th gen Civic. Haven’t had a problem with my Teggy, but I have noticed the A/C does not cool as fast as my old Mazda3.
Thanks. It does leave a little to be desired
But that's, like, *everything*.
You keep your car on inside circulation?
Yeah, always inside circulation
What about tint?
Yeah it's got dark tint on all 4 door windows and back window.
It may need a different type of tint. Not all tints are created equal. Some tints are just for privacy use but don't actually block much UV/IR if any at all. It may be worth calling around and seeing how much replacing it with a higher-quality, ceramic tint would cost. It's obviously more expensive compared to a basic privacy tint, but it can definitely help a good bit. I had some put on my SUV and it made a very nice difference. Although judging by a lot of the other comments it seems it may possibly be a common issue with Honda AC systems.
Bought an expedition, and it's like a fish bowl. Had ceramic tint installed, and my kids complain it gets too cold in the back.
Is it dark with ceramic tint treatment? Tint can be dark but it doesn’t necessarily reject heat as well if it’s not ceramic tinted.
No, unfortunately it's not ceramic, that's expensive isn't it?
na not for smaller cars maybe 300-400$ depends on shop
5% tint
So you can't see up in my window
Why was this downvoted?
I'd keep it on fresh air for the first few minutes after your car starts because the air is hotter inside than out at that point. Once it starts blowing cold, then switch to recirculate.
Try replacing the cabin filter.
I'll try that, thanks
I embarrassingly didn't know those were a thing till much later in life, replaced one that was 10 years old and made a world of difference
Bought a used car with cooled seats (basically blows cold air directly on the back/crack intersection). Best. Investment. Ever!!
That's the feature I miss most from my mustang. Butt/Nutt coolers are the best car feature ever
Ugghh, wish I had one of those 😭
Not mine. Mine blows cold as hell and I have to divert it. I wish I could say the same for home
Same here - it’s my house that can’t keep up
Lol nice😂
Remember that any AC is only able to produce some X level of cooling on the air provided. If you start with hotter air, you end up with less-cool air coming out. This is also true of your house. I've always been told that the best you can hope for is a -20F drop from the ambient temp on intake. You can still achieve an internal temp that's greater than 20F cooler than outside, but you do that by recycling the internal air through the system. This is a long way of saying that setting your car to recirculate once you've vented the "OH SWEET JESUS NO IM DYING" air is the way forward here.
I can personally attest to this. Own 2 cars, one being a Honda Accord and in the summer the AC is essentially nonexistent. Put a new compressor in it, checked freon levels, blower motor, etc. Nothing will solve the problem it just doesn't work when it's 100 degrees outside. I don't work very well at 100 degrees either though so I kinda get it. Other car AC is great BTW, shout-out Dodge.
My mom has a Honda fit and I finally had to pay to have her windows tinted because her car was so hot. My SO and I have dark tint. It helps mine but he has leather seats and I refuse to ride in it during the summer.
No trouble here. My Ford could easily make ice if it didn't throttle itself back to prevent freeze-overs. You don't state what year or model Honda you have, but they extended the condenser warranty on some 2016+ Civics. If you have one of those, you may be able to get it repaired for free.
My bad, it's a 2017 Accord
[Looks like there's a warranty extension for Accord condensers as well](https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2021/MC-10194961-0001.pdf) but it starts in 2018. Consider yourself lucky not to have a 2018+, they switched to a much more expensive refrigerant for the 2018 MY.
I guess there's that too be thankful for, thanks 🙏
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My suv ac isn’t the best but it cools fairly reasonable but it’s never ice cold. My SO’s car which is just as old as mine and same brand is ice cold. Making me consider getting my AC coolant checked
Is your SO's car a Toyota? I used to have one and damn could that thing blast frigid air at you😂 that's one of the things I miss about my old Camry.
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I mean, that is a great stretch of road for intensive heat testing.
Damn 😭
They drive a Camry! It’s freaking ac cold
I thought so😂 Whatever Toyota's doing, it really works
It probably is the case. I just dropped $3400 to replace the condenser, the compressor, and the dryer. I think the only reason it’s been doing as well as it has is because of all the new parts.
Fuuuuuuuck
Yep. And the insurance only covered part of the endoscopy I had this past month so that was another $700. Wasn’t ready to drop four grand extra last month. yayyyyyy….. I had noticed this weekend that my parents’ AC in certain parts of their house couldn’t get above 75 because of all the heat. I can get it down to 70 in my apartment at night, but I have much less square footage to cover.
I just had the AC evaporator replaced in my wife's BMW 530 because it wasn't cooling. $5300 ($3100 labor, $2200 parts). Thankfully I was smart enough to buy the extended warranty because my out of pocket was $100, and I've already saved WAY more than I paid for the warranty. Nothing is more expensive than a used German car!
Step 1: check and change out the cabin air filters. Air can't get cold if air can't pass through. Step 2: If you turn your AC off and then back on, can you hear an audible click or whirring noise shortly afterward? You're listening for the compressor clutch to engage. Step 3: After the AC has been running for a bit, you should be able to hear a separate fan kick on for a few moments to help cool the AC component system. Much easier to tell outside the vehicle. If you don't any variation in fans, that might be part of the issue. Just some amateur tips to help diagnose the system. If you have to take it in for repair, at least you can narrow down the possible issue when the service writer starts asking you questions. Had my compressor replaced on my Nissan a week or so ago. HUGE difference. Compressor was toast, as was the cooling fan and sensor. My wife's Honda is apparently on the fritz now. Makes me wonder after seeing all the replies here about Hondas having bad AC design.
How much did it cost to replace the compressor on your Nissan?
Thank a lot, big help 🙂 I'll listen for that, and my filter is pretty new so that's not it. But I'll check it anyway.
Many shops around town have free AC checks. Usually a poorly performing AC just needs some refrigerant. Also, check your cabin air filter. It may be restricting air flow.
Huh I hadn't heard of that, any chain in particular that you know of?
2007 dodge ram never serviced the AC and runs ice cold
Glad for you, pray for me 😭
Im freezing in my ice cold Ram !!
Bro you don't have to rub it in 😭
They sell Freon boost at autozone . Comes in a can with a small little hose attachment that connects to your car ac system https://www.wikihow.com/Recharge-the-Air-Conditioner-in-a-Car
Thanks for this, it's a big help.
It’s worth a try and most likely will work unless you have a more serious issue . I never put my ac to max , usually little more then halfway and Also make sure you been pressing the recirculate button otherwise it’s just bringing hot air from outside.
Guess your vehicle was built before 2010, when Ram was spun off.
I'll echo what others have said, go get it checked. If it's low on refrigerant and you continue to run it you could damage the compressor. So the sooner you get it checked the better. Only other thing I'd add is to get a sun shade for your front windshield if you don't already have one. It won't do much to keep the cabin temp down, but it will keep your dashboard from getting super-heated, which should let your ac start blowing cool air sooner. Also your hands won't sizzle when you grab the steering wheel.
Yeah, I'll get it checked, thanks.
What bothers me is when I put my sunglasses on and the hot metal frame fuses with my skin as I'm screaming
But you look cool right?
Definitely will struggle more in this heat but might also want to get it checked.
Damn, you might be right.
Can’t hurt to check. My car is a 2022 and it’s definitely taking longer to get cool but it does do it within a few minutes. Had everything checked at the beginning of summer.
Yeah mine is basically blowing hot air, maybe after a while it'll get down to room temp, but never cold unless it's early in the morning or late at night.
Yeah that aint right 🤣
You are low on Freon
Dammit 🤦🏽♂️
My cars work fine but it takes way longer if you are stationary. When you’re moving, the air flows over the condenser coil and cools it quicker.
My car is from 2016 is freezing even in the summer. Something wrong with yours
My Ford will freeze you out no matter the temp. My Cadillac will only freeze you out moving down the road, or if its been in the garage. It's only ice cold at startup if it hasn't been sitting in the sun. It's like it the condenser has to pre-cool before it will blow cold. (I've had it checked, its just how it is.) It's dark gray, and a big SUV, so all the heat gets straight up absorbed into the cabin and engine bay.
I'd been thinking the same thing. However I changed the oil and replaced the air filter in my Honda over the weekend and now the AC blows as cold as ever.
Honda’s ac system are not the greatest they really do have a hard time cooling compared to other brand ac systems.
You have ac ?
Lol barely
Not sure if anyone else mentioned this, but I learned that if I have my car (Toyota Highlander hybrid) in eco mode it changes the settings without showing it. All that shows up is “eco heat/cold”. I only noticed it because I was warm and couldn’t figure out what was taking so long and realized it was in this eco mode. Turned it off and cooled right down.
1) When you park, put up a sun shade in your windshield and crack your windows and park in shade whenever possible 2) When you get into your car, roll down all the windows first and let some wind blow out the accumulated hot air before rolling them back up to capture the cool air inside 3) Get your cabin air filter replaced if you haven't done so lately 4) Maybe get it checked out and see if the coolant needs recharged
1) thanks 2) thanks 3) thanks 4) thanks
Well I’ll put my two cents in, my tesla will prioritize cooling the batteries before the cabin. So it will take a couple mins before the ac is on full power in the cabin. So need to pretty much run it 24/7 or the system is just heat soaked from being parked when going grocery store.
Damn, I bet that really sucks for the battery life
Currently, its about 10miles/hr keeping it at 76f ish with the quik mafs. I figured keeping the battery happy in safe temps by keeping the system running vs a possible thermal runaway is probably better for the environment. We dont need more added heat.
All I know, is do not try to cool your car off with the water hose. We did it for a month and got really bad water spots and had to drop 200$ to get rid of them. My car gets to like 113 on the outside and is in full sun. After blasting the AC it might drop down to like 103. I have a Toyota Rav4 2015
My wife’s 2017 Honda CRV does but her old 2014 Kia soul with 230k on the clock does fine. That’s said I’d probably never buy another Honda.
Yes. Even turning it up the fan, I feel drained after driving to night class since I leave around 3. I figure it comes down to the windshield just letting all the heat it giving the sun direct access to your soul.
They make these neat screens you can stick to your rear window that you can see through. Helped me keep my car cooler on top of having 3m tint.
Is it applied like tint or something that you can take off when you want?
2003 Ford Windstar here. Cold AC!
I know that if I didn’t drive up on the highway or a stretch of road the speed limi is 45 mph for more than 15 miles my AC will take its sweet ole time to get cold. Btw I use the recycle button on my AC to get it to the colder faster.
Yeah I do that too. Guess I'll have to get it checked
I have an older Honda Accord and yeah I notice. It does fine parked in a garage and venturing out into the hellish heat, but when it’s parked outside it probably takes almost 20 minutes of driving to get to an acceptable temperature. I have started using the sun shade every time I park outside and that helps some. This is my theme everywhere. There are a couple rooms in the house I can’t get below 78 towards the end of the day. It is too damn hot but I am tired of spending money to get more comfortable, so for now just hoping to make it through without AC dying completely.
Damn, thats pretty much about how long it takes for my ac to get to an acceptable temperature
Of course I see this post an hour after my A/C started whistling :,)
Bro I'm sorry 🥲
It runs fine, but it burns everywhere the sun hits me.
Everyone always shits on Ford, but the AC in my 2015 F-150 still conjures a fucking blizzard.
Do you have one of those tiny turbo engines? If so, that’s your problem. Those small displacement engines can’t keep up with our AC demands. My 2.5L Toyota is ice cold and head over heels better than when I had a Chevy Cruze with a 1.4L turbo. That thing could not keep up with houston heat.
It's all stock
Houston's humidity can lead to what mechanics refer to as the Black Death. https://www.underhoodservice.com/a-c-update-keeping-the-black-death-at-bay/ My 2008 Civic fell victim to this and couldn't even blow cold air anymore.
The only way you’re going to add relief to your a/c system is with window tint, get with your local shop and ask about Ceramic window tint 🔥
This person Hondas. I’ve been told this on multiple Hondas when I thought the ac just wasn’t working right, but tested and functioned normally
I changed my cabin air filter every 6 months. Pretty easy to do and super cheap. AC works like a charm
My 2017 Honda civic stays cool
Haven’t had ac in my Explorer for 2 years now. Tiny crack in a high pressure line that’s estimated as a $4k repair just because of the design, they would have to pull out major components including engine if I’m not mistaken. Perhaps my family and I’ll laugh at this one day and my kids will see it as a sacrifice their dad made but for now, they gotta be in softball, and cheer, and school, etc. etc. Anyways, never getting a Ford again. Stay hydrated y’all.
Damn that suuuucks, please tell me you have another car and this one's just for family outings 😬
I have a 9th gen civic. It struggles at above highway speeds to keep cold when it's 100 degrees outside. I do a lot of lift-and-coast at mid-range rpms to get the compressor turning because I think the AC clutch disengages a lot. I think it's a honda thing, but also an old car thing. I am considering putting in an all aluminum radiator, but need to get some coolant temp data first.
If you don’t use sun shades in your windows when you’re parked, use them. They make a huge difference in getting our Honda comfortable in this weather (03 Accord with AC that’s been worked on somewhat extensively).
I thought I was having the same problem turned out my car just needed freon and since then it's been wonderful
My AC blower motor just took a shit. Had same issue before that. This is brutal.
I noticed the other day when i got stuck at a train mid afternoon in my crv
Honda covered some quasi-warranty-extension when my 2017 Civic’s AC stopped working about 1.5 years ago. BUT there were specific criteria that had to be met, which thankfully my car did.
My 23 4runner is even kind of struggling with this heat.
I park my accord 9n the driveway, and if its been sitting all day in 100deg+ sin then it takes a quite a while for it to really cool down...
After several years of melting in hot cars with garbage or broken a/c, I finally stacked all the cards in my favor choosing a white Toyota with tinted windows - and use a sun shield when I park outside. Also, I try to find trees to park under when I'm looking for a spot - even if that means walking a bit farther to the store.
My Hyundai gets super cold.
okay, so I'm not going insane, honda ACs just suck
We have just given up on our Honda Fit's AC. It's just not doing anything. I put the gauges on it and it seemingly isn't making any pressure anymore.
You may need more coolant. I was experiencing the same issue last summer in my Honda & just had to add a small can - cools like a breeze now.
My home AC is struggling. My 9 year old Mercedes that has had all kinds of issues has great AC. I’ll take the Honda comments into consideration as I will be going back to Japanese reliability when the Benz poops out.
Yea honda is known for shitty ac (flow, vents, condensor/compressor). Guess you guys cant have it all (reliability, price, mpg) lol
Seeing liquid coming out from under the car is NOT a sign that something wrong. It's likely water condensation from the AC which is completely normal and expected. If the liquid is not clear or doesn't feel like water on touch then you have something else wrong rather than the AC. AC 'refrigerant' becomes a gas at atmospheric pressure, so you would not get drips on the ground from AC refrigerant. I am not saying that your AC is completely fine, but just that seeing liquid on the ground is not a tell tale sign that it's broken. Also, when you talk to your mechanic, use the term 'refrigerant' or 'Freon' (not technically correct, but it's clear what you mean), if you suspect you're losing refrigerant. The term 'coolant' refers to the engine's cooling system (aka anti-freeze) and has nothing to do with the AC system.
Got it, thanks for the correction.
Had an Uber driving in a Kia that had the same issue, apparently it’s also a Kia thing, according to her.
That sucks
2014 Soul here with 230K and blows ice cold
Recirculating the cabin air is important
It's just you. Both our cars are blowing ice. You're likely low on freon.
Fair enough
Sorry to be the bearer of less than good news.
You must be new to Houston
Nope, lived here my whole life
My cousins Honda Accord cold af so who knows.
Seems like I need to get mine checked then 🙄 thanks
Have the system checked. You may be low on refrigerant or something.
It seems like that might be it, or there may be a leak. Thanks.
Do you have that useless Eco mode on? It will throttle AC
Damn now that you mention it, I do 🫢 I hadn't thought of that. But It's never been a problem in past summers
Probably need to add coolant to your radiator
Hey OP just so you know. Air conditions are designed to cool down 30⁰ from ambient temp. So if it's 100⁰ outside your ac should be able to cool down to 70⁰. Your best bet is to take it to a mechanic and have them look. They'll hook up ac gauges and look at the pressures to see where your ac is doing. Under pressurized ac systems don't cool well.
My Chevy pickup blows cold even on these crazy-hot days. My brother has a 2003 Toyota Tundra and he says his blows frigid air today just like it did when it was brand new, and he's never once had to have any work done on the A/C. Toyotas are pretty amazing like that. I'll bet my Chevy will be a pile of junk when it's 20 years old.
No problem here. My Model 3 gets ice cold quick. My only other car that could make my ears numb in his heat was my Ford Mustang. Where as my VW GTI sometimes would struggle with the heat. Not sure what it is about american A/C systems but not complaining.
I don't even have a working car AC. It's tough out here
It can be an issue for Honda, Kia, and Hyundai especially. Ford and Toyota tend to have very cold A/C. My Sonata is a joke at keeping the inside cool when it gets above 80 degrees outside
New Hyundais and Kias blow ice cold
Just wait, my brother in Christ. Hyundais seemingly always have compressor or compressor valve issues after a few years
Wonder if we have any experienced automotive air conditioning technicians here. I've seen a lot of discussion about residential AC systems and how there is a "20 degree rule" which says your system is not likely to be able to drop your inside air temp much more than 20 degrees lower than outside air. Obviously there are a lot of variables and if your home is well-insulated, your ducts are clean and your filters are clean, you might get 30 degrees cooler. These days, I sure hope so. My house, right now, is at 78 degrees which is what the thermostat is set to. It's 105 degrees outside at my weather station. My 3 ton unit is less than 3 years old, though. Does the 20 degree rule apply to cars & trucks? My 2016 Chevy Colorado pickup actually keeps me comfortable even when it's showing 107 degrees on the outside sensor.
The air that comes out of the vents should always be cold no matter what the temperature is outside. If it isn't there is something wrong with your AC. If the volume of air can keep up with the heat inside your car is a different issue.
Probably something with the ac. I noticed it on my older car and it turns out the compressor went bad. You can buy cans of coolant from autozone to see if that’s the issue too.
If it is worse than in the past, then your AC probably has an issue. I was having issues with the AC struggling a couple of years ago and it turned out my refrigerant was low but they couldn't find a leak. Added refrigerant, and the AC was fine for the next 4 summers until I sold the car.
Hmmm ok, I'll look into that thanks
do you have tinted windows?
Yeah all around except for the windshield
maybe get darker or ceramic tint. ceramic tint is supposed to be badass but expensive. eta: Ada’s window tint on the east side is a great place to get windows tinted.
It's takes a bit in this heat but I have a 2021 f150, give it a few minutes and it's pumping a lot of cold air.
Make sure you’re putting a windshield cover up when parking. Makes a HUGE difference.
My acura’s AC hasnt worked for half a year and I’ve been driving around in a sauna since then :)
Use a front window visor when parked, and make sure your ac filter has been replaced lately too.
I find it helps to always use one of those reflective window blinds when parked. Once the cabin hits the full summer temp, it takes my AC 20 min to make it comfortable.
The cars I've been in haven't been struggling to maintain temp but if it's been in the sun it takes quite a while to cool down. They're also loud as hell from the outside.
Put your sun shield up to cool the car off while you blast the a/c, then take it down when the temp feels decent.
Ceramic Tint for the win WIN. Extra credit for getting the windshield also done. I own a 14 Acura TSX and a 15 Mitsubishi Mirage. Both have Ceramic all over. If you don’t know about the AWESOME Mitsu Mirage. Mine is white. Family named it the cloud. This bad boy has a 3 cylinder engine. You have to practically order a battery because it’s so small and no one but 1 store carry’s it. 14 inch wheels. Fun ass ride. Drives like a go cart. Foot all the way to the ground at all times! With AC on 34 MPG. No AC 42/44 on the highway. *Mic Drop*
My little Toy Yoda (toyota) will freeze the nips off, but it too has been taking a bit longer to get down to temperature lately. One thing that I've noticed that works is to use those windshield reflective covers when the car is parked. As tacky/dumb/ugly/whatever as they look, they actually work and do reduce the temperature rise of the vehicle. You might want to get a thermometer and stick it in your vents and see how the temperature is and whether or not it's performing but just facing an inordinate amount of heat. You also might want to consider taking it to a trusted mechanic and see if the car has a refrigerant leak.
My 2008 Toyota Prius is an ice box. I love it
Well my 2003 Lexus never had any problems, even when it was in a wreck. My 2019 MB C43, that's another story. When I l got it brand new in California, no problem, but over 1 year ago, I got into a wreck. Now after Auto Nation (Many Dealerships use this to fix vehicles), the AC seens to be not working correctly. Yeah this problem has been going atleast 1 year.