Disable A/C in defrost?

[SmartCard]

I haven't had the smart long enough to try this, but with most cars - at least the ones with the circular dial to direct airflow - you can place the knob somewhere in between directing towards the windows and whereever else, and the AC does not turn on - it will only turn on when pointed in the full defrost mode. Hope the smart is like this!

[John_H]

Someone suggested "and the positions directly next to defrost." So how about 2 detents? I want my own control, thankyouverymuch.

[ShoshTrvls]

What is duracool? (I ask not because of my smart, but because my Outback has had a/c problems every year for the past few years and my solution has been to charge it up at the beginning of the summer and hope that the charge lasts to the fall as the shop wants $600+ dollars to fix something that they can't identify is broken because, they say, they need to take the whole a/c system apart/out/something to figure out what the problem is).

Whew, that was long-winded.

[a2jack]

Originally Posted by ShoshTrvls

What is duracool? (I ask not because of my smart, but because my Outback has had a/c problems every year for the past few years and my solution has been to charge it up at the beginning of the summer and hope that the charge lasts to the fall as the shop wants $600+ dollars to fix something that they can't identify is broken because, they say, they need to take the whole a/c system apart/out/something to figure out what the problem is).

Whew, that was long-winded.

I'll do a an AC post on this stuff for our smarts in another forum. I used this stuff in an old Caravan and it worked like a charm. A2Jack.

Duracool®.com 2004 - Duracool® is The Recognized Leader In Hydrocarbon Refrigerant Technology

[rawlus®]

Originally Posted by ShoshTrvls

What is duracool? (I ask not because of my smart, but because my Outback has had a/c problems every year for the past few years and my solution has been to charge it up at the beginning of the summer and hope that the charge lasts to the fall as the shop wants $600+ dollars to fix something that they can't identify is broken because, they say, they need to take the whole a/c system apart/out/something to figure out what the problem is).

Whew, that was long-winded.

normally, an A/c system should not lose coolant enough to require annual recharging. actually, a properly running A/C system shouldn't need recharging for several years. if there is a leak large enough to allow coolant to escape over a year's time, the leak is also large enough to allow air into the system, which greatly reduces performance and can damage other parts of the system.
a vacuum test, while it takes a bit of labor and money, identifies where the system is leaking, sucks out all the contaminated coolant, allows proper repair or replacement of the damaged part and puts fresh coolant back in according to factory spec.

the reason they can't tell you what is broken from looking at it is because the coolant is invisible to the naked eye, so, the diagnostic test must be run to identify what's broken/leaking.

recharge cans are a short-term band-aid at best.

[rawlus®]

just an FYI, i believe Duracool(R) R12a is illegal in the Unites States under the US EPA as an Ozone depleter. also - replacing the refrigerant in HFC 134a system with CFC-12 may cause damage.
Legal Status of HC-12a ®, DURACOOL 12a ®, and OZ-12 ® | Alternatives / SNAP | US EPA
Choosing and Using Alternative Refrigerants for Motor Vehicle Air Conditioning | Alternatives / SNAP | US EPA

[a2jack]

I agree with Rawlus... Further, releasing R-134 is bad for the environment.

To change over to Duracool go to a state approved AC shop and have them Vac the system, put in a dryer, then a stop leak, then a new charge with Duracool.

I would not let the car dealer work on my Air-con.

Duracool is DOT approved in the US and is widely used in trucks and commercial Refer systems. It is sold all over the US. A2Jack

[saskdiesel]

Here is a Duracool thread from the Canadian Smart forums.
I know that the local guys use this with success. I also have no idea if it is legal or not in the U.S. What I do know is it does not leak out like R-134.
Why are Canadians having so many AC leaks is another good question. People I work with have already had a recharge this year.
And yes, the system should be evacuated and recharged properly.

lost Air Conditioner - Club smart Car

[Woody14619]

I used to have the same problem with my Saturn. They were notorious for holding moisture. In the winter, the snow would get in on the boots, melt from the heat (black interior) and evaporate, making the inside damp and the windows fogged. I had to run the front vent a lot in the winter, which also ran the AC compressor.

My solution was to pull the AC relay from under the hood to prevent it from running. I was planning on pulling the fuse for the AC (fuse #14 for those interested) for the smart this winter. Not sure if it will work yet as I haven't tried it.

[spdickey]

Solution for the smart is to turn off the AC using the handy mounted dashboard switch. It does not turn automatically at any time.