AC woes

Have a 2007 Legacy 2.5 GT Sedan (automatic) and am in Denver, CO.

Although I've taken it into the dealer(s) several times, and, they state all is within specs, the AC is just not cooling the car well enough (90-102 degrees F lately), even with Recirculation on.

I've got dark metallic tinted windows on all but the front (illegal to do that one), but, doesn't seem to help.

Is this just normal with Subaru, or this model?

Thanks.

Reply to
Bill Bradley
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Bill, let me know if you find out what the problem turns out to be. I'm having the same problem with my 2000 Forester. But when I'm on the freeway going 65 it seems to cool better than when I'm in slow stop and go traffic. Eddie

Reply to
Eddie

Eddie, that is CLASSIC symptoms of malfunctioning electric fan. Perhaps is' bad or there is a bad relay or ground/wiring connection?

Carl

Reply to
Carl 1 Lucky Texan

Reply to
Bill Bradley

Cooling is better at high speeds if the fan is not working properly or is just not designed to give adequate airflow at idle. Make sure the fan always kicks in when the A/C is turned on.

Open the hood and see if the compressor engages at idle. It should, otherwise everybody stuck in a traffic jam would complain about lack of cooling (not just insufficient cooling).

In 90-102 degree weather, the compressor should run pretty much continuously unless it is low on its refrigerant charge. It might be worth it to you to take it to an A/C specialist and have them hook up a gauge set to see what the pressures are like on the low and high sides. In really hot weather like yours, I wouldn't expect the low side pressure to ever drop much below 30 psi.

You could also just bite the bullet and pay for the system to be evacuated and recharged with the precise amount of refrigerant the system calls for (it should be on a label on the underside of the hood), and then given the high and low side pressures for a properly charged system at whatever the outside temp happens to be for future reference.

One last thing you could do all by yourself is to get a thermometer and measure the temp of the air coming out of the vents when the A/C is set to recirculate. It should be at least 30 degrees below the ambient air temp measured near the passenger footwell where the air is drawn in, which means only 72 degrees until the car cools down more.

You should also check that when the A/C is set to recirculate, that no outside air is being drawn in. Have somebody spray a little Lysol near the cowl (not directly in it) while the car is sealed up and the A/C is on max. You shouldn't be able to smell it if the outside air damper is working properly. In really hot weather, recirculate (Max A/C) is the only way the A/C system can keep up with the high temps and humidity.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Bailin

Your description of the problem makes me think of the following:

- the compressor should turn on at any rpms as long as there is enough and not too much refrigerant in the system. If there is too much refrigerant in the system, the compressor will stop due to the pressure switch when the temperature is hot outside. Look at the front of the a/c compressor and make sure it turns all the time when the temperature inside the car is high.

- the electric fans should work all the time when the a/c is on.

- The expansion valve, if defective could restrict the flow of refrigerant. (As a side story, my 03 outback's exp. valve was howling every time the compressor stopped. It would howl for 3-5 seconds every time. All by itself, it stopped making the noise)

- The compressor V-Belt could be slipping.

- You should be able to see and feel the following: Thick line to the a/c compressor should feel cold, and if humid outside, it should show signs of water condensation right by the compressor.

Thinner line from the a/c compressor should feel pretty hot, burning hot.

Thinner line, from the condenser (a/c radiator in front of the engine coolant radiator) to the liquid receiver/dryer tank (Aluminum colored tank) should be warm, and at the same temperature on both sides of the receiver dryer.

Good luck!

Bill Bradley wrote:

Reply to
AS

Excellent post Bob. I just want to add that when you first get into a car that has been sitting in the sun with the windows rolled up, the inside of the car will be hotter than the outside. Thus, it's best to switch off Max/Recirculate to Normal for the first few minutes so your a/c will be cooling the cooler outside air. Once it starts to cool down inside and the inside temperature gets closer to the outside temp, then go ahead and switch back to Max.

Reply to
Dave

Actually it's even better to roll down all the windows to get rid of the hotter air inside the car as quickly as possible. A few minutes later, turn on Max A/C and then roll up the windows once cold air starts coming out the vents.

Reply to
Bob Bailin

After rolling down the windows, you may find you don't even need the A/C. I've got a dark green OB Limited and that sucker gets really hot in the sun. I'd guess it hits the high 90s with outside air at 65-70.

But then again, I have 2 extra "windows" by opening the sunroofs as well.

Reply to
nobody >

I tried that with my wife - "But I don't want to mess up my hair!"

Reply to
Dave

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