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Old 08-05-2009, 06:09 PM   #1 (permalink)
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Location: Bedford In
Drive: 2009 RBB Passion Coupe
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AC ineffective

Anyone else have problems with their AC? I noticed mine wasn't working (or at least not the way I expect) If I leave work I set the control on 70 blower on high and windows down, after about a mile I put the windows up, by the time I have driven about 5 miles blower has slowed down to about the speed of level 2. If I blow the air on the floor level, I cool my feet, but my upper torso is sweating, if I turn it to dash vents, then my feet and legs bake. If I turn it to half way, dash level quits completely. Temperature gradually raises in car to around 80, when I roll down windows to get some cool air. I stopped at SCI today and Walter insisted that they check it out. They said the blower motor was intermittent and replaced it. AC works good now only if I leave the temperature control set to 58 (coldest setting), If I turn it up the fan slows down regardless of what I have it set on. We have 3 other vehicles, a Mini, A KIA, and a Toyota, all of them the fan speed stays on what ever speed you set it on, regardless of the temperature setting. Even the old Ford truck with over 100,000 miles had AC that would freeze you. I tried the colder setting a while back when it was hot and humid, and I think it freezes up under that. It works then gets gradually warmer, and smells like burning rubber (belt slipping?). So what do people that live in hot climate's do in the summer? I love my smart, and hate that it is a cold weather only vehicle. Indiana has not had a hot summer this year. Any body have any sugestions, smart says it works as it's supposed to.

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Old 08-05-2009, 06:32 PM   #2 (permalink)
 
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Location: huber heights
Mine never leaves the coldest setting. It's a rolling greenhouse..........

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Old 08-05-2009, 06:35 PM   #3 (permalink)
 
Location: New Orleans
What I think that your are describing is the way the A/C chooses to RECIRCULATE the air even if you do NOT have the Recirc button pressed..

On mine.. If I set the temp setting to COLDEST the blower seems to recirculate the air...
If I move the temp lever to something like 70... once the cabin air temp is reached.. the car automatically changes to outside air...
the sound of the blower is much less (though I don't think it really does slow down)... AND the air gets warmer and more humid (at least around here on a HOT day)....
The first time it did it.. i thought that the A/C had quit...
Setting the temp lever to MINIMUM forces it to stay in RECIRC all the time..

next time it does it.. try pushing the recirculate button and see if that makes it go back to the way it was working.



Quote:
Originally Posted by wildman View Post
Anyone else have problems with their AC? I noticed mine wasn't working (or at least not the way I expect) If I leave work I set the control on 70 blower on high and windows down, after about a mile I put the windows up, by the time I have driven about 5 miles blower has slowed down to about the speed of level 2. If I blow the air on the floor level, I cool my feet, but my upper torso is sweating, if I turn it to dash vents, then my feet and legs bake. If I turn it to half way, dash level quits completely. Temperature gradually raises in car to around 80, when I roll down windows to get some cool air. I stopped at SCI today and Walter insisted that they check it out. They said the blower motor was intermittent and replaced it. AC works good now only if I leave the temperature control set to 58 (coldest setting), If I turn it up the fan slows down regardless of what I have it set on. We have 3 other vehicles, a Mini, A KIA, and a Toyota, all of them the fan speed stays on what ever speed you set it on, regardless of the temperature setting. Even the old Ford truck with over 100,000 miles had AC that would freeze you. I tried the colder setting a while back when it was hot and humid, and I think it freezes up under that. It works then gets gradually warmer, and smells like burning rubber (belt slipping?). So what do people that live in hot climate's do in the summer? I love my smart, and hate that it is a cold weather only vehicle. Indiana has not had a hot summer this year. Any body have any sugestions, smart says it works as it's supposed to.

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Old 08-05-2009, 06:52 PM   #4 (permalink)
 
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Location: Port Orchard, WA
Drive: 2009 Y/B/L Brabus Coupé
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wildman View Post
Anyone else have problems with their AC? ... Any body have any sugestions, smart says it works as it's supposed to.
Whoever's telling you that it works as it's supposed to is wrong.

There are numerous threads on here describing problems with the A/C (mine is listed as "Puny A/C").

I had an '08 that worked as it is supposed to. Set a temp and it maintained it. My '09 - not even close. It works like yours. Others report that theirs works fine even in hot and humid conditions. I suspect a quality control problem at the supplier.

I'm taking my car in tomorrow to get the temperature control module replaced. It had been on national back-order for over a month. Hopefully this will resolve the problem for me.

Good Luck (and don't give up)

Dan

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Old 08-05-2009, 07:05 PM   #5 (permalink)
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Location: Ohio
Drive: 09 cabriolet
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Mine works great. in the spring I had it set on 70. on the way to work the air was hot since it was cold outside. On the way home it was Ice cold because it was hot out side. Yes, I do love Ohio weather

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Old 08-05-2009, 07:36 PM   #6 (permalink)
 
Location: Spring, TX
Drive: 2009 Passion
Here in the Houston area this year we had one of the hottest Julys on record. With real temps in the 100 - 104 range I start with fan on full blast and the passenger window open to dump the very hot (measured at 143 the only time I checked) indoor air. After a brief two minutes or so I turn on the recirculate button and close the window. At highway speeds I am down on fan speed from 4 to 3. If the sun is directly overhead I'll likely be down to 2 after about 10-15 minutes. When it shines from the side it does tend to be the greenhouse. The temp is always "pedal to the medal" - as cold as it will go, all summer long.

If you are experiencing less than an excellent AC system, then something is wrong. ...or you could move to Texas to really test it!!!

Best of luck,

seadave

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Old 08-05-2009, 08:45 PM   #7 (permalink)
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Location: maplewood, nj
I agree that you'll find it's a frequent complaint. Often those who found successful resolution had to try different dealers until encountering one who could diagnose and correct the problem.
I've been lucky, my a/c worked perfectly all of the hot summer of '08 and for the few episodes of hot summer days we've experienced this year.
Bottom line seems to be that when they function properly, the unit more than adequately cools the car. But when they don't, it's a PITA to find someone who knows how to fix 'em.

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Old 08-05-2009, 09:08 PM   #8 (permalink)
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Location: Florence, Oregon
Drive: Yellow/Black Passion
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Mine works well, but I did notice that the amount of outside air is modulated to maintain a temperature set point. I leave mine on 60 or what ever that notch is just below 60, High fan, windows just cracked if the interior temp is above 90 until it cools down.

If you aren't getting sufficient cooling, take it to your dealer!

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Old 08-05-2009, 09:47 PM   #9 (permalink)
 
Location: Cypress, TX
I leave mine set as low as it'll go...I seriously doubt those numbers printed on the bezel are as accurate as say, your home t-stat.

With it being 100+ here for weeks on end, putting it to anything higher is just bait to make myself sweat - and laugh.

I leave it as low as it can go, leave the fan on the lowest setting. Putting the fan on a higher setting doesn't increase cooling, it just makes the fan spin faster. By putting the fan on slow, you're pulling the air across the cooling coil slower, thereby having cooler air. Putting the fan on high, you're pulling the air across the cooling coil faster, not giving the air a chance to cool down.

Oh sure, the fan on high creates a lot of noise and air movement, giving you the "mental satisfaction" of REALLY cooling now, but the air is less cool.

Try it, it works. Leave the temp setting as low as it'll go, click your fan one up from off, and watch how fast it cools down. And stays cool.

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Old 08-06-2009, 05:28 AM   #10 (permalink)
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Location: Terre Haute, IN
Drive: 09 Red/Blk/Blk Passion
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Mine's the same way wildman

Just leave the temp control to the lowest setting (below the 60 mark) and enjoy (gets PLENTY )

(Yes, do keep the blower on a lower setting, 2 and it will be cooler. At times with this set up, I have to move the temp control UP for the better half )



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