Air Conditioning

[Bruza]

We have had our Grenadier Cab Chassis (canopy has been fabricated) for a few months now and are very happy with it, except for the Air Conditioning.
When we start a journey it works nicely, but if we stop to fuel up or take a short break, when we start the vehicle again the A/C won't work. When it’s not working the rear vents are blowing very hot heater air (not outside air) and the front vents appear to be different temperatures (drivers side appears to be cooler than the passenger side).
We took the vehicle back to the dealer who advised the gas was low, they then re-gassed the vehicle and said it was working OK. We drove for 1.5 hours, stopped for 10-15 minutes and the A/c did not work. Another short stop, (approx. 10 mins) and it worked. Another short break and it didn’t work. We feel there is something not turning on/off correctly. We had to drive another 2 hours home without any A/c.

 

[Mudnut]

One thing I do when starting the car is I turn the ignition on, and wait for the airbag light to go out on the instrument cluster, then fully turn and crank the motor. I think this allows all the checks to take place, and systems ready. The only time I just cranked the key the aircon played up. Worth a try.

 

[G-Man]

We have had our Grenadier Cab Chassis (canopy has been fabricated) for a few months now and are very happy with it, except for the Air Conditioning.
When we start a journey it works nicely, but if we stop to fuel up or take a short break, when we start the vehicle again the A/C won't work. When it’s not working the rear vents are blowing very hot heater air (not outside air) and the front vents appear to be different temperatures (drivers side appears to be cooler than the passenger side).
We took the vehicle back to the dealer who advised the gas was low, they then re-gassed the vehicle and said it was working OK. We drove for 1.5 hours, stopped for 10-15 minutes and the A/c did not work. Another short stop, (approx. 10 mins) and it worked. Another short break and it didn’t work. We feel there is something not turning on/off correctly. We had to drive another 2 hours home without any A/c.

The flaky AC is a well known issue. It has a piss poor boot up sequence and if you crank the engine before it's done then all bets are off on what it does next. My routine is to jump in the car, ignition turned to first click and then put my seatbelt on whilst infotainment/AC wakes up. Once I hear the fan blowing smoothly I know it's done it's thing and I start the engine.

To compound the issue, a large number of vehicles are leaving the factory with insufficient coolant in the AC system which can give you the 'hot in the back cool in the front' thing. You can actually purge the system your self and check the hot/cold reservoirs to see if the fluids are at the right level or need topping up, more information here: LINK

 

[CrazyOldMan]

Just one more suggestion- check each time to see if the “auto” indicator light is on, and check the temperature setting. Kind of like the “intelligent” speed warning (I’m not even sure you guys are blessed with that feature in the ANZ markets) sometimes it’s on when you restart, sometimes it’s not. As long as I make sure to select Auto, I’ve never had problems with heat or AC - and I never do anything special when I start up, other than waiting for Apple Car Play and then deselecting the speed warning and auto start/stop. But I immediately start the engine and complete my pre-flight checklist with the engine running. It does take sometimes 2-3 minutes for all the vents and blenders to wake up as I start driving - you can hear them flipping over one by one with a kind of Darth Vader death rattle. I just tell my little one it’s the anguished souls of the damned who didn’t listen to their parents, became awful people and died horrible deaths, alone and cursing the day they were born. And as some others have mentioned - double check the AC charge - there may be a loose hose connector.

 

[DoubleDoom]

As long as I make sure to select Auto, I’ve never had problems with heat or AC

on the other hand..... i find auto to be fine in average weather when its neither too hot or too cold. However, when its hot, the air con doesn't blow out a lot of cold, apart from on the centre of the windscreen where a cold spot appears. And when its cold, the heat is just warm and doesn't aim any at your legs. Indeed, the windscreen and side windows start misting up in cold weather on auto

However, if I put it into manual, it gives me full range from ice box to volcano and where I want it. So, I tend to keep mine on manual during the extreme seasons.

My routine is to jump in the car, ignition turned to first click and then put my seatbelt on whilst infotainment/AC wakes up. Once I hear the fan blowing smoothly I know it's done it's thing and I start the engine.

Thats a me too on that.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

on the other hand..... i find auto to be fine in average weather when its neither too hot or too cold. However, when its hot, the air con doesn't blow out a lot of cold, apart from on the centre of the windscreen where a cold spot appears. And when its cold, the heat is just warm and doesn't aim any at your legs. Indeed, the windscreen and side windows start misting up in cold weather on auto

However, if I put it into manual, it gives me full range from ice box to volcano and where I want it. So, I tend to keep mine on manual during the extreme seasons.


Thats a me too on that.

Beats me - we routinely get much, much colder than the coldest recorded temperature in the UK (-27C - child’s play) and I had zero fogging over the winter. Play around with actually leaving the AC on but set the temp up, and test outside vs recirculate. I ran it all winter - no issues with fogging. I was bouncing around between freezer and volcano, like you, and then just left the AC on, turned it to auto, and haven’t had any problems since, in the heat or the cold. Of course, now that I said that, I’m doomed.