A/C seems wimpy

Outside temperature was 33C (91F). Doors were closed.

 

I agree with Raspy...A/C is adequate, but just that. My 2004 which I had for 12 years ,293,000 miles, was better. My 95 mustang is far better. but, adequate is good enough for me.

 

The A/C has three modes - Normal, ECO, and Fast. Under very hot ambient conditions (i.e. 90's) you probably want to use the Fast mode.

 

I had to go get some Barbecue Sauce first. Now I'm ready to eat.

 

I will test it next week in the heat of Italy - but so far it seems to be working fine for me.

 

I live in the Northeast as well and agree with you. The AC seems a bit wimpy in 90 degree weather but does cool down nicely after a while.
When sitting on the sunny side of the car, the heat coming through the side window is quite hot and the AC doesn't cool it down. I am thinking about getting the windows tinted to rememdy this.

 

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Good move - I would drive my previous cars with tinted glass, then hop into my Dad's Camry WITHOUT tint. The Camry had excellent A/C, but with the sun beating on me, always felt hot. [I haven't got tint on my Samantha yet - but it's winter here, probably next week if I get a chance.]

 

I guess I will start using the "Auto" AC button. The air felt much colder when I tried it today. I wonder why that is? The fan speed is a little high at first when using Auto, but then it backs off nicely.

I then turned Auto off (but kept the AC on) and drove around for awhile. Again, the air didn't feel as cold. Hit the Auto button again, and the air definitely felt colder. Maybe it's just my imagination, but I'll take it!

 

Imperical evidence is the best

 

I had to look up that fancy word.... and you are right.

Using the Auto AC button is much better. The air gets cold immediately. When I switched it on for the first time, it must have blown out all the cobwebs, rodent droppings, birds nests, etc. Now I have Arctic air.

 

I have it on Eco all the time . Control setting on low never 65 or 75 . It really cold all the time . At night I have to lower the fan too.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

I brought my car into service and complained about the AC not being cold. The service manager was able to show me a vent temp of 40 degrees, but that was INSIDE IN THE SHADE IN AN AIR CONDITIONED SHOP. they basically turned me away and as soon as I got back out unto the 100 degree weather of So Cal it was boiling in my car. I find best results if I do these things. Front vents only. Driver priority off. Recirculation on. Economy mode off. Between 65 and 72 degrees on AUTO. It's been better but eco mode sucks!!!

 

Sounds right - I think ECO is really only for mild weather - handbook says "with low fuel consumption prioritised such as reducing fan speed etc" - whatever the "etc" means.

 

Eco mode is not designed when the temperatures reach into the 100's, so just forget about that mode.

 

I too have discovered something further, good news, at least as far as I'm concerned. I have over 16K miles, always in eco mode (including the a/c. For the last few weeks I've had the car in pwr mode, a/c set at 67. It is very cold in the car (I like it like that) now. Perfect. And I see that if I drive the car as if I were an eco mode myself, my mpg is almost the same, on the first full tank of gas in pwr I got 51, before in eco, 52. One mpg in return for very very cool, instantly -, worth it. And once in a great while, I need some speed, got it. As well, with the radar cruise control, when it's time for the car to regain it's set speed, it now does it rapidly, in eco it takes about a year to go from 53 to 65. I'm happy.
But I am detecting something going wrong with the steering, maybe.
Another topic for later.

 

Welcome to PWR mode, Artie! I can't explain it, but I get a little better gas mileage when I use the PWR mode. The gas pedal feels much lighter, and it took a little while to learn how to use it. But now my Prius is easier to drive and has nice smooth agile performance.

And does the PWR mode help the AC somehow? I don't know why, but the AC feels colder now. Especially when I use the "Auto" setting. But I don't really need to use Auto... I just adjust the fan speed myself.

When I was driving my car in the Eco mode, and had the AC in the Eco mode, my car drove nicely... but everything just felt kind of sluggish and "restricted." PWR mode changed all that, and gas mileage is still great, so why not?

 

OK Now its Nov and the temp was 28 in VA. Heater seems very anemic when floor heat selected. You can barely feel the air moving a your feet. Any thoughts??

 

are you in eco mode? also, don't you have a 'front passenger priority setting' in the gen 4?

 

Mine too. I turned the fan speed up to nearly Max, and the air was very weak coming out of the floor vents.
(And I'm not in ECO mode).

 

Try turning both the driving mode and Climate Control OFF ECO modes.