Air conditioning performance

[timtlu]

Exclusive auto with recirculate. Start it at 65 - 67. Incrementally tick it up to end up with it at 69-72, depending on weather/ length of drive as it becomes too cold.

No hack. Works well.

 

[BeauxXL1200]

I’m curious...what climate control settings does everyone run, regardless of “hacks”?

I exclusively use Auto mode, most often at 71 degrees, with seat ventilation on LO or HI depending on the day. No A/C mods.

I just set the temp down as low as it will go on both sides and regulate using the different fan speeds. Works for me.

 

[TheMadDutchDude]

As weird as it is... today was the hottest day on record for this year, and my AC has never performed better.

Is there some kind of chance that the AC is related to outside temp, with a possibility of a software mishap? Shooting in the dark here.

 

[dmodem]

As weird as it is... today was the hottest day on record for this year, and my AC has never performed better.

Is there some kind of chance that the AC is related to outside temp, with a possibility of a software mishap? Shooting in the dark here.

Don't think so. The warmer it is, the worse mine performs.

 

[RAMpage]

No AC hack here... run mine on low always and vary the fan from 2-4. Not the coldest air I admit but I find it comfortable and it’s in the low 40’s Celsius lately outside with the humidity.

 

[Differia]

Is the problem with the A/C from the new design 5th gen?
The new classic is a 4th gen style and doesnt have the poor performance alot of us are experiencing?

 

[RAM 4times]

couldn't be more happy with my ac. always keep it on auto and the last few days it's been very ,very hot in southern new jersey and it been working great. i have to redirect the vents away from me sometimes.

 

[RAMpage]

Picked up a thermostat today to check mine... truck was sitting in the sun for about an hour, went and stuck the t-stat into the vent as soon as I started the truck (temp set to LO, fan on speed 4) and was getting around 55 F air out at the start. Def got cooler as I left and started driving. It was 95 F (feels like 118 F with the humidity - 70% at the time) as we are under a heat warning. I was quite happy with that 55 F upon startup considering how hot it was outside!

 

[KMAN1964]

It is pretty simple to check with a thermometer
I have measured several dodge rams and I feel and I have seen a difference in as much of 7-10 degrees against other trucks, cars, and SUV
My fresh air and auto runs at 62 degrees at the lowest setting with outside temps at 88

Recirc is 50
This is not normal, or if it is for the Ram definitely poor performance against every other car or truck

 

[rrbhokies]

couldn't be more happy with my ac. always keep it on auto and the last few days it's been very ,very hot in southern new jersey and it been working great. i have to redirect the vents away from me sometimes.

Did you install the hack and your happy, or are you happy because yours seems fine without the hack?

 

[RAM 4times]

Did you install the hack and your happy, or are you happy because yours seems fine without the hack?

no hack. even though i was always happy with it earlier this year when i was in for a recall i got them to do the software update on it. saw on this forum that they had one but you have to ask for it.

 

[Snoopy321]

This is my first post so let me start by saying hello to everybody.

I currently have a 2016 F-150 and was thinking about getting a new Ram. I try not to get the first model year of any redesigned brand to give them time to work out the bugs and I see that I will end up doing the same if I get the Ram. Ford had their share of problems with the 2015 F-150's.

I'm hoping the A/C problem is not a design defect and a fix can be put in place during the production run. I'm surprised to hear how the HVAC system works on Auto. Never had one that used panel and floor vents and fresh air when it's really hot. Every vehicle I've owned is panel and recirc.

Poor A/C would be a deal breaker for me since I live in the south. My F-150 can get down to 37 degrees after driving 15-20 minutes. And that's with temperatures hovering around 95 degrees. Even idling in hot weather it can maintain 40-42. Outside the cooling fans are screaming like a jet engine though; like an engaged clutch fan when you're accelerating.

The Ford has two electric cooling how many does the new Ram have? Maybe there is not enough airflow over the condenser.

 

[SpeedyV]

This is my first post so let me start by saying hello to everybody.

I currently have a 2016 F-150 and was thinking about getting a new Ram. I try not to get the first model year of any redesigned brand to give them time to work out the bugs and I see that I will end up doing the same if I get the Ram. Ford had their share of problems with the 2015 F-150's.

I'm hoping the A/C problem is not a design defect and a fix can be put in place during the production run. I'm surprised to hear how the HVAC system works on Auto. Never had one that used panel and floor vents and fresh air when it's really hot. Every vehicle I've owned is panel and recirc.

Poor A/C would be a deal breaker for me since I live in the south. My F-150 can get down to 37 degrees after driving 15-20 minutes. And that's with temperatures hovering around 95 degrees. Even idling in hot weather it can maintain 40-42. Outside the cooling fans are screaming like a jet engine though; like an engaged clutch fan when you're accelerating.

The Ford has two electric cooling how many does the new Ram have? Maybe there is not enough airflow over the condenser.

Nah, the new Ram actually claims improvements to flow volumes and cooling systems in general. I won’t rehash the thousands of prior posts (multiple threads), but the general consensus among those claiming unacceptable performance is that there’s a blend door issue.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[go-ram]

This is my first post so let me start by saying hello to everybody.

I currently have a 2016 F-150 and was thinking about getting a new Ram. I try not to get the first model year of any redesigned brand to give them time to work out the bugs and I see that I will end up doing the same if I get the Ram. Ford had their share of problems with the 2015 F-150's.

I'm hoping the A/C problem is not a design defect and a fix can be put in place during the production run. I'm surprised to hear how the HVAC system works on Auto. Never had one that used panel and floor vents and fresh air when it's really hot. Every vehicle I've owned is panel and recirc.

Poor A/C would be a deal breaker for me since I live in the south. My F-150 can get down to 37 degrees after driving 15-20 minutes. And that's with temperatures hovering around 95 degrees. Even idling in hot weather it can maintain 40-42. Outside the cooling fans are screaming like a jet engine though; like an engaged clutch fan when you're accelerating.

The Ford has two electric cooling how many does the new Ram have? Maybe there is not enough airflow over the condenser.

As SpeedyV already replied, there appears to be nothing inherently wrong with the mechanical refrigeration system (compressor/condenser/evaporator), as a number of 5thgenrams members have either added a valve or installed a clamp temporarily to shut off coolant flow to the heater core, after which they seem to get vent temperatures down to the mid-to-low 40s (Fahrenheit). Which in my mind proves that there is nothing inherently wrong with the design of the mechanical system.

That said, there does appear to be a significant problem somewhere in a number of these trucks, either a programming or logic flaw HVAC control software, or a bad sensor in some trucks, or poor workmanship by the AC components supplier or by the workers on Ram's assembly line.

With Ram corporate, or maybe it's at the dealer level, still being in denial, no one really knows what the cause is.

 

[TwinSac]

Maybe a lazy question but...are the "hack" instructions in post #1 or somewhere further down this thread?

I ask because it seems to be evolving in the first few pages with newer ideas and tweaks.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

 

[ColoradoCub]

For ****s and grins I just went outside and started my truck. Its currently 59 deg and lightly raining. I started up my truck and with the valve closed I got 39 deg out of the AC vent on the drivers side. I then popped the hood and opened up the valve to allow coolant to flow through the heater core. I then rechecked it and I got 50 deg out of the same drivers side center vent. Both test done with AC on max and the engine held at 1000 rpms. It’s absolutely a blend door problem , it’s not even debatable at this point. And according to Rams little test chart my truck is not even within their specs and would fail the AC parameter test. 59 deg outside and can’t get below 50 out of the vent.....c’mon!

 

[ac1dd]

It really will be interesting to know EXACTLY what the problem is someday, I'm sure someone will tear into this AC and heater box and we'll see where at least part of the problem lies. I still think that there is a problem with the body control (HVAC) module as well.
I posed the possibility that there is perhaps (from FIAT) a parameter for (cold country) and (hot country) and that perhaps
this is supposed to be totally disabled on RAM vehicles or in error it was left enabled in coding and that the coding is for
"cold countries" environments which causes errant results from the system. A lot the coding and software work for things like this are contracted out by the HVAC vendor to third parties as well so is possible that Chrysler doesn't know all the details yet, and needs to have their HVAC supplier work with the software vendor to figure this out.

 

[duke2001]

For ****s and grins I just went outside and started my truck. Its currently 59 deg and lightly raining. I started up my truck and with the valve closed I got 39 deg out of the AC vent on the drivers side. I then popped the hood and opened up the valve to allow coolant to flow through the heater core. I then rechecked it and I got 50 deg out of the same drivers side center vent. Both test done with AC on max and the engine held at 1000 rpms. It’s absolutely a blend door problem , it’s not even debatable at this point. And according to Rams little test chart my truck is not even within their specs and would fail the AC parameter test. 59 deg outside and can’t get below 50 out of the vent.....c’mon!

Another member on the forum wrote a letter to FCA president about a software problem. He said he was contacted right away by someone representing FCA. Perhaps that would work for this problem? I don't think you are getting much traction using the forum or contacting RAM care or it least it appears so. You appear to know a lot about the issue and have a truck with the symptoms, why not try the letter route?

 

[ldoh]

I'm not sure sure about Ram Cares' role as its new to me but it's almost a bit creepy lurking in the shadows giving the appearance of assistance but when push comes to shove admits they really have no power. One thing is for sure, they are not proactive but are at the ready to identify potential anonymous online forum members to dealers/FCA. Said another way, anyone planning to use them would do well to keep the online presence clean with respect to warranty.

 

[Edwards]

Drove around with the service manager today to demonstrate my transmission shifting behavior. Couldn't let that pass without asking about the AC. He mentioned the TSB that is out but that it doesn't cover every truck. He did say that Ram is working on something but didn't have any details yet. He was aware of numerous complaints but had not heard that folks were blocking off the heater core line. He laughed and said, "60's technology - but it works."

Now he did mention that "almost 100 employees" at this dealership bought Rams in June due to the crazy discounts and guess what? Most of them are now complaining about the AC. If I imagine that multiplied by employees at the dealerships across the country, that's a lot of complaints that need addressing if for no other reason than they are the frontline ambassadors for the brand.