How cold should AC be? Is dealer right about this?

[Archer28]

My 03's ac was blowing fairly cool from the drivers side, but downright warm on the passenger side.
The dealer has had it for 9 (yes nine) days and called today to tell me that both sides were within 5 degrees and Ford wouldn't let them do anything unless it was a larger discrepency.

I'm going up there in the AM and would like some ammo for my arguments (we were literally roasting with the AC on full blast).

I'm taking my own digital temp gauge, what temp should I be seeing for normal operation?

Thanks LVC!

 

[LS4me]

Full blast Arctic air should be low 40's. All my Ford products have actually been colder, upper 30's.

 

[owlman]

Yeah it's generally pretty damn cold coming right out of the vents. Usually one of the advantages of American cars

 

[SilverLS]

Mine usually was around 38-42, its super cold, and if you push the button all the way to the right top corner, it uses the same air in the car over and over, and you can get it super cold in your car, I love it!

 

[Archer28]

Thanks for the replies, they were very helpful.

After having to drive to the dealer yesterday morning to "discuss" the matter. The service manager got a bit huffy saying that he's not going to fix my AC if its within specs. The work sheet said the AC was checked and that both sides were within 5-10 degrees of each other, within the limits of the AC valve TSB.

I said "Fine, what was the temperature when you guys checked it"? He called the tech over, and the tech rolled his eyes a bit and said "Oh, around 43, 44 degrees".

I knew I had them on that statement.

I told the service manager that if they pulled the car around, let me use my digital gauge to check it, and it was within specs I would go away a happy man.

Long story short, the drivers side read 52 and the passenger was blowing 63, full blast with reciruclate on. One serving of crow for the service manager, and a nervous tech that knew he'd been caught in a lie (remember they had had 7 full working days to check this).

Now the tech says that the AC gas is probably low, despite me trying to hint around about reading all the problems with the valve system on the AC causing this exact thing.

I'm guessing they will tinker with the gas for another 3 days before finally admitting I was right all along and checking the DATC and DCCV to find the real problem.

I'm thinking of calling lincoln and speaking with a service advisor. I've heard they will send a rep if a problem can't be resolved.

Whew, just needed to vent a bit guys, thanks again for the help!

 

[Dereck]

Hi Archer28

This dealer sounds pretty imcompetent to me. do you really want them working on your car? Is there another dealer you can use?

Regards

Dereck

 

[Archer28]

Hi Archer28

This dealer sounds pretty imcompetent to me. do you really want them working on your car? Is there another dealer you can use?

Regards

Dereck

You're right Dereck, and I may try another dealer next. This one is the closest (20 miles, did I mention I live in the middle of nowhere!), the next closest is 45 miles away, and we're talking about curvy mountain miles here too...lots of fun for for the LS, but not when its 80 degrees inside the car

This is the same service guy that told me (on a coolant leak) that they didn't find any leaks, but the antifreeze I was seeing, and the dried antifreeze on the front hoses was just "seepage". I asked "isn't seepage a leak", he somehow managed a straight face while telling me that antifreeze seeping out wasn't a leak...:Bsflag

Thankfully I think I had just overfilled it.

Course it may not help that I didn't buy the car there...

 

[LS4me]

I would side with your dealer on this one. The DCCV symptoms are different. Were that the problem, you would get 40° from one side and 140° from the other. The high, low temp is a symptom of low R-134a.

 

[Archer28]

I would side with your dealer on this one. The DCCV symptoms are different. Were that the problem, you would get 40° from one side and 140° from the other. The high, low temp is a symptom of low R-134a.

You could be right of course, but if you are... its a shame! 03 LS with less than 30k needing a refill, while my beater 93 escort still blows low 40's and its never been touched.... sad

 

[97stscaddy]

Your Escort probably uses R-12 which is a much better refridgerant than R-134A.
Its probably a low charge. Most newer AC systems need to be recharged every 5 years or so. Sometimes even sooner. It literally seeps out between the molecules of the hoses. You can thank Dupont for that. They pushed for R-134 becasue it would make them more money. THEN they pushed for a federal mandate, requiring all new vehicles made, starting in 1994, to use R-134A refridgerant. Now, guess who was the only company to manufacture R-134A back in those days?
There are PLENTY of other refridgerants that are safer, work better, and are more cost effective, but you cant use them in cars, because nobody makes systems that can accept them.

 

[LS4me]

You could be right of course, but if you are... its a shame! 03 LS with less than 30k needing a refill, while my beater 93 escort still blows low 40's and its never been touched.... sad

Our '06 was delivered with a low charge.......

 

[Archer28]

Thanks for the info 97stscaddy, you learn something new everyday. I thought the change was purely for environmental reasons, but should have known

LS4me, that makes me feel a bit better. If its probably that it needs a charge every few years, I won't be so worried that its a leak that the service department won't fix.