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

 

[Kevin Mokracek]

In 14k miles and 5 months of ownership I've had probably a 6-10 times where it randomly (on start up) will blow warm/hot out the front and super hot out the rear vents instead of the 69-73°F I'm requesting. Turning it off for 5 minutes has fixed it every single time, so I can't say I'm overly concerned by it.

Mine started out that way and has progressively gotten worse. It left me without AC on a trip through the Mojave Desert last month for 6 hours. no amount of stopping and letting it sit was able to reset it. Finally after 6 hours we tried again and let it sit for 20 minutes and it started blowing cold again. No I am getting it more frequently and I also noticed upon start up the fan won't blow at all for at least 45 seconds after I turn on the car and set the fan speed. I took it to the dealer and they found a leaky AC hose, they replaced it and handed it back saying it was fixed, a day later it was back to blowing warm in front and super hot on the back. The delayed AC fan start though is new. I also tried auto mode yesterday when the AC was working fine. After pushing the auto button it started blowing super hard and the temp shot up and it started pumping out super hot humid air.
I love the truck but the HVAC system in mine and several others is complete trash and I am getting zero response from Ineos.

 

[rovie]

Mine works fine for the most part. It blows hard and is super cold but I have found that not using the auto temp control is easier. Only annoyance is the small amount of cold air that blows from the windshield vents regardless of setting. In our humid Houston environment this causes the window condensation/fogging. Using manual control I can minimize the issue to a certain extent.

Yes, I can confirm that.

 

[Skydance]

I have sometimes blowing hot and cold from different vent particularly the face/feet function. On auto, turn it up to 28 degrees and it blows cold until I switch it to manual. Blowing hot and cold air for prolonged periods produces condensation dripping water onto the passenger footwell. Max speed fan 4 or windscreen demister produces a high pitch frequency noise. Last time I spoke to the area technical manager, they said they are aware of this issue and he thinks there will not be a fix for it until they change all the hardware (ducting, motor, sensors, software, basically a new manufacturer).

I have had the fan motor changed and it’s still the same. This is the only thing letting my grenadier down and I don’t think Ineos will ever fix it.

 

[Kevin Mokracek]

This is the only thing letting my grenadier down and I don’t think Ineos will ever fix it.

If Ineos knows what the problem is don't they have an obligation to fix something that doesn't work?

 

[Skydance]

If Ineos knows what the problem is don't they have an obligation to fix something that doesn't work?

I would have thought so. They know the problem, it’s a manufacturer design issue.

Why does it take so long to fix something. What have they been testing because it’s not an isolated problem.

Does the new 24 models have this issue?

 

[bradb622]

Mine didn’t work at all on delivery (no hot or cold air) but the dealer fixed it promptly. It always wines a little, people tend to think a seal is loose in the windows until I explain it’s just the A/C. I’ve grown accustomed to that but no matter the temperature I don’t use the max fan (4) setting, that high pitched noise just irritates me to much. I’d rather be hotter than needed then have to listen to it. It reminds me of the very cheap plastic electric fans you can buy at festivals.

Still enjoy the vehicle, but I’ve never seen an A/C system (of any make or vintage of vehicle) operate so poorly. The AC is just not up to the standard of the rest of the vehicle, or honestly, not up to the standard of any of other vehicle sold.

Again, I really like the Grenadier and what it can do, but think it’s fair to point of the things that have missed the mark.

 

[BD1]

Mine works fine.....knock on wood

 

[DoubleDoom]

Does the new 24 models have this issue?

I will tell you next Thursday when I pick mine up. It is a July build so quite recent off the line.

 

[Max]

Fortunately, I live in a warmish climate and use the cool more than the warm but the vents are not working as they should...I have a 30000k service due in a week or so...I am leaving the vehicle with the agent for a week while we are away, so hopefully all will be sorted

 

[LeftCoastOverland]

Mine took some massaging to work out, but does what I want of it 60% of the time it works every time.

Not such a fool for ordering my build with the seat heaters! They’re consistently hot.
A puffy coat and some long pants on the cool days, and some board shorts and flip flops for the hot ones seems to sort out the rest.

 

[Stu_Barnes]

Mine works well, (now!)
Make sure the two coolant circuits are up to the level and properly bled. This is not as easy as it sounds.

Totally. I think a vacuum bleed is going to the way for this circuit to be considered bled and full.

 

[Msnow22]

Mine is screwed as well, was not working then was after the dealer bled it and now doesnt work anymore it sucks.

 

[BenTN]

I've documented my A/C struggles here:

Air Conditioning quits, requires engine re-start in high heat/humidity

Just adding on. I had intermittent issues as well on a 3-4 hour road trip on a hot day. Then got the hot air blast at one point and now it's really out. Knauz Ineos says it's a cracked hose that is leaking. They have had a couple like this.(3 out of 300). Luckily my first service is next week so...

www.theineosforum.com

Love this vehicle! Constantly impressed by it and would buy it again in a heartbeat. But there does seem to be a variety of A/C problems showing up for us early owners. I hope to get mine resolved at my next service visit. In the mean time I just punch a few buttons every time it quits, and it always comes back.

 

[G-Man]

Well my experience on Auto is that it'll blow cold air into the cabin unless I set it to a minimum 25degC, even if it is 12degC outside. Even then it'll occasionally blow cold air for a while and then revert back, which I guess is the system letting fresh (outside) air into the cab to balance the interior temperature and it's really annoying.

If I switch to manual mode then it's a different story: It'll blow roasting hot air until I set the system to 18degC and then anywhere below it It'll just blow cold air. The A/C system doesn't seem to have a pleasant 'warm' setting, it's just a binary 'hot' or 'freezing cold'. I've taken to setting the A/C to 20degC on manual and the fan setting on '1', where it'll gently blow hot air into the cab. When I get too hot I switch the fan to zero and then when I start to feel the chill I turn the fan back up, so I've effectively become the 'Auto' setting!

I live in Scotland and it's rare that I actually need the cooling option as I generally just crack open a window but on the odd occasion where I've needed it (on the motorway on a 26degC day) I'll concede it's actually worked quite well on Auto, once it's settled down. There does seem to be about 5 minutes latency on the system, so if you fiddle with the controls again too soon after a first adjustment it'll eventually swing too far the other way. My local service centre has taken a look at it and bled the system, but they confirmed that the A/C is known to be flaky at best.

For the last twenty years every new car I've purchased I've just set the A/C to 21degC on Auto and then forgotten about it for the duration of ownership, so the Grenadier's A/C is a bit of a learning curve. It's not a deal breaker because it is possible to get to a setting that works for the moment (provided the missus isn't also competing for A/C mastery from the passenger seat!), but it's just soooooo damn sketchy!

 

[Tazzieman]

Mine seems to work satisfactorily.

 

[Phred]

Mine seems to work fine…

One thing I have noticed is that when I change the flow direction, I sometimes hear the flap kind of pop like it’s getting stuck and then releases. I think this might be the problem…either the flap is getting stuck in position or the servo motor that moves it. Just a thought.

 

[Rok_Dr]

My A/C and heat work fine. The auto function does seem to take a minute or two to sort itself out, but once settled works great.

X2 @UncleBuck ‘s experience. I leave it on Auto at 21-23 deg.

Had only one hot air out of the rear vents experience back in January

Cheers Steve

 

[G-Man]

X2 @UncleBuck ‘s experience. I leave it on Auto at 21-23 deg.

Had only one hot air out of the rear vents experience back in January

Cheers Steve

It sounds like the system cools far more efficiently than it heats, as there's far less gripes coming from the folks in warmer climates

 

[rovie]

Mine seems to work fine…

One thing I have noticed is that when I change the flow direction, I sometimes hear the flap kind of pop like it’s getting stuck and then releases. I think this might be the problem…either the flap is getting stuck in position or the servo motor that moves it. Just a thought.

You've got it. That's exactly the issue.

 

[AUDIOBUS]

Mine was great for about 6-7 weeks after delivery. Then over the course of 4 or 5 days it failed and would no longer blow cold air. It's now been re-charged with dye. No leaks that I can see. Possibly the known "factory non-fill/bleed" issue? We'll see.