Puny air conditioner

[conchobar]

I'm about to hit 15K miles and will ask the dealer to check out my A/C when they change my oil. On the few 80 degree days we've had, the A/C has been weak. I run the fan at full blast, temp at lowest, with recirculator on, and 10 miles later i'm still checking the settings to make the car cooler. Cold is never a term I would use to describe the performance of the A/C. My wife who is quick to complain about a car being too cold, now complains that our Smart can't get cold enough. Favorite car I've ever owned but worst A/C of all cars I've owned.

[jwight]

Gotta love the "comfort package"

Does the comfort package have a different A/C setup than other cars without it? I don't recall seeing that anywhere.

Just went out and started the car (outside temp 81, inside much warmer), pushed A/C button before turning key to start position. Fan on "1", did not push the recirc button. After the car started and all the lights were off, fan stayed on "1" and A/C did not go into recirc automatically. But then it never did, so I'm plenty confused by the cars that do.

[rfernatt]

Originally Posted by jwight

Does the comfort package have a different A/C setup than other cars without it? I don't recall seeing that anywhere.

Just went out and started the car (outside temp 81, inside much warmer), pushed A/C button before turning key to start position. Fan on "1", did not push the recirc button. After the car stated and all the lights were off, fan stayed on "1" and A/C did not go into recirc automatically. But then it never did, so I'm plenty confused by the cars that do.

My 2008 car has had an AC problem since I got it, but it runs in recirc 99% of the time with or without the recirc button pushed. Every now and then, it will automatically switch to outside air for a short period and then back to recirc since it can't keep the cabin cool enough. Maybe they changed this behavior for '09 cars?

The problem with my car, by the way, is most likely the expansion valve in the AC system as diagnosed by sc Birmingham. It is being replaced in sc Easton and will hopefully be back this week.

[karen103a]

Our '09 Passion sounded asthmatic every time we used the AC. We used it once in late spring, and it only worked so-so. We didn't try it again until this week and, like others report, it only does a passable job and only if on "recirculate". We had to get a new key because we lost one, and we asked them to check the AC, and they said the sounds weren't normal and it wasn't working right, and that it needs a condenser (which they don't have right now and have to order).

[High Side]

My '09 Passion is pretty hot when I climb in late in the afternoon with our record setting number of triple digit days here in San Antonio. I must say though... the car cools off rather quickly. Since I have the panoramic roof I did purchase the reflective shade that fits between the roof and the sun screen. It made a huge difference.

[Terry Stibal]

When we were shown Smart vehicles, the first question that came to both of our minds was "How good is the A/C?" In the trials that we were able to run, the units in the cars all brought the car to a comfortable temperature in a hurry. (All were provided with the "moon roof", with the shade kept closed the while.) Three of these were in Smart cars from the dealership, one was a car owned by a friend of ours.

In each case, the cars were "experienced" in 90° to 100° temperatures, during the daytime.

Anecdotal examples, but it was enough to convince us that the A/C would hold up to the climate in the hellhole we call Houston.

I'd not call them the coldest A/C units that we ever experienced, but they all did the job.

[The Rigger]

The A/C in my Cabrio handled the heat in Texas just fine last month, when the daytime temps got well over 100°F in Dallas. I'm not convinced the cabriolet roof has any thermal insulation worthy of the name, but the A/C still damn near froze me out.

[NeWave]

Yep, even with the clear roof, the ac manages to keep things comfortable for me. Put the shade in and you're iced.

[dancote]

Well here it is August. After multiple trips to the dealership for diagnoses and several weeks waiting for a nationally back-ordered temperature control unit my smart's A/C is still not operating properly.

Any temperature setting with the lever above the bottom position results in an eventual "time out" when the A/C blows cool (not cold) and the cabin temperature starts to rise.

If I start at 70, when it times out, I can move it down a notch and it starts cooling again then times out again. Repeat this process until I reach the bottom and the A/C will then turn the car into a meat locker. It gets so cold that I have to reduce the fan speed and/or select defrost so the air isn't blowing directly on me.

The unit is fully charged. There are no fault codes. It obviously can make cold air.

I was convinced it was going to be the temperature control unit but that didn't work out.

Is there an A/C guru on the board with suggestions on what to try next? This is getting very frustrating.

Regards,

Dan

[Big Panda]

Mine had been working fine around town, but on a recent trip from Indy to KC, it started warming up and while I had cold air coming out the vents, it wasn't blowing near as hard. Set the blower on HIGH and still no difference.

Found out later that the system was 'freezing up' due to the heat and high humidity. After the car sat for a few minutes, it was back to normal and blowing cold air on "1" and would blow you out of the car on "3".

Now, instead of having it on the coldest temp setting all the time, I've moved it up to about 68 or so. Still very comfortable and hasn't frozen up since.