AC - does anyone have a truck that blows ice cold?

[Jhill]

For what it is worth,
When I took my truck for the UConnect update and air bag recall, I complained about my AC blowing Diff. temp. from driver and passenger vents. The tech that was working on the updates was around when i complained about the AC to the service MGR. The tech jumped in and said the problems is due to a design flaw.
the service MGR told him to shut up! I told the service MGR to let the tech. talk!
I will try to explain the best I captured the info.
So, apparently the trap doors separating the left and right vents come together in the center of the dash top. He said he was tasked by FCA for the analysis of this issue. .the tech said when he removed the dash top on a truck with same complaints, the dash top sits on top of the channel/tunnel directing air to the vents on each side. Dash top has a foam seal on the bottom side that sits on top of the dash sealing the tunnel. the seal is supposed to seal. The seal does not work as designed (does not seal air tight), therefor that is why we get hotter reading on the driver side.
The service MGR gave the usual BS as to why the temps are different!
The tech said that he does not know anything about any changes to the design.

Sounds like honest info...Thank you for this inside scoop.

 

[azzx]

Summer has arrived with a vengeance to PHX area, so I was bored and did experimentation with my other cars yesterday using the same meat thermometer.
All cars were driven for 15 minutes to stabilize the interior temps.

• 2017 KIA Soul: 42 to 44 degrees. Delta between passenger and drive vents were: 5-6 degrees
• 2019 Ram: 42- 50. Delta between passenger and driver center vents: 8 degrees. Driver side was the warmest
• 2017 Honda Ridgeline: 40 – 44 degrees. Delta: 3-5
• 2018 Honda Civic: 42 – 45 degrees. Delta 3-5
• 2015 Scion XB: 38-40 degrees. Delta 1-2.

So, of my cars, the Scion has the coldest AC.

 

[RPeezy]

The mod helps a significant increase in AC performance and confirms there is a bleed door or valve issue with trucks mostly built before September 2018. If you notice none of the people complaining have build dates after 9/18 they are all before.

If we can find out what RAM did in 09/18 to handle this with the newer built trucks. We would have our answer and a fix would be in order.

I have a May 2019 build...same issues.

 

[danielle2019]

Not sure what’s going on, but my AC seems to have woken up this week. Actually had to turn it down on my commute home this evening because it got so cold.

 

[BeauxXL1200]

Not sure what’s going on, but my AC seems to have woken up this week. Actually had to turn it down on my commute home this evening because it got so cold.

From your lips to God’s ears!

 

[Ram92131]

My truck’s AC performance seems pretty on par with my former Jeep Grand Cherokee. No complaint so far after 4000 miles.

One thing I notice is that the AC feels much cooler on cloudy days (same air temp, just lack of sun). On very bright days, even cold ones, I feel warmer. I think that’s due to radiant heat from sunlight hitting my body. Air temperatures coming out of the vent have little effect on that.

 

[Ram92131]

I realize there are many threads on the subject. I was merely trying to draw out those owners that felt they did not have an issue. I was hoping to an overwhelming majority of owners that indicated 'no problems here. AC works great.' Instead what I'm finding is owners that are simply living with a problem and not really saying anything. Which is fine but really doesn't solve the problem.

To be clear, it appears the AC on the 2019 ram simply does not meet market expectations. In fact it appears every car on the road with AC out performs the 2019 ram with respect to cooling.

Did you walk away from the Ram based on what you read here? Keep in mind that people come here specifically to complain about problems. So basing your purchase decision solely on what you read here is like going to a hospital and concluding that all humans are sick.

 

[Ram92131]

To be clear, it appears the AC on the 2019 ram simply does not meet market expectations. In fact it appears every car on the road with AC out performs the 2019 ram with respect to cooling.

Based on what exactly? I notice several who complained did not set the AC at max, for example. The Automatic temp control naturally will adjust to match conditions. And if you have etorque it will blow quite warm when the engine is off. So such incomplete data points shouldn’t be trusted.

Several posters said the AC is working well. “Every car on the road” is a bit of an exaggeration, don’t you think?

 

[Jhill]

Did you walk away from the Ram based on what you read here? Keep in mind that people come here specifically to complain about problems. So basing your purchase decision solely on what you read here is like going to a hospital and concluding that all humans are sick.

Exactly!!! The guys with no issues generally just enjoy their trucks but the ones with problems seek out the forums to "vent" and see if others are having same issue. Then the remaining bunch of us are here wanting to customize our trucks and see what others are doing to theirs to make them unique. (....and seeing how many exhaust systems Porboy will try before he settles on the one "just right"....lol) If every single owner of a 5th gen honestly filled out a survey , it would be way more positive overall . I was shopping for refrigerators a few years ago and was surprised how negative most surveys were. No brand had everyone happy. Just had to give up on survey info and make my own decision . These are wonderful trucks unbelievably refined from the trucks just a few years ago.

 

[thebigalboski]

It’s hotter than the sun in South Louisiana and mine has kept up. Not the strongest AC I’ve ever had in a truck, but it gets there. Haven’t done the thermometer test but it always gets cold enough that I have to turn it down a couple notches.

 

[thenrich]

Did you walk away from the Ram based on what you read here? Keep in mind that people come here specifically to complain about problems. So basing your purchase decision solely on what you read here is like going to a hospital and concluding that all humans are sick.

I did not walk away. With that said the AC is pretty weak for a vehicle at this level and I do have the heater core hack I can use. Either way it's obvious there's a performance issue.

 

[chalin]

I have a May 2019 build...same issues.

I have a Oct 2018 build...same issues.

 

[Xmetal]

Third Louisiana owner to chime in here...its keeping up without running on max. No complaints on day 2 lol

 

[MDBumblebee]

Dec 2018 Big Horn with no A/C issues. It takes longer to cool the Ram cabin than my Kia Soul or Camaro does but that's to be expected with such a huge area. But once it does it's on par with other vehicles I own.
I have noticed, however, that auto is the poorest setting when the cab is really hot. Max A/C & recirc seems to be the best setting for me for quickest cool-down then set to auto to maintain.

 

[Love2driveRAM19]

We know the hot states are gonna feel it more!!!

I live in Florida

I was just curious.
It feels hotter to me some days in the summer Pennsylvania than Florida because of the elevation I think??? closer to the sun kinda thing

The 10 hottest states in the US, based on state-wide average temperatures.

Rank	Year	Winter	Summer
1	Florida	Hawaii	Louisiana
2	Hawaii	Florida	Texas
3	Louisiana	Louisiana	Florida
4	Texas	Texas	Oklahoma
5	Georgia	Georgia	Mississippi
6	Mississippi	Mississippi	Arkansas
7	Alabama	Alabama	Georgia
8	South Carolina	California	Alabama
9	Arkansas	South Carolina	South Carolina
10	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona

 

[Whiskey_tango]

We know the hot states are gonna feel it more!!!

I live in Florida

I was just curious.
It feels hotter to me some days in the summer Pennsylvania than Florida because of the elevation I think??? closer to the sun kinda thing

The 10 hottest states in the US, based on state-wide average temperatures.

Rank	Year	Winter	Summer
1	Florida	Hawaii	Louisiana
2	Hawaii	Florida	Texas
3	Louisiana	Louisiana	Florida
4	Texas	Texas	Oklahoma
5	Georgia	Georgia	Mississippi
6	Mississippi	Mississippi	Arkansas
7	Alabama	Alabama	Georgia
8	South Carolina	California	Alabama
9	Arkansas	South Carolina	South Carolina
10	Arizona	Arizona	Arizona

Statewide AVG is kinda meaningless in CA where the state spans nearly the entire west coast and thru the Sierras. Up here in the Northern part of the Sac Valley there can be weeks of 100-110 during the summer.

It was 105 yesterday. Had AC on MAX for an hour drive and never felt like I could turn it down. Even my infant in the back never got cold. I'd get a runny nose if I tried that in my 09 F150.

 

[Love2driveRAM19]

Statewide AVG is kinda meaningless in CA where the state spans nearly the entire west coast and thru the Sierras. Up here in the Northern part of the Sac Valley there can be weeks of 100-110 during the summer.

It was 105 yesterday. Had AC on MAX for an hour drive and never felt like I could turn it down. Even my infant in the back never got cold. I'd get a runny nose if I tried that in my 09 F150.

Definitely not to discredit any place that gets hot as well....you know.

My 2000 ram 1500 gets arctic cold and it is 19 years old!!!!

I am greatly considering the A/C hack...just hoping RAM steps up soon!!!

 

[SpikeMike]

I live near Houston, Texas. I keep mine on Auto and the temperature is fine. I haven't had this truck during August yet, so I will reserve final opinion till then. I will say that my truck is white. I kind of think its a requirement to have a white truck in Texas.

I don't understand people having black trucks here. You can't even touch them in the summer. No wonder it takes them a while to cool down.

When I park my truck in the sun during the day, I use my windshield shade from Covercraft. It definitely helps keep the temp down, so start up recovery is quicker.

 

[Willwork4truck]

There's definitely truth to the whole "color makes it hotter" thing. I've often wondered how people with black/black handle the heat... coming from Phoenix where 117+ in the summer is not extreme, I didn't see near as many black trucks there. Here in the Raleigh area, black is a very common color, and with something like 85%+ interiors being black, that's a bad cooling combination!

Chrome door handles were bad in Phoenix, my 1st year there (2000) I found that out the hard way...

 

[Zstreet86]

I am definitely in the category of "yeah, I think there is a design problem but I am just living with it". Definite doesn't seem to cut it at times in this Alabama heat and humidity.