HVAC reliability

[Tempus Fugit]

Hello,

I know this has been discussed before, but have you all noticed if the more recent Grenadiers have resolved the numerous issues with the HVAC system? I am very seriously looking at buying one right now but am worried about the HVAC problems, some of which do not appear to have reliable or easy fixes.

I live in New England and my wife and 1 year old will frequently ride in the car with me, so I want to make sure they are comfortable in the winter and dead of summer. I think the car is amazing, and love everything else about it. Even don’t mind the ADAS gremlins, but at $80,000 it is hard for me to justify the purchase if the HVAC issues are a real problem that will require numerous trips to dealer to try to fix.

Any experience and input is greatly appreciated. I already have a particular grenadier picked out at the dealer that has all the options I want. However, during the test drive, I noticed the whistling sound from the passenger side when the fan was turned up to max the others have reported. I am extremely close to pulling the trigger, just need to make sure I am not getting into problems.

Thanks a lot guys. This forum has been incredibly helpful as I research this purchase.

 

[AngusMacG]

Here are my thoughts and use of the HVAC...It is very "squirrelly". It will blow cold air at you when you want heat. It will be on full blast when you have the fan set at 1. It will blow air through the dash vents when you want it thru the floor vents. All of these are temporary. I am not sure why but it seems to me that the HVAC system resets itself whenever you change settings. Once it settles in to what you want it runs perfectly fine. This can take upwards of 3-5 minutes so it can be uncomfortable for short rides.

I run my HVAC in Auto, set at about 70 deg F, with the fans off. I find that with this setting that the system isn't quite so schizophrenic with the fans as when you try to get all the settings customized for the moment. I do tend to have long drives so that I'm not blasting the heat to get it warmed up then turning it down during the drive. It will settle on the temperature and work perfectly fine.

 

[Cheshire cat]

Hello,

I know this has been discussed before, but have you all noticed if the more recent Grenadiers have resolved the numerous issues with the HVAC system? I am very seriously looking at buying one right now but am worried about the HVAC problems, some of which do not appear to have reliable or easy fixes.

I live in New England and my wife and 1 year old will frequently ride in the car with me, so I want to make sure they are comfortable in the winter and dead of summer. I think the car is amazing, and love everything else about it. Even don’t mind the ADAS gremlins, but at $80,000 it is hard for me to justify the purchase if the HVAC issues are a real problem that will require numerous trips to dealer to try to fix.

Any experience and input is greatly appreciated. I already have a particular grenadier picked out at the dealer that has all the options I want. However, during the test drive, I noticed the whistling sound from the passenger side when the fan was turned up to max the others have reported. I am extremely close to pulling the trigger, just need to make sure I am not getting into problems.

Thanks a lot guys. This forum has been incredibly helpful as I research this purchase.

Welcome Tempus
The way I see the HVAC issues.
I have owned my Grenadier for nearly two years now. In that time, the HVAC has only let me down completely, on one occasion. If it were not for the electrically heated seats, I couldn't have continued on my journey with any degree of comfort. Ended up, my fluid levels were low. That was over a year ago.
The HVAC is very crude in operation but does seem to work. Regardless of HVAC issues, I have absolutely no regrets on my purchase. Hope that helps.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

Hello,

I know this has been discussed before, but have you all noticed if the more recent Grenadiers have resolved the numerous issues with the HVAC system? I am very seriously looking at buying one right now but am worried about the HVAC problems, some of which do not appear to have reliable or easy fixes.

I live in New England and my wife and 1 year old will frequently ride in the car with me, so I want to make sure they are comfortable in the winter and dead of summer. I think the car is amazing, and love everything else about it. Even don’t mind the ADAS gremlins, but at $80,000 it is hard for me to justify the purchase if the HVAC issues are a real problem that will require numerous trips to dealer to try to fix.

Any experience and input is greatly appreciated. I already have a particular grenadier picked out at the dealer that has all the options I want. However, during the test drive, I noticed the whistling sound from the passenger side when the fan was turned up to max the others have reported. I am extremely close to pulling the trigger, just need to make sure I am not getting into problems.

Thanks a lot guys. This forum has been incredibly helpful as I research this purchase.

I’m in Wisconsin - so we get significantly colder than New England. Heat and AC work fine - it can take a few minutes to kick in at startup, and then it seems to kind of do some sort of weird rotation through the vents before it settles in and the blender wakes up. Then it’s all fine. The hot is hot, the cold is cold - it is loud on max fan setting, and the temperature increments are not too finely calibrated - but it all seems to work just fine (I’ve owned mine for a year, running it at -20F and 95F and everything in between. If you’re buying an off-lot unit, have them make sure the AC is fully charged. There were some ‘24 units where the hoses weren’t fully tightened and the AC had to be recharged. I’m sure in a few years, they’ll have a tamer setup - but nothing at this point to be concerned about, in my opinion. One caveat - I have a heated garage - if I had to jump in bone cold in the morning, I would be more concerned about the “kick in time” for those first few minutes. Otherwise, you can just let it run for a few minutes before heading out. Rear seats aren’t heated - neither is the steering wheel - so something to keep in mind.

 

[DoubleDoom]

HVAC works very differently in manual mode and auto-mode.

For example, I was travelling in minus 6c recently and when in auto, the car struggled to give me any notable heat, even at maximum temp. It was warm but only just and the footwell wasnt getting much and my legs were cold. However, switching it to manual and the heating came to life and turned into a volcano and I had to move the heating setting back down again.

So, if its mild, I am quite happy to leave it in auto but if I want real cool or hot air, I switch it to manual. Mine is a July 2024 build

When starting the vehicle, its worth leaving it on pre-ignition for a few seconds before firing it up just to allow the HVAC to start up. Its only about 4-5 seconds (about the time it takes for the centre screen to come to life and switch to carplay). i.e. put the key in, turn it one notch and then put the seat belt on, wait a second or two and then fire it up (you can hear the HVAC initialise - not the bit where it cycles the vents, that comes later - just the initial startup).

Heated front seats are some of the best I have had. They heat up very quickly and retain heat well.

 

[Dokatd]

I'm in Texas, about as humid hot as it gets, AC does an adequate job. It's actually pretty cold honestly. But man is it squirrelly. I find if you just let it do its thing it will find equilibrium where you have it set. Just takes time to stabilize. Compared to ADAS and steering I would suggest it's a pebble in the road among many speed bumps.

Heating seems to be fine in the 20's as well.

 

[rur42]

I was having trouble with the HVAC on manual, but automatic seems to work pretty well. I dial in temperature changes every once in a while, but generally leave it alone. The heated seats work great. I do have some fan noise, but it's mostly on the high fan settings which doesn't run often enough to bother me. I agree with the CrazyOldMan, the HVAC system seems fine. If you have issues post purchase, except for the fan noise, you should be able to get them addressed.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

In other words - we’ll all give you contradictory feedback but agree it’s quirky, loud, and generally works well enough ;o)

 

[Nevada Grenadier]

Here are my thoughts and use of the HVAC...It is very "squirrelly". It will blow cold air at you when you want heat. It will be on full blast when you have the fan set at 1. It will blow air through the dash vents when you want it thru the floor vents. All of these are temporary. I am not sure why but it seems to me that the HVAC system resets itself whenever you change settings. Once it settles in to what you want it runs perfectly fine. This can take upwards of 3-5 minutes so it can be uncomfortable for short rides.

I run my HVAC in Auto, set at about 70 deg F, with the fans off. I find that with this setting that the system isn't quite so schizophrenic with the fans as when you try to get all the settings customized for the moment. I do tend to have long drives so that I'm not blasting the heat to get it warmed up then turning it down during the drive. It will settle on the temperature and work perfectly fine.

My experience matches yours.

 

[Skydance]

Unfortunately everyone has different experiences with the HVAC, some good, mostly bad. Mines ok but not perfect. I leave it on manual because on auto it whistle in between face and feet and it drives me mad. Not really acceptable in todays day and age.

Don’t think they’ve fixed it and at one point the area manager said to me, it will
never be fixed unless a new redesigned system is installed.

Other than that, if you can live with that, it’s a modern old school defender built for purposes including its own quirks and plenty of character. But the way it makes you feel driving a tank, does it for me.

 

[Grenadian]

I am Korean. I got the car on October 23, 2024 and have driven 5000 km so far.
I have experienced both 20(C) and -20(C) degrees, and I have not had to make any more adjustments since I set the HVAC to auto and 22 degrees.
I do not touch it anymore when I turn it on or off. It worked great last week in -22 degrees(C).

* The HVAC seems to work by taking into account the temperature of the rear seats and the cargo area.
In other words, there is no case where only the driver's seat is warm and the cargo area is frozen.
Since the cargo area does not receive hot air directly, it seems to try to maintain the temperature of the entire vehicle evenly.

 

[anand]

In other words - we’ll all give you contradictory feedback but agree it’s quirky, loud, and generally works well enough ;o)

This is the most honest and accurate reply

 

[bradb622]

It's a strange system. I'd say overall it works when you figure how to help it get to where you want it and the patience to let it get there.
I honestly don't mind those aspects. The sounds however, do drive me a little crazy, mine whistles from the dash vents and the full fan speed makes a different louder sound from the passenger footwell (I describe it like a cheap hand-held battery operated electric fan) that I find annoying enough to avoid despite whatever temperature It might be outside. I will choose to be optimistic that can a fix will be found because the vehicle is so great in almost all other aspects.

 

[Krabby]

Mine has gotten better but it's far from stable. I've said this a bunch of times here but how did they manage to eff this up so badly? There was no need to be fancy! Function over form would have been best.

 

[Tempus Fugit]

It's a strange system. I'd say overall it works when you figure how to help it get to where you want it and the patience to let it get there.
I honestly don't mind those aspects. The sounds however, do drive me a little crazy, mine whistles from the dash vents and the full fan speed makes a different louder sound from the passenger footwell (I describe it like a cheap hand-held battery operated electric fan) that I find annoying enough to avoid despite whatever temperature It might be outside. I will choose to be optimistic that can a fix will be found because the vehicle is so great in almost all other aspects.

Yes, I noticed that same sound from the passenger side on my last test drive. Your description is spot on. Agree though, the rest of the grenadier is just plain awesome and honestly seems like a really fun vehicle for family trips.

Thanks a lot for all of your opinions, this has been really helpful. If others have similar/different experiences would love to hear more.

 

[USAFN1985]

Hello,

I know this has been discussed before, but have you all noticed if the more recent Grenadiers have resolved the numerous issues with the HVAC system? I am very seriously looking at buying one right now but am worried about the HVAC problems, some of which do not appear to have reliable or easy fixes.

I live in New England and my wife and 1 year old will frequently ride in the car with me, so I want to make sure they are comfortable in the winter and dead of summer. I think the car is amazing, and love everything else about it. Even don’t mind the ADAS gremlins, but at $80,000 it is hard for me to justify the purchase if the HVAC issues are a real problem that will require numerous trips to dealer to try to fix.

Any experience and input is greatly appreciated. I already have a particular grenadier picked out at the dealer that has all the options I want. However, during the test drive, I noticed the whistling sound from the passenger side when the fan was turned up to max the others have reported. I am extremely close to pulling the trigger, just need to make sure I am not getting into problems.

Thanks a lot guys. This forum has been incredibly helpful as I research this purchase.

I have had my Grenny since Jan 11 2025....no issues with the HVAC.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

Mine has gotten better but it's far from stable. I've said this a bunch of times here but how did they manage to eff this up so badly? There was no need to be fancy! Function over form would have been best.

For me - in terms of the OP and people with similar concerns, here’s the deal - PURELY from my subjective perspective. If you want the toughest body on frame, solid axle adventure vehicle, this is it. The small stuff won’t be fixed in the next year - it will take a few years to smooth out. But I think there is no better option out there - at least not in the NAM market, that is. That list, in my mind, includes heating/AC, software (obviously), a better windshield that is less prone to cracking, heated headlight lenses (and a heated steering wheel would sure be nice in the “smooth pack”), and I guess I would like a factory-warranty lift option (like Toyota offers for TRD lifts). But honestly, I would not sit on the sidelines for these - they just aren’t significant enough to be worth it. If those kind of things ARE significant enough to hold you back, I would suggest the Grenadier is not a fit. Do something else - like a Lexus GX 550 or LX 700. I just love my Grenadier - literally come up with excuses to drive it - and these little quirks don’t diminish that experience for me. Hell, they probably even increase my affection for it.

 

[Krabby]

For me - in terms of the OP and people with similar concerns, here’s the deal - PURELY from my subjective perspective. If you want the toughest body in frame, solid axle adventure vehicle, this is it. The small stuff won’t be fixed in the next year - it will take a few years to smooth out. But I think there is no better option out there - at least not in the NAM market, that is. That list, in my mind, includes heating/AC, software (obviously), a better windshield that is less prone to cracking, heated headlight lenses (and a heated steering wheel would sure be nice in the “smooth pack”), and I guess I would like a factory-warranty lift option (like Toyota offers for TRD lifts). But honestly, I would not sit on the sidelines for these - they just aren’t significant enough to be worth it. If those kind of things ARE significant enough to hold you back, I would suggest the Grenadier is not a fit. Do something else - like a Lexus GX 550 or LX 700. I just love my Grenadier - literally come up with excuses to drive it - and these little quirks don’t diminish that experience for me. Hell, they probably even increase my affection for it.

I don't necessarily disagree with your comments, but predictable HVAC should be a given in any vehicle built in 2023-4-5. I've never been in a LC-70 series truck but my understanding is that it has not changed all that much from the 80s (recent facelift acknowledged) - I'd guess its heat works fine. Maybe our Oz members can comment.

Truthfully, I do not want, need, or use an "auto" function - a good ole' red-blue slider/knob would suffice. HVAC, from a functional standpoint, shouldn't vary from a basic $20,000 Kia or a $200,000 G -Wagon. The fact that the IG is toughly built shouldn't push properly functioning HVAC to the "small stuff" list of teeth-cutting issues - especially if it cannot be rectified (ie it's a flawed design not a software thing). It's a basic system that has been successfully implemented for decades.

 

[Pete Brown]

I live I in Alaska and now have 13,000 miles on mine. Initially my HVAC was essentially non functional. On my initial 1,000 shakedown cruise last March around the Pacific Northwest, I had to return to the dealer driving from Portland to Seattle in the rain with all the windows open as the heat was on full blast.

Now at home, it’s perfect and warms up faster than my former 4Runner. The AC also works just fine. The only annoyance is that, as others have noted, the fan is v noisy at high speed. When initially started, the system does go through some sort of start up routine where it senses the initial conditions as coolant starts to circulate and then reacts accordingly. This can take up to a minute. Let it do its job before you mess with it.

My problem, and I think the source of others’ problems, was two fold. 1) When originally prepared for delivery, the dual coolant systems (yes two, one for cooling and one for heating), were not correctly filled and/or bled of air, a process that required some special equipment that my dealer did not initially have. 2) Some of the dealers were not yet completely familiar with the process and tended to blow off the problems as owner induced. I was initially told that “they all do that” and given a ridiculously complicated procedure for setting controls in a particular sequence. I said, no, that can’t be right (and it was not) and I was not driving 2k miles home through BC and the Yukon at the end of winter until it was right. My dealer, Elliott Bay in Seattle, persevered and got it right.

There has been a factory service bulletin out for some time addressing the problem and all dealers should be aware of it but I still suspect that some dealers down south remain focused on the AC at the expense of the rarely used (by their customer base) heating function. They should also RTFM and check before delivery that the system is properly prepared.

I can only address my particular problem and can tell you that mine now works very well between -5°F (haven’t yet had it any colder) and above 80°. It always starts reliably and I haven’t been stuck (yet) but I keep trying.

IMHO, it’s great.

 

[CrazyOldMan]

I don't necessarily disagree with your comments, but predictable HVAC should be a given in any vehicle built in 2023-4-5. I've never been in a LC-70 series truck but my understanding is that it has not changed all that much from the 80s (recent facelift acknowledged) - I'd guess its heat works fine. Maybe our Oz members can comment.

Truthfully, I do not want, need, or use an "auto" function - a good ole' red-blue slider/knob would suffice. HVAC, from a functional standpoint, shouldn't vary from a basic $20,000 Kia or a $200,000 G -Wagon. The fact that the IG is toughly built shouldn't push properly functioning HVAC to the "small stuff" list of teeth-cutting issues - especially if it cannot be rectified (ie it's a flawed design not a software thing). It's a basic system that has been successfully implemented for decades.

I’ve been lusting in my heart for one of those FJ.co restomod LC 40 series builds - they still use that exact same slider control. That would honestly be perfect - nobody needs the auto temp garbage.