I am going to take it in for service, but not until next month. My inspection is due, and it’s time for the 30,000 mile service, so I will get everything done at once.
But it’s weird. This is a 2012 Honda Fit so there really shouldn’t be anything wrong with it at this stage. The AC runs, but sometimes it runs right and sometimes it’s not very cold. I don’t mean it doesn’t cool the car down, I mean when you put your hand in front of the AC blower, it doesn’t feel cold. When you crank the AC to max, it never really gets cold.
A little bit of googling says it needs recharging, maybe. Could that be the case? Could it have a leak?
A leak is certainly possible, although I assume you’ve been experiencing the same scorching heat here in the east most of us have over the past few days. Maybe it’s just not on long enough to make a difference. Have you taken it for any extended, over say 20 mile drives to see what happens?
It sounds like you’re covered by warranty regardless.
If it is blowing cool air, not cold, then my first thought would be a freon recharge is all that you need.
If it is still under warranty, I would have it checked for a leak because as young as your car is, I wouldn’t expect it to need freon. It seems like most cars will go for at least 5 years before needing a recharge.
How hot is it there? I’ve found that in 100 degree heat, some imports don’t seem to do a very good job of cooling the car when it is stopped. My Isuzu (granted it is almost a 20 year old design) never really get cold until I had sustained highway speeds pushing air over the condenser coils to carry the heat away.
There shouldn’t be a problem at just 30K miles, but it’s possible. The only reason it would need a recharge is if there were a leak.
My experience with my home air conditioning is that when the refrigerant quantity begins to run low, it changes the operating characteristics such that the evaporator actually runs at a colder than normal temperature; this makes the condensate freeze up on the evaporator coils and actually blocks air flow. I assume automotive air conditioning will behave in a similar manner. I expect if refrigerant levels get low enough you’ll get to a point where the system can’t cool the evaporator at all, and then you just get ambient-temperature air coming through. Maybe that’s where you’re at already, i.e. plenty of air flow but no cooling?
Recharge kits may be available at auto parts stores so you can DIY, saving yourself some cash. If this is a slow-leak situation, and/or if you’re currently tight on cash, this may be a desirable alternative.
The mechanic’s recharge stuff has a marker dye in it, so after a month or so you can check around and hopefully locate any leaks. I don’t know if the self recharge stuff has the same or not.
Although with as tightly packed as engines are these days it’s pretty likely you won’t be able to see the whole system without taking a few pieces off anyway.
Except if you over inflate a tire it may not last for as many miles as rated. Over pressurize a AC compressor and It can keep the system properly and can cause the comp[ressor to fail.
Does your system have the “MAX” option - meaning it mostly recirculates the air inside the car? Give that a try - maybe the fresh air it’s sucking in is just too hot. That’s the first thing I’d try.
If you don’t have that option, then make sure there’s always ice water in your cup holder.
The old a/c systems we simply added freon until the bubbles went away. The newer systems I don’t know how you could accurately recharge a system without evacuating it first and then refilling it with recommended capacity. Too much freon will not cool properly and can certainly damage a compressor. A little under is better.
Let’s see, in answer to all of the questions, in no particular order:
It’s not a matter of just getting the car cold. I don’t really expect that in 100 degree weather…but after 40 minutes or so it should. Naw, when you put your hand directly up against the vent, the air coming out is not cold.
I do have the system to keep the air circulating inside. Again, it’s not just cooling the car down, cold air is not coming out.
My engine is extremely tightly packed. I mean, you really have no idea how much they can cram into a Fit hood compartment…omg. Everything is like a puzzle. I don’t think I am comfortable fishing around in there.
I think that’s it! It sounds like a leak or maybe it’s just low. Like I said, my inspection is due in August, so I will take the car in soon and see what they can do.
Do you have to wait until August? And how far into August? Maybe you could get it in earlier. It wouldn’t make any difference to them, but it would to you, especially if the temperatures are in the 100s.
Good gosh what a pain in the ass stuck blend doors are! A kick in the ass to whoever designed the Focus HVAC system. The recirc door sticks, the heater core blend door sticks, and the vent blend door sticks. All of my dash parts rattle because I’ve had them apart so many times and the bloody plastic fasteners only live so long.
Regarding the OP, I would bet that the times of poor AC performance are also the times when the car is at idle.
The AC compressor is spun by the crankshaft, and if that’s not turning very fast for long periods, the AC performance sucks.
I notice it every time I’m in a long line in my car. Just sticking the car in neutral and gently bringing the revs up to 2,000 rpm for 30 seconds is enough to spin the compressor fast enough to cool again.
