# A/C vent temperatures?



## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

I haven't found any specification for the Cruze yet. It would be interesting to see what the Automatic Climate Controlled Cruzen would set for the lowest temperature setting. For what its worth, my '97 Civic produces 21 degrees F at the vents on high fan and recirculate. It's been recharged about five years ago. My '03 Mazda does 36 degrees F on high and recirc. The 36 degree reading is spec. from the shop manual. I used an electronic infrared thermometer to get the readings after 15 minutes on the settings above. I'd say a trip to the dealer's service department is likely in order.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

Yeah, it's going in for a short list of stuff like the front struts popping and a door creak that started recently. Stuff that's been covered on here, but finally reared its head on my car.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

I really feel like my AC struggles - it took almost 30 minutes on the highway today before I wanted to turn mine down from speed 4, and then another hour or two before I turned it down to 2. 

If you find out the Chevy spec for vent temperatures, let us know.

My car is black on black, but I had a blue on black car before WITH leather, and I don't feel like that one struggled as much with the AC as the Cruze does. A good 15 minutes and it'd chill the whole car down quite nicely.

I'm surprised your Civic's AC works that good; I had a friend with a 2005 and another with an Integra (more or less a Civic), and I never felt like their AC was ever adequate.


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## Dale_K (Jul 16, 2011)

I don't think coil temps are supposed to fall below freezing, so 21 seems too low. The coil would get covered in frost/ice. My Cruze doesn't get as cold as my GM pickup. It's adequate but nothing more. My theory is the compressor stuff is OK but the warm side air bleeds over and lessens the cooling power. I get warm air frequently from the vents with the snowflake off and the manual temp dial turned all the way down. I don't know how the Cruze system works but I think it's different thant the typical car/truck. It's like the blend door doesn't seal off completely.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

sciphi said:


> Yeah, it's going in for a short list of stuff like the front struts popping and a door creak that started recently. Stuff that's been covered on here, but finally reared its head on my car.




sciphi,
I would like you to keep me posted on the outcome of your visit to the dealer. If you need any assistance or have any questions please feel free to contact me.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

jblackburn said:


> I really feel like my AC struggles - it took almost 30 minutes on the highway today before I wanted to turn mine down from speed 4, and then another hour or two before I turned it down to 2.
> 
> If you find out the Chevy spec for vent temperatures, let us know.
> 
> ...


jblackburn,
I would suggest that you have your dealer look into this for you. If you would like me to contact your dealer to set up an appointment please feel free to contact me. Either way, please keep me posted regarding this concern.
Thank you,
Stacy Chevrolet Customer Service


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## Poaffe (May 28, 2014)

I've got the same problem. Mine is kicking out 40° on max. Thought about dumping a can of 134a into it since I'm at 38xxx mi. Really want to know what the temp should be. Plus, my sisters F-150 is at 28° after a refill.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

According to my dealership, any thing below 50 is considered normal. What I don't know is the maximum time allowed to reach this temperature.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

28 is too cold - the evaporator will ice up and may damage the compressor If there isn't an evaporator temp sensor (sounds like there isn't). Vent temps should be just above freezing - 40 seems about right. 


Sent from Bill the WonderPhone


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## revjpeterson (Oct 2, 2013)

I was told 30 degrees below ambient temp. So at 80 outside, should blow 50; at 90 should blow 60, etc. but that as on another vehicle, so expectations might be different on the Cruze. 

Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

revjpeterson said:


> I was told 30 degrees below ambient temp. So at 80 outside, should blow 50; at 90 should blow 60, etc.
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


This would make sense why it takes 15 miles to cool my car on a 90F day before I even start to feel comfortable. Once cooled I have no problem getting froze out of the car. Can imagine when I get tint it will improve that initial cool down time.


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## Dragonsys (May 27, 2013)

The only issue I have with the A/C is how it makes the engine really struggle on hills.
Mine gets cold rather quickly and chills the car down quite well. I have never measured the temps, but on a 96+ degree day, the car cools off quickly enough, and I have huge health issues with heat, so I would notice if it didn't.



spacedout said:


> This would make sense why it takes 15 miles to cool my car on a 90F day before I even start to feel comfortable. Once cooled I have no problem getting froze out of the car. Can imagine when I get tint it will improve that initial cool down time.


my Cruze usually cools down to comfortable levels within 1 mile for me (by the time I reach the freeway from the office). Have you checked your freon level?


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## Robbieaoa (May 9, 2014)

I've noticed that our Cruze seemed kinda weak, so I pulled out the cabin filter it was clogged up with leaf's pretty bad. I vac'ed it out and used my compressor on it, I'll end up getting a new one this week (after pay day) It seems like it's working a little better now but still I'm a tad disappointed with it. But we did just come from a Benz so maybe I'm a little bias?!?!


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Dragonsys said:


> The only issue I have with the A/C is how it makes the engine really struggle on hills.
> Mine gets cold rather quickly and chills the car down quite well. I have never measured the temps, but on a 96+ degree day, the car cools off quickly enough, and I have huge health issues with heat, so I would notice if it didn't.
> 
> my Cruze usually cools down to comfortable levels within 1 mile for me (by the time I reach the freeway from the office). Have you checked your freon level?


The hills thing just drive faster, seriously with my AC on I bump my speed up 3-5mph on hills to put a bit more power down. As for my AC, it only sucks that bad because my car sits outside in the sun all day. Sure I can feel cold air relatively quick, but to actually cool down the inside to the point it feels like an icebox(how I like it), it takes a good 15 mile drive. On longer trips I get froze out of my car. 

Also helps if I actually remember to set my AC/fan when I exit my car, so I can remote start for 1-2 minutes to help cool off my seat before I sit in it.


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## stamas (Mar 7, 2014)

Mine is ok , way better once I'm out of traffic and cruzing on highway


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## Dragonsys (May 27, 2013)

spacedout said:


> The hills thing just drive faster, seriously with my AC on I bump my speed up 3-5mph on hills to put a bit more power down. As for my AC, it only sucks that bad because my car sits outside in the sun all day. Sure I can feel cold air relatively quick, but to actually cool down the inside to the point it feels like an icebox(how I like it), it takes a good 15 mile drive. On longer trips I get froze out of my car.
> 
> Also helps if I actually remember to set my AC/fan when I exit my car, so I can remote start for 1-2 minutes to help cool off my seat before I sit in it.


My car sits outside in the sun all day as well. I do have a good sun screen for the windshield, and it helps. It takes a good 15-20 minutes to make the car an icebox, but it gets comfortable (under 75) for me, within a few minutes. I wish I had remote start jut for the A/C in the summer.


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## Robbieaoa (May 9, 2014)

We use a sun screen for the dash as well. I've been thinking about getting a dash cover to help. Thoughts?


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## Dragonsys (May 27, 2013)

Robbieaoa said:


> We use a sun screen for the dash as well. I've been thinking about getting a dash cover to help. Thoughts?


not sure a dash cover will help, as it won't really insulate the inside of the dash from the heat


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Robbieaoa said:


> We use a sun screen for the dash as well. I've been thinking about getting a dash cover to help. Thoughts?


Pull the head liner and install a sheet of 3m thinsulate. That will go farther than anything else. You can get it from Don at www.SoundDeadenershowdown.com

Sent from AutoGuide.com App


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## v8318cid (Oct 3, 2012)

A/C performance obviously is going to vary based on compressor design, system capacity (think BTU/hr, or tons), condenser air flow and design (serpentine flow, multipath, etc), refrigerant charge, sensor settings, et al (the list is fairly long). From my experience (shadetree only, non-pro so take it for what it's worth), MVAC temperature averages for a decent non-retrofitted system at the vent should be approximately 40-50F after system stabilization. Automatic systems are a little harder to gauge if they don't have a max cool setting that completely eliminates any heat contribution (temp set to 60F on a Silverado with ATC will only blow air across the evap, system leakage and age aside). However, I offer my own '12 ECO manual as an example. The car is bone-stock with just shy of 31k miles. I have kept a thermometer in the driver-side inboard vent since the day I bought it (had 17 miles on the ODO). Once the system stabilized, the temperature was consistently between 38F and 40F when set on recirc, max cold temp (non-ATC), fan speed 3. Outside temp would affect how long it would take to reach this temperature, which could range from 3 minutes at mild outside temps (~75F) to 15 minutes at high outside temps and high humidity (~95F and 90%+). Temperature performance aside, my biggest gripe is that during the first 10 minutes of operation, the compressor can cause the engine to stall unless I really ride the clutch and keep the engine above 1500 rpms. Rather frustrating unfortunately. This usually results in me running around with 4 by 55 A/C instead, even when it is uncomfortably hot. Less gas used that way at least...


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

revjpeterson said:


> I was told 30 degrees below ambient temp. So at 80 outside, should blow 50; at 90 should blow 60, etc. but that as on another vehicle, so expectations might be different on the Cruze.
> 
> Sent from AutoGuide.com Free App


A/C systems can only cool the air so much on each pass through so this make a lot of sense. It's also why using recirc will cool your car faster than not using recirc - the air being sucked in for cooling is already cooler.


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## Jim Frye (Mar 16, 2011)

The OMs for both of my cars state 35 degrees F maximum as the vent temperature after 10 minutes on recirculate with the fan on high if the outside ambient temperature is below 90 degrees F. I guess if the system can't produce this, then it's time for a visit to the technician. I also guess it's the manufacturer's way of telling the owner how to test the system. The '03 P5 still does this after 11 years on the factory charge.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Hi Poaffe,

I'm sorry to hear that you are also experiencing this concern with your A/C. If you would like, I will be glad to contact your dealership on your behalf and have them look further into your concern. Please feel free to send us a private message with your full contact information, VIN, current mileage, and dealership name if any extra assistance is needed. I look forward to hear from you soon!

Kristen A.
Chevrolet Customer Care


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