My Wife drove the 8 over the weekend and put about 80 miles on. Monday I noticed the AC was working far better than normal. At an ambient temp of 89F and full sun it was plenty cold at a fan setting of 2 and non-recirculate mode. This is bizzare since at that temp it normally takes full fan and recirculate to keep comfortable. She claims to have done nothing unusual. The only thing she does differently that I know of is she likes to ride with the rear windows cracked open. I know because she forgets to close them afterwards

Anyway it's a mystery. Hope it lasts. I guess I just need her to drive it more often

 

I noticed if the windows are cracked open the wind is cooler from the fan, but if you close the windows less air comes in.

 

Interesting discovery....

I can't try that now as it is the middle of winter here downunder

 

I dont know... Its 108 in Vegas right now and with the AC set on #2 its nice an cool for me. But then I'll ride with no AC when its 90 out.

 

Hmmm sounds nice - no or low humidity.
rx8cited

 

That would be with no humidity. 2 days back it was 108 with like 10% humidity an I just about died. Felt like a sauna. Its not cool when you have go out side in a work in a full suit yet my car is just downstairs.

 

Usual we dont get humidity at all. Its more of a dry heat. But with it being monsoon season.

 

I usually drive at no more than #2 myself, the only thing that is hot about the car is the leather, I never have the problems that people describe. I think too much is being made of people's personal comfort level here. The AC works fine, if you want -20 in the middle of the summer, you need to move.

-arattle

 

yea my AC is works great. I think your right.

 

Uggh. This sucks.

I drive with my AC set to max the entire time, it's right around 100 (F) here in Oklahoma. Anything less and I melt.

 

It's almost always 98+ here, high humidity.. feels like im swimming instead of walking...

I usually put it on 4 for about a minute or two.. but then i cruise around on 1 most of the time.

 

Guys, those of you who have the AC working great are lucky. Just don't think the rest of us that complain about it are idiots. My AC cycles ALL the time every 5 seconds. It is annoying, not normal and a flaw ! I will get the AC amplifier and see if it it makes any difference... if it ever comes in !

 

Been there, done that! My AC performs much better with the new amplifier.

rx8cited

 

i'm happy to read this rx8cited . :-)

 

My dealer told me today they are backordered until September So I am waiting also, and we are having a record heat wave coming in to the Northwest this week!

 

Lovely. You get to use it when it's nice and cool out. That sucks - good luck. FWIW, I wasn't knocking people with bad ACs, but in my experience everyone has a personal comfort level, and some people will complain even when the AC is blasting and it's 50 degrees in the car with 100 outside. Besides, AC is not everything....if you have direct sunlight on a hot day, AC only goes so far, and it only cools in spots even in the best cars. Your face will be freezing, your torso sweating, your back melting, and your sack sticking. You all know what I mean.

-arattle

 

I used to be very dissapointed in the air conditioning of the 8. I even took it in to the dealer once. They said all they could do is recharge it a bit.
A short while ago I found the key to the air conditioning. Movement, or at least high rpms. I would leave work and sit in traffic for 15 minutes with the air on full, recirc. Then traffic would pick up and It would be cold within another couple of minutes. I always thought it took 20 minutes to get cold, but it was just because of the traffic and sitting at idle. I have found the air starts blowing nice and cold around 3.5k. Also setting it to blow only out the vents gets you more wind in your face than the other settings.

I don't know if this information will help anyone, but it took me quite a while to find good conditions for the air: Max Cold, Recirculate, Vent only, and engine running at least 3.5k.

-JiM

 

There is a service bulletin on the AC for the "AC amplifier"
Also, if you crack the sunroof and/or window when you first stat up - hot air gets blown out, cool air gets in. Takes about a minute. Then close the lid/window.

But yes, your back and sack don't get any air.

 

Wish we had the Ford Expedition air conditioned seats that my buddy has - man are they nice on the family jewels

 

Don't know if anyone has checked this out for certain, but another car that I had that was very high revving had a rev-limiting clutch on the compressor. If the a/c compressor didn't de-clutch after about 5500 rpm it would break stuff. My guess would be that the a/c compressor on the 8 would also have to de-clutch at a certain maximum RPM and therefore won't always be running.