Automotive Air Conditioning Information Forum (Archives)

BIG on Tue August 04, 2015 11:47 PM

Year: 2015
Make: Ford
Model: Explorer
Engine Size: 3.5

I just purchased a brand new 2015 Ford Explorer Limited last week. Bought it late on a Friday night here in Texas. After driving it around the next 2 days in hot Texas weather I realize I have an underperforming A/C system. Vent temps just aren't ice cold as a new car should be. A thermometer in the vent confirmed it will only get down to close to 40F. I noticed this in 100F ambient (took it a while to get there as well) and 82F ambient at night - vent temps will not get colder than 40F. Also notice the evaporator just doesn't drip water heavily as a good a/c system does in this high Texas humidity. This same thermometer in my old 2002 Camry in 102F ambient today got down to 30F in this older car with the original A/C system. Are these Explorers known for poor a/c performance? I am very disappointed and am scheduled to take it into the dealer tomorrow to have it checked out. I wonder if it's a refrigerant issue (over or under charged?) or, even though the a/c controls tell me I have the system on "LO" temp on both driver and passenger sides is the controller not actually telling the system to get as cold as it can? I have no idea but really need tips on talking to the dealer. Since the a/c system does actually work I am afraid the dealer will tell m everything is fine when I know it's not. Any suggestions on what could be the issue or how to communicate with the dealer if they try to pass this off as "normal"?

Thanks for any suggestions.

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It takes all kinds of people in this world, just less of some than others.

GM Tech on Wed August 05, 2015 7:05 AM

Better keep the Ford home and take the Camry in to be looked at--- 30 degf vent temp means it will freeze the evap core in humid weather--

You will be told that 40 degf vent is excellent in 85 deg ambient, let alone 100 deg ambient- and they are right! Man what do you want? a meat locker? it just isn't so....

You should stick your thermometer in a glass of ice water for 30 minutes- does it read 32 deg? this proves calibration is good.

Try another 2015 Ford Ex on the lot- see what it does---

An Explorer has twice the cabin to cool as your Camry- and it is doing a fine job with your quoted temps-- most would put out 50 deg or so in 100 deg ambient-- heck a 30 deg drop is usually the goal (outside air) and mid 40's on inside air....

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The number one A/C diagnostic tool there is- is to know how much refrigerant is in the system- this can only be done by recovering and weighing the refrigerant!!
Just a thought.... 65% of A/C failures in my 3200 car diagnostic database (GM vehicles) are due to loss of refrigerant due to a leak......

Cussboy on Wed August 05, 2015 9:56 AM

I've never had a Ford, but I live in Arizona. 40F coming out the vents is great, nothing to worry about. If you leave the Ford in a covered spot or parking garage, then the seats, dashboard, interior will be less than 110F. But if you park in the sun, all that interior stuff will be like 140F, and all that has to shed its inherent heat as well. So your temperature is fine at 40F; is the VOLUME of air OK, that's important too, and blowing where you need it?

Being a new vehicle to you, check that air isn't diverted underdash, to the windshield, etc. And switch to Recirculation or Maximum mode after 5 minutes or so, when the air inside the vehicle gets lower temperature than the outside air.