Air conditioning performance

[BeauxXL1200]

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.

That must be one heck of big dealership if 100 employees bought trucks.

 

[Edwards]

That must be one heck of big dealership if 100 employees bought trucks.

Yep. Autonation on I45. I'll bet they have 60-70 in just service alone.

 

[Rototerrier]

Took mine in to have the software / airbag recall done. I scheduled my appointment through the dealer's online service portal. When I showed up the adviser said they were "unusually" backed up and that all they could do was the recall. I had a few other issues I wanted to address, the A/C included. This is a fairly large dealer with a fairly large service department and they were slammed. Not sure if this is a testament to increased sales or lack of quality or maybe both, but it's certainly frustrating. This dealer is just a little over an hour away. I have another dealer that's 20 minutes away that is scheduling 4 weeks out. I have another dealer about an hour in the opposite direction, of which I don't much care for, that is also booked up.

There's really just no where I can go to get service quickly. All my dealers are slammed.

We did discuss the A/C a little and, as I expected, they've not heard much about it. But, I've found that historically just about anything I complain about, they've never heard of. I've literally showed up with TSB's in hand, printed from this website, and they say they've never heard about it. But, they always fixed whatever I've needed fixing and in a timely manner, so I'll keep going back. Maybe it's just the advisers that don't know anything. I guess they really are just in charge of handling the paperwork. Not sure they really need to know what's going on. it's helpful to us consumers, but I think they just fill out the paperwork and push the cars into service and the techs deal with everything from there.

The adviser did try to play the "new refrigerant isn't as cold" card. I let him know that couldn't possibly be true because I can block off the heater core and get 44 degree temps and that others experience the same. He just says hmmm, shrugs, and that's that. Try to blow smoke up my ars until I call him out on it and then that's kinda the end of it. I just don't understand why they try to blame it on the refrigerant. Maybe that's just an easy out for them, since most folks have no clue in the first place.

Going to schedule another visit, through an adviser, to get my other issues addressed. He told me to go directly through them so they could ensure a tech would be available and there would be openings for me when I bring it in. Said the online system, unfortunately, doesn't account for them being slammed and lots of folks have been getting turned away.

 

[ac1dd]

The adviser did try to play the "new refrigerant isn't as cold" card. I let him know that couldn't possibly be true because I can block off the heater core and get 44 degree temps and that others experience the same. He just says hmmm, shrugs, and that's that. Try to blow smoke up my ars until I call him out on it and then that's kinda the end of it. I just don't understand why they try to blame it on the refrigerant. Maybe that's just an easy out for them, since most folks have no clue in the first place.

Going to schedule another visit, through an adviser, to get my other issues addressed. He told me to go directly through them so they could ensure a tech would be available and there would be openings for me when I bring it in. Said the online system, unfortunately, doesn't account for them being slammed and lots of folks have been getting turned away.

Thing is when the dealership does things like this it isn't forgotten and with word of mouth to friends, family, and acquaintances, and of course social media and forums even the most clueless consumer has some idea of what might be going on with his concern.
It makes the dealer and Chrysler look worse in my mind.

 

[ramhead]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and suggest that maybe most of those having AC issues have the fully computerized "climate control" system/settings via the onscreen display AND/OR have the cooling seats options.

Both me (build date late March 2019) and a buddy (build date Feb 2019) have Level 1 Bighorns and the AC controls are the old fashioned rotary dials for fan speed/temp/vent selection. The AC works perfectly on these trucks even when the past few days we had temps at 100 degrees (110 heat index) and they cooled down the trucks and kept them there even without having the fan speeds set to high (and mostly less than halfway turned up).

So....a few things are possible (or a combination of them):

1) We lucked out with later build dates/AC systems
2) The "old" simple, rotary dial systems are superior to the complicated, intricate touchscreen controlled and operated ones.
3) The computerized/auto climate control system is somehow less responsive or effective due to inherent design or the many various sensors, etc. that it works off of.
4) Having the cooled/ventilated seat option is stealing some of the cooling performance from the AC and causing less cooling out the vents.

Would be interested to know how many of you with these issues have the LCD controlled climate control, cooled seats and if anyone is having these issues with the old style controls.

 

[ColoradoCub]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and suggest that maybe most of those having AC issues have the fully computerized "climate control" system/settings via the onscreen display AND/OR have the cooling seats options.

Both me (build date late March 2019) and a buddy (build date Feb 2019) have Level 1 Bighorns and the AC controls are the old fashioned rotary dials for fan speed/temp/vent selection. The AC works perfectly on these trucks even when the past few days we had temps at 100 degrees (110 heat index) and they cooled down the trucks and kept them there even without having the fan speeds set to high (and mostly less than halfway turned up).

So....a few things are possible (or a combination of them):

1) We lucked out with later build dates/AC systems
2) The "old" simple, rotary dial systems are superior to the complicated, intricate touchscreen controlled and operated ones.
3) The computerized/auto climate control system is somehow less responsive or effective due to inherent design or the many various sensors, etc. that it works off of.
4) Having the cooled/ventilated seat option is stealing some of the cooling performance from the AC and causing less cooling out the vents.

Would be interested to know how many of you with these issues have the LCD controlled climate control, cooled seats and if anyone is having these issues with the old style controls.

Not the case man, I have a Big Horn too with rotary controls built in March of 19, my buddies Limited with the 12” screen and controls was built in Feb, neither of our trucks blow cold AC. He didn’t realize how bad it was til we put a thermometer in the vents. Like has been said over and over , some people FEEL it works just fine but I truly believe that most are blowing warmer than previous gen trucks as well as pretty much every other vehicle made these days!

 

[timtlu]

He didn’t realize how bad it was til we put a thermometer in the vents.

*facepalm*

 

[ramhead]

Not the case man, I have a Big Horn too with rotary controls built in March of 19, my buddies Limited with the 12” screen and controls was built in Feb, neither of our trucks blow cold AC. He didn’t realize how bad it was til we put a thermometer in the vents. Like has been said over and over , some people FEEL it works just fine but I truly believe that most are blowing warmer than previous gen trucks as well as pretty much every other vehicle made these days!

Ok...then I stand corrected and don't know what the hell is going on. All I know is that in this recent heat wave my AC was very cold...as cold as my old Ram and that thing was an icebox with the AC. I will test vents with a thermometer and post temps but being a guy who can't live without AC and is very in tune to what is "cold" vs "comfortable" (hint: IMO cold is good...freezing is better) , I can tell you mine is putting out what I would definitely describe as cold.

 

[ColoradoCub]

Ok...then I stand corrected and don't know what the hell is going on. All I know is that in this recent heat wave my AC was very cold...as cold as my old Ram and that thing was an icebox with the AC. I will test vents with a thermometer and post temps but being a guy who can't live without AC and is very in tune to what is "cold" vs "comfortable" (hint: IMO cold is good...freezing is better) , I can tell you mine is putting out what I would definitely describe as cold.

Yours may work fine but the few samples I’ve checked definitely don’t meet the bench mark for what I consider cold AC and I’ve checked the temps of both of the other vehicles I own too. What sucks is I traded in a 2018 Ram 2500 Laramie that had black leather seats, a larger interior, and it blew cold as hell. If I had test driven this truck on a hot sunny day I wouldn’t have bought it. My test drive was on a cool rainy day and of course it felt perfectly normal.

 

[ac1dd]

Ok...then I stand corrected and don't know what the hell is going on. All I know is that in this recent heat wave my AC was very cold...as cold as my old Ram and that thing was an icebox with the AC. I will test vents with a thermometer and post temps but being a guy who can't live without AC and is very in tune to what is "cold" vs "comfortable" (hint: IMO cold is good...freezing is better) , I can tell you mine is putting out what I would definitely describe as cold.

Thanks for being willing to take actual vent temps with a thermometer.

Take the temp and tell us what the ambient outdoor temp and humidity is if possible thanks friend.

 

[Rototerrier]

I can confirm that if you are out working in the 100 degree heat and dripping with sweat and about to suffer from a heat stroke, 55-60 degree A/C does feel quite cold . If you are just leaving from an air conditioned space and getting straight into the heat soaked truck, 55-60 degree A/C sucks.

I've proven to myself that I am subject to "feeling" air is colder when I'm about to die from working out in the heat vs sitting on my butt in an office / house. Doesn't change the fact that my air temps are still hotter than should be expected, just that I am more pleased or displeased with it depending on how close I am to death from heat.

And, because I had to take the truck in for service, I removed my valve from the hose. I've not replaced it because I am still hoping to get an appt to get it looked at and don't want to have to undo it again. Per previous post, they weren't able to address A/C due to be slammed.

The fan has to run higher at all times and the temp isn't as cool. It definitely struggles. My temps are back up to 55ish per my probe. 44 up to 55 is a very noticeable difference. But, after 20 minutes, the cabin does eventually get comfortable. I don't like that it takes that long or that the fan has to run higher to maintain it, but it does get the job done. Would I prefer it get the job done better, you betcha!

 

[Edwards]

OK, this is weird. I've now spent a day in the loaner Lonestar since my Limited is in for a few items. One thing I immediately noticed was that the Lonestar blows noticeably colder than my Limited. So much so that I had to adjust the vents differently as it was painful to have it blow on my arm for long.

So today I broke out the thermometer and took it for a spin. Lo and behold, it only blows 59* on both the driver's and passenger's center vents. By this thermometer, same one I used on my truck, it's blowing 1* warmer than my Limited passenger side center vent and yet I would swear in court that it does indeed blow colder than my truck!

It's a Patriot Blue Lonestar, built in Feb '19. Cloth interior, 8.4" screen, no sunroof, no front tint. I'm at a loss but perhaps this helps explain why some feel their AC is fine and never check the actual temps. Not to sound unscientific, but if my truck blew this cold I'd stop reading the AC posts and move on.

 

[ramhead]

Thanks for being willing to take actual vent temps with a thermometer.

Take the temp and tell us what the ambient outdoor temp and humidity is if possible thanks friend.

Checked today with an analog dial thermometer - let truck run for a bit and had AC set on top vents only, recirc on and fan at 2 clicks beyond halfway setting. It was only 73 degrees out today (but at 80% humidity) and I was getting 46/47 degrees constant at the center top driver's vent. This didn't change with rpms or while driving around for approx. 15 mins in stop & go local traffic.

Supposed to be around 90 by weekend ...I'll do again and repost.

 

[BeauxXL1200]

Checked today with an analog dial thermometer - let truck run for a bit and had AC set on top vents only, recirc on and fan at 2 clicks beyond halfway setting. It was only 73 degrees out today (but at 80% humidity) and I was getting 46/47 degrees constant at the center top driver's vent. This didn't change with rpms or while driving around for approx. 15 mins in stop & go local traffic.

Supposed to be around 90 by weekend ...I'll do again and repost.

46/47 is not bad. I only get a little bit better with the heater core hose closed off.

 

[BeauxXL1200]

For those of us who have poorly performing ACs and have to park in the sun. There's this.

 

[ramhead]

Another thing I'll throw out there is to make sure your rear seat vents are fully opened. I also notice reduced cooling performance in my car whenever the rear vents are closed.

Wait? What? - I would think keeping the rear ones closed would boost front vent performance and give lower temps since the cooling system wasn't "driving" every vent in the truck. My recent test I just did was with rear vents closed....guess I'll open them and test that too.

 

[ramhead]

46/47 is not bad. I only get a little bit better with the heater core hose closed off.

I forgot I have a digital probe somewhere (for bbq'ing) I hardly ever use. Gotta find it and use that instead...I used it a few years back on my home a/c vents to test temps and it was dead on.

 

[ramhead]

For those of us who have poorly performing ACs and have to park in the sun. There's this.

LMAO! Love to see that thing when the wind picks up...oh..and the number those straps/end hooks would do on the paint when they flap and flutter around. And I can see some moron in a convertible DRIVING with that thing on or using in an unexpected rainstorm.

 

[Luftmaler]

This is only speculation, but I think this might have something to do with them switching refrigerants to the more eco-friendly and five times more expensive R-1234yf. My 13 ram still had R-134A and it got as cold as a meat locker. My new 19 is a wine cooler at best. R-1234yf has been around for a few years but maybe FCA is getting more conservative with it due to added cost, added complexity in the evaporator and then there is the flammability issue. ..

 

[jloops]

Sorry if this was already addressed somewhere, there's a lot of AC threads with a lot of pages.

When first getting in my truck and I switch from the Max AC setting to the Auto AC setting the fan actually blows quite a bit harder/ louder than it does on Max AC.

My understanding is the Max AC setting should give you the coldest/ lowest temperature setting with the highest fan setting. The Max AC setting it shows fan speed "7" and in my truck there is no higher fan setting so how does the fan go higher when I switch to Auto?

Does anyone else's truck do this?