Let's get some perspective: Is your Grenadier AC working as it should?

G-Man · Sep 5, 2024

Who else's AC is batsh1t crazy and randomly blows hot air one day and cold the next on the exact same setting? I don't think the AC system got the attention it deserved during the 1.2 million miles of road testing, that's for sure. I love my new truck but it's the one thing that drives me nuts on pretty much a daily basis as I fiddle away at the controls and I'm surprised Ineos haven't found a fix for it yet. I gather it's down to sticky solenoid valves or such like and is probably an expensive warranty concern for them.

It would be useful to set up a poll on this forum and get an idea of what percentage and numbers of owners here have flaky AC. This forum must represent a decent amount of the Grenadier owner population, perhaps it would help sharpen Ineos' perspective on the issue if it popped up on every Google search relating to Grenadier AC issues. I don't have the ability to raise a forum poll but maybe @Stu_Barnes would consider it a worthy exercise

scottyboy436 · Monday at 11:14 PM

When my fan is ment to be off what I seem to get is air directly from outside , I assumed that it should be closed out from outside,

Dual Grenny Guy · Monday at 11:32 PM

TCMColorado said:
Let me be the first to deflate the build date hypothesis. Yes I bought my Grenadier in September but it is a model year 2024 built in December of 2023.

That doesn’t deflate my hypothesis as I wasn’t asking for “build” dates, but “BUY” dates.

There has to be a rational reason why most of the A/C issues seem to be from the first purchased models. I own 2 myself and I have 2 friends with 1 & 2 each, so 5 in total between us, all bought after May 2024 (3 different dealers/states as well) and none of us have any A/C issues. I don’t think that’s luck. If you noticed I didn’t ask for build dates, but when purchased. That’s the secret IMO. It’s like they found the issues (whether it’s emptying out the system and recharging the ones on the lot or whatever they figured out). One of mine has a build date of 11-23, but I didn’t purchase it until May 2024. So “IMO” they figured out some of the A/C issues and fixed the ones still on the dealership lots before they were sold. So really has nothing to do with build dates at all, it’s the buy dates that’s important. Still waiting for ANYONE to post their info if purchased after May 2024 and have A/C issues.

TCMColorado · Monday at 11:52 PM

My dealer did say they heavily tested the HVAC system as part of the PDI. Made sure it was bled fully and free of air in the system, both coolant reservoirs topped off etc. What exactly the complete testing entails I cannot say. All I know is my system works.

But for every positive there is a negative. My OEM winch would not power out from day one so that is getting replaced under warranty today. The winch was actually in stock in the US and did not have to be shipped from Europe.

G-Man · Tuesday at 12:36 PM

I don't think any of this is rocket science. Ever since my Gren went back in a second time to have the AC vacuum filled and purged it has worked well on Auto but still gets up to its old tricks if I attempt to use a manual setting. Basically, before a certain manufacturing date it looks like some of the AC units that were fitted were sub-par (with sticky valves or poor controls or whatever) and to compound the issue some of the the early production models were also badly plumbed and/or primed:

Bad AC unit + bad priming = Batsh1t crazy, INEOS will first instruct to have the system re-primed to eliminate this from the equation.
Bad AC unit + correct priming = Temperamental. You're going to have to live with it until INEOS come clean and offer a solution
Good AC unit + bad priming = Temperamental but should be straightforward to rectify
Good AC unit + good priming = Congratulations, you obviously bought a vehicle built after the date INEOS got their sh1t together

Skydance · Thursday at 12:58 AM

Today, I topped up the hot coolant level to max and checked the cold coolant level which was ok at max. I noticed straight away, that my heater was hot and toasty pretty quick. Condensation all gone and first time I got hot air blowing out both face and feet together. Will see if it improves and long continues. I did this by propping open the bonnet using the maintenace hole looked down the reservoir rather than guesstimate using my finger.

Previously my dealer did this and bled the system, but only worked properly for a while. I’m wondering if its looses coolant. I had a good look around and there is no leaks.

Tom109 · Thursday at 2:03 AM

Skydance said:
Today, I topped up the hot coolant level to max and checked the cold coolant level which was ok at max.

This is a great routine check, especially for a new vehicle.

G-Man · Thursday at 12:03 PM

Skydance said:
Today, I topped up the hot coolant level to max and checked the cold coolant level which was ok at max. I noticed straight away, that my heater was hot and toasty pretty quick. Condensation all gone and first time I got hot air blowing out both face and feet together. Will see if it improves and long continues. I did this by propping open the bonnet using the maintenace hole looked down the reservoir rather than guesstimate using my finger.

Previously my dealer did this and bled the system, but only worked properly for a while. I’m wondering if its looses coolant. I had a good look around and there is no leaks.

This is great. Can you post a photo with a big finger pointing at what we're supposed to be checking?

Until my vehicle went in for a second purge the footwell vents were the target of my rage as they'd always revert to cold (fresh?) air after ten minutes of use, regardless of what AC setting.

Skydance · Thursday at 1:21 PM

G-Man said:
This is great. Can you post a photo with a big finger pointing at what we're supposed to be checking?

Until my vehicle went in for a second purge the footwell vents were the target of my rage as they'd always revert to cold (fresh?) air after ten minutes of use, regardless of what AC setting.

Prop open the bonnet using the service mode hole. On a cold engine, have a gander inside the blue (cold) and black (hot) coolant reservoirs. You will see a yellow tab. Coolant should be level with the max locator on both sides.

Mine was short on the hot but ok on the cold. So maybe that’s why my cold was alway freezing cold and warm was luke warm. I must of filled up 200ml of coolant to get it to max. Key is to make sure they both are equal and balanced. I think this is important to ensure no condensation builds up in the car (around the pipe work) causing it to condensate and cause drips. (These are my thoughts from a non mechanical point of view). Also may be the reason why some people say it’s either roasting hot or freezing cold.

Stu_Barnes · Thursday at 2:05 PM

Clark Kent said:
I suspect the HVAC sensor is behind the small round grille next to the left side mount of the passenger grab handle.

That’s precisely where the sensor is. Now weather it’s a combined temperature and humidity sensor I’ve no idea.

G-Man · Thursday at 2:25 PM

Skydance said:
Prop open the bonnet using the service mode hole. On a cold engine, have a gander inside the blue (cold) and black (hot) coolant reservoirs. You will see a yellow tab. Coolant should be level with the max locator on both sides.

Mine was short on the hot but ok on the cold. So maybe that’s why my cold was alway freezing cold and warm was luke warm. I must of filled up 200ml of coolant to get it to max. Key is to make sure they both are equal and balanced. I think this is important to ensure no condensation builds up in the car (around the pipe work) causing it to condensate and cause drips. (These are my thoughts from a non mechanical point of view). Also may be the reason why some people say it’s either roasting hot or freezing cold.

Thanks @Skydance

Expertly applied finger

mbrillatl · Thursday at 2:48 PM

Question for y'all. What is the purpose of the manual setting on the HVAC? Every car I have ever owned before, manual would set the temperature of the air coming out of the vents. It would keep the air temp coming out of the vents at a consistent temperature based on the setting. My service technician has told me that, after speaking with an engineer, the manual setting on the Grenadier will adjust the temperature of the air coming out of the vents to keep the cabin at the temperature set on the dial. That has always been the purpose of the Auto setting. Am I insane?

Krabby · Thursday at 2:52 PM

mbrillatl said:
Question for y'all. What is the purpose of the manual setting on the HVAC? Every car I have ever owned before, manual would set the temperature of the air coming out of the vents. It would keep the air temp coming out of the vents at a consistent temperature based on the setting. My service technician has told me that, after speaking with an engineer, the manual setting on the Grenadier will adjust the temperature of the air coming out of the vents to keep the cabin at the temperature set on the dial. That has always been the purpose of the Auto setting. Am I insane?

Your understanding of manual is exactly how I've always believed it to be. The HVAC in the Fit - which has no "auto" setting operates that way. Blows my mind that a $17,000 roller-skate handles heat and AC better than the IG.

G-Man · Thursday at 4:15 PM

mbrillatl said:
Question for y'all. What is the purpose of the manual setting on the HVAC? Every car I have ever owned before, manual would set the temperature of the air coming out of the vents. It would keep the air temp coming out of the vents at a consistent temperature based on the setting. My service technician has told me that, after speaking with an engineer, the manual setting on the Grenadier will adjust the temperature of the air coming out of the vents to keep the cabin at the temperature set on the dial. That has always been the purpose of the Auto setting. Am I insane?

This is my experience of the manual vs auto settings. Both try and do exactly the same thing, except that for some reason manual mode does it badly. Auto imperceptibly holds a constant cabin temperature (once the AC system has been filled correctly) while manual mode blows puffs of hot and cold air in a random fashion until you lose your temper and try another setting.

To me the manual mode is pointless. If it did what you thought it should do (i.e. blow a constant pre-selected temperature) then it would deserve its place on the control console. As it stands, selecting manual mode is the equivalent of hitting a 'surprise me' button

Michael_in_Baja · Thursday at 4:54 PM

Mine works as it should, I picked up my Trialmaster in July in Portland and it was the first thing I checked as it was 110 degrees at home in California that week. For what it is worth my Grenadier was built in May of '24.

Tom109 · Thursday at 5:50 PM

I only use manual mode. For heat, I set the flaps to floor, turn speed to 1, and adjust temp dial for the desired temp (momentarily displayed at the top of the screen). To change the heat I increase fan speed, or turn the temp dial up/down. Most often I just crack two windows open to vent.

Isn’t this how manual should work?

MTNDOG · Thursday at 5:52 PM

Tom109 said:
I only use manual mode. For heat, I set the flaps to floor, turn speed to 1, and adjust temp dial for the desired temp (momentarily displayed at the top of the screen). To change the heat I increase fan speed, or turn the temp dial up/down. Most often I just crack two windows open to vent.

Isn’t this how manual should work?

And it is how mine works. Temps have been fairly mild since I have had mine. Interested to see what happens when we drop to below zero this winter for a better test.

G-Man · Friday at 11:52 AM

Tom109 said:
I only use manual mode. For heat, I set the flaps to floor, turn speed to 1, and adjust temp dial for the desired temp (momentarily displayed at the top of the screen). To change the heat I increase fan speed, or turn the temp dial up/down. Most often I just crack two windows open to vent.

Isn’t this how manual should work?

Ideally yes, it's how you'd expect it to work but my system blows hot and cold of its own accord when it is on Manual heat setting (I live in Scotland so cooling is rarely required)

I think we may as well wrap this thread up as we're now in a conversation loop. It seems the people that have good systems can't get their head around it and the people with flaky systems are just living with it. Mine now works fine on Auto so that's where I'll leave it.

Passive Aggressive? Moi?

Tom109 · Friday at 1:27 PM

@G-Man - I’ll just add that even when my engine is at temp but hvac off, everything set for heat to the floor, when I turn on the fan speed there is a 20-30 second blast of cold air from the dash while the system figures out what to do. This is why I would like to know the vent/air-path/flap positions at rest (system off). If we know this, it may be the logical starting point for any heating/cooling.

Dual Grenny Guy · Friday at 1:53 PM

G-Man said:
I think we may as well wrap this thread up as we're now in a conversation loop. It seems the people that have good systems can't get their head around it and the people with flaky systems are just living with it. Mine now works fine on Auto so that's where I'll leave it.

Capt · Friday at 2:41 PM

G-Man said:
Who else's AC is batsh1t crazy and randomly blows hot air one day and cold the next on the exact same setting? I don't think the AC system got the attention it deserved during the 1.2 million miles of road testing, that's for sure. I love my new truck but it's the one thing that drives me nuts on pretty much a daily basis as I fiddle away at the controls and I'm surprised Ineos haven't found a fix for it yet. I gather it's down to sticky solenoid valves or such like and is probably an expensive warranty concern for them.

It would be useful to set up a poll on this forum and get an idea of what percentage and numbers of owners here have flaky AC. This forum must represent a decent amount of the Grenadier owner population, perhaps it would help sharpen Ineos' perspective on the issue if it popped up on every Google search relating to Grenadier AC issues. I don't have the ability to raise a forum poll but maybe @Stu_Barnes would consider it a worthy exercise

I too am having the issue. I notice it more when I have the heater on. It’s either like driving in a convection baking oven or a refrigerator. There’s no in-between.

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Let's get some perspective: Is your Grenadier AC working as it should?

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