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

[G-Man]

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

 

[Skydance]

Following on my previous post. I tested it for a couple of days and the HVAC works as intended on both auto and manual mode.

I’ve yet to test if it drips (not humid enough) but I’m confident, time will tell. I read somewhere on a HVAC forum that the system needs to be balanced to find the right dew point. Not just insulating pipes or changing the cabin filter

The one step Ineos or dealers may not have performed is the following steps which is key. Obviously some techs do which may be the reason why some HVAC are good and some are bad.

1. Following a purge procedure set out by Ineos
2. Wait till the following day once the engine is stone cold.
3. Prop open bonnet fully, check coolant levels in both hot and cold reservoirs.
4. Top up ensuring both are level with Max to ensure they are balanced.
5. Recheck coolant levels after a week on a cold engine to see it’s still level with Max in case anymore air has escaped. Top up if necessary to max.

If you purge the HVAC or bleed the brakes (for example), you must top up because you are replacing the lost air.

Only thing left are, it’s still slow to react (software). The high frequency shrill sound is still there on demist and fan 4. I suspect some kind of interference with something electrical.

 

[euroflo]

I don't know if this has been posted before... but looks like the heater problem could be a little present from BMW.

bad heater control valve, how to be certain?

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???

 

[SkiBum1]

My aircon works good. Not like a new Mercedes or anything but no concerns. The heat, on the other hand could be much hotter. The heated seats are great!

 

[mbrillatl]

So I checked coolant levels per y’all’s suggestions. I would definitely call this unbalanced.

 

[Skydance]

So I checked coolant levels per y’all’s suggestions. I would definitely call this unbalanced. View attachment 7878694View attachment 7878695

Now with the one which is short. Is that hot or cold and does that correlate to the what’s happening with the HVAC? Too hot or too cold?

 

[G-Man]

Following on my previous post. I tested it for a couple of days and the HVAC works as intended on both auto and manual mode.

I’ve yet to test if it drips (not humid enough) but I’m confident, time will tell. I read somewhere on a HVAC forum that the system needs to be balanced to find the right dew point. Not just insulating pipes or changing the cabin filter

The one step Ineos or dealers may not have performed is the following steps which is key. Obviously some techs do which may be the reason why some HVAC are good and some are bad.

1. Following a purge procedure set out by Ineos
2. Wait till the following day once the engine is stone cold.
3. Prop open bonnet fully, check coolant levels in both hot and cold reservoirs.
4. Top up ensuring both are level with Max to ensure they are balanced.
5. Recheck coolant levels after a week on a cold engine to see it’s still level with Max in case anymore air has escaped. Top up if necessary to max.

If you purge the HVAC or bleed the brakes (for example), you must top up because you are replacing the lost air.

Only thing left are, it’s still slow to react (software). The high frequency shrill sound is still there on demist and fan 4. I suspect some kind of interference with something electrical.

Hey @Skydance what coolant did you use as a top up?

 

[Cheshire cat]

Getting a lot of value from this thread.
Having brought my vehicle to the dealers earlier this year with a complaint of not being able to stay warm, the fix was not really what I had hoped for. The summer came along and I no longer needed to check for heating. Recently, with winter returning, I realised my Grenadier was not keeping the cab very warm at all. Thank God for the electric seats which did a great job. Following this thread, I checked my coolant levels and found I needed to add 1.25 litres of fluid to the left hand (looking towards the windscreen) reservoir. The vehicle is now warm and the heating working 'sort of' like it should do. I am going to carefully, carry out the guidance as found here and see if I can improve things further.

 

[Skydance]

Getting a lot of value from this thread.
Having brought my vehicle to the dealers earlier this year with a complaint of not being able to stay warm, the fix was not really what I had hoped for. The summer came along and I no longer needed to check for heating. Recently, with winter returning, I realised my Grenadier was not keeping the cab very warm at all. Thank God for the electric seats which did a great job. Following this thread, I checked my coolant levels and found I needed to add 1.25 litres of fluid to the left hand (looking towards the windscreen) reservoir. The vehicle is now warm and the heating working 'sort of' like it should do. I am going to carefully, carry out the guidance as found here and see if I can improve things further.

Left hand one is the hot. Which explains the symptoms. Keep it balanced and check in another week when engine is cold.

 

[Cheshire cat]

Left hand one is the hot. Which explains the symptoms. Keep it balanced and check in another week when engine is cold.

What surprised me was the amount by which I had to top up.

 

[Skydance]

Getting a lot of value from this thread.
Having brought my vehicle to the dealers earlier this year with a complaint of not being able to stay warm, the fix was not really what I had hoped for. The summer came along and I no longer needed to check for heating. Recently, with winter returning, I realised my Grenadier was not keeping the cab very warm at all. Thank God for the electric seats which did a great job. Following this thread, I checked my coolant levels and found I needed to add 1.25 litres of fluid to the left hand (looking towards the windscreen) reservoir. The vehicle is now warm and the heating working 'sort of' like it should do. I am going to carefully, carry out the guidance as found here and see if I can improve things further.

Hey @Skydance what coolant did you use as a top up?

I used Prestone coolant from Costco.

 

[Skydance]

What surprised me was the amount by which I had to top up.

It’s surprised me too.

I need to keep testing to see if condensation is an issue. Was before but so far so good after the fix. Also need to test if cold air con still works as it should.

 

[bemax]

I just checked the levels and the right one (blue cap) is quite dry. So I guess my heating has a chance to become better and less erratic when I top it up.
I ordered the HT-12 to do the job. Does anyone knows whether it is to be mixed with water? In the description I read 1:1 which I read as one part coolant and one part (distilled) water.

 

[Tom109]

You can get BMW HT 12 coolant at your local BmW dealer.

 

[bemax]

You can get BMW HT 12 coolant at your local BmW dealer.

I know but that would have cost me 90 minutes of daytime which I will invest in other things. Like reading this forum as a book for example

 

[Tom109]

I know but that would have cost me 90 minutes of daytime which I will invest in other things. Like reading this forum as a book for example

Ineos dealer is over 2-hours from me. There is a BMW dealer on my way to work. Their pricing for oil filters and coolant is good too.

 

[bemax]

Ineos dealer is over 2-hours from me. There is a BMW dealer on my way to work. Their pricing for oil filters and coolant is good too.

Well I am lucky as my Ineos dealer is a BMW dealer and in the same town (but unfortunately on the other side of the town). When I raised my hand and threw in the first 450 € "I WANT"-fee in September 2022 the designated dealer here was a Volvo/Land Rover /Peugeot multi brand dealer around 200 meters from my work. I wasn´t amused when they backed up for contract reasons with Ineos. Luckily the new Ineos partner has been from my town as well but some miles away now.

 

[RYAustralia]

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

Yup. I’m in that same camp. Frequently trying not to freeze the windscreen but still keep the cabin cool in the tropical heat. Seems impossible some days yet so easy to do on other days.

 

[trobex]

Getting a lot of value from this thread.
Having brought my vehicle to the dealers earlier this year with a complaint of not being able to stay warm, the fix was not really what I had hoped for. The summer came along and I no longer needed to check for heating. Recently, with winter returning, I realised my Grenadier was not keeping the cab very warm at all. Thank God for the electric seats which did a great job. Following this thread, I checked my coolant levels and found I needed to add 1.25 litres of fluid to the left hand (looking towards the windscreen) reservoir. The vehicle is now warm and the heating working 'sort of' like it should do. I am going to carefully, carry out the guidance as found here and see if I can improve things further.

This is the issue I had in winter, needed heat for a few days for the little ones in the back and I was basically and ice block in the front...

 

[mbrillatl]

These two pictures were taken a week apart. I had topped up the fluids to just below max and a week later it is below min. The other reservoir has maintained its level. Could anything other than a leak explain it?

 

[bemax]

These two pictures were taken a week apart. I had topped up the fluids to just below max and a week later it is below min. The other reservoir has maintained its level. Could anything other than a leak explain it?
View attachment 7879555

View attachment 7879550

In the best case there has been more air left within the system. If so the reservoir should stay full now.
I had to top up a second time as well. But it’s been a fraction of that what you might have to refill.
But the buble sound that was bearable from time to time is gone now.