Aircon effectiveness
 

Hi all! I would like to hear your experiences: Do you find the Aircon to be a little on the weak side? My experience with modern and modern-ish cars is that they get freezing cold when the Aircon is cranked up (beyond the midway setting point), so usually I'm at setting 1 or 2 (out of 4) for extended driving. But with the (2022) BRZ I find that I have to crank up to midway or higher on hot days in order to not be uncomfortably warm. I would like to hear other people's experience so I can figure out of if it's a common issue. Thanks!

I set mine to full auto and just adjust the temp. The AC for me has been really good and usually keep it 71-74 and I live in FL where we've been upper 90's low 100's daily. No issues with AC keeping up.

Cold as balls on mine.

No issues here.

On my 2013 the AC was weak and I needed to add some coolant to it.

In Texas where we've already had 30+ days over 100 this year - blows super cold and has no issue keeping up. I just leave it on automatic mode at the temp I like (71-72). I do have good quality ceramic tint all around.

it's incredible on mine... thing gets down to set temp FAST

Really cold.

Drivers side was blowing warm air last month, blowing 42 degrees now after adding a 1/2 can of freon.

Did you press the "Max A/C" button? I made that mistake too already lol, didn't realize there was 2 different A/C modes.

Max A/C is just A/C with recirculation instead of sucking air in from outside.

Yup, and "auto" will automatically set the system to recirc depending on the difference between current temp and your desired temp.

I echo the recommendations to install ceramic tint. It blocks heat very well, so the A/C system doesn't have to work as hard.
In the heat of the summer, I'd rather get into a black car with ceramic tint than a white car with no ceramic tint, and I've owned multiples of both of those combos.

The few times I used it and thought the same thing. Those were days that were 90+ with a very high level of humidity. I don’t think anything is defective though.

Like the others have said, my A/C performs like a champ. In fact it is so cold, I've had to raise the temp on the Auto settings because it is too cold and I'm trying to find the best way to aim the vents so it doesn't freeze me out of the car.

On 100F days with humidity driving the heat index north of 110, I've been quite comfortable in the car.

This car seems to do a good job of both the volume of air it moves and the temperature of the air itself. My last two cars have struggled with at least one of those two variables. In my MK6 GTI, the air temp was good, but even on high the vents moved very little air. My F30 BMW 4 series moved a lot of air, but it never got as cool as I'd like. The BMW also had the extra bennefit of the condenser freezing/icing up in high humidity when run for long periods of time. Lovely design flaw....

I remember reading a similar thread a few years ago. My '13 is a bit on the weak side. That thread got me to thinking that the factory may have skimped on the refrigerant to save some money. It hasn't bothered me enough to go through the trouble of tweaking the charge. Without a sight glass, we need to follow a detailed procedure to get it just right.

Thanks for all the feedback! Based on this feedback, I think maybe mine is underperforming.

Mine works great. In fact it gets so cold I have to turn it down and direct the vents away from me. We have had weeks where the weather is above 90 and heat indexes over 100.

You are not the only one, mine has been a bit on the weak side too. It has been much hotter than normal this year so I figured that was the problem, but now based on this thread I am wondering if I need some coolant to get it up to speed. Thanks for asking the question.

I don't have "real" AC gauges, so I borrowed one like this from a friend. When it was blowing warm on the drivers side only, (weird), the needle was right between green and blue zones (24psi). After 1/2 can (small size), it was at 46psi (kept it in the blue zone) and blowing cold as balls.

It is likely an automated fill system so all cars "should" have the same initial fill. That said automated systems are known to screw up now and then.
The bigger variations would be with leakage and driving type.
Those that mess with their engine bays may be creating small leaks and lose a bit of pressure. AC system fittings can be temperamental.
Driving around the city at lower RPMs may give a false impression that the AC is ineffective. Hit the highway and bring the revs up and you may find it is bloody cold all of a sudden.
Even the second gen is still a small displacement engine that never plays well with AC even under the best of conditions so there can be quite a difference from car to car.

It also seems that the second gen disables the compressor at throttle openings other than WOT. At least this is what I think I feel.

Good point. They could very well be wringing every bit of power they can out of it by shutting the AC down more often. Even a couple of seconds off can increase temps in the car quickly.

Same as first gen. :thumbsup:

EDIT: After reading your post for a 20th time I think you're saying that it disconnects at WOT and at smaller throttle openings. That sounds like a great feature to me. I always turn it off in my other vehicles when going up a hill or anticipating acceleration.

Can you clarify this? Did you mean the opposite? What would make sense is the compressor disconnecting* during WOT, or even above some throttle percentage like 75%.

*A/C compressors usually have an electric clutch to engage or disengage from a pulley that is always being spun by a belt.

You would be correct. Sometimes it feels like any tiny movement disables the A/C compressor.

[s]My AC only works when I'm mashing the gas pedal[/s]

I have a Gen 1 BRZ

Pressing the RECIRCULATE switch maximizes the cooling. The aircon struggles when pulling in 99 degree air from outside

Works fine until someone farts.

Unless one is alone in the cabin. Then it's glorious.

Mine only works when I turn it on.

Do you talk dirty to it?

People mod to the extreme suspension, engines, sound systems. How has A/C been left unmolested? Seeing some of the dumb stuff people do to cars (stereo so loud you can't be in the car when it's turned up, bouncing suspension so radical the car is barely drivable and the hopping must be operated from outside) I'm amazed I haven't seen absurd A/C setups that blast ultra-sub zero air. How is this not a thing in places like phoenix? Has it just slipped under my radar? For that matter, is there a modded heater scene in Milwaukee? I'm imagining a combo with seats you can grill an egg on while injecting a mist of water behind the vents so they blow snow. Please show me that some aspect of this exists.

In the right conditions, it would snow in the plane I used to work on in the navy. Was always a hoot.

Awesome! You can see how this would be a cool novelty to desert dwellers.

I know how to turn its knobs and press its buttons.

I really do! Snow or fog mode would be harmless fun.

I have noticed that my compressor does make a little louder "pshhhh" noise every min or two than the last car did.

Performance is great though.

I think mine might be a little low on charge. Noticed warmer discharge temps from vents in stop and go traffic. I’ll have the dealer check next time I go.

Are the electric fans operating as they are supposed to? Typically when it gets warmer at a stop or low speed it is because not enough air is being moved through the condenser..

Mine feels weak, not strong enough for florida heat. Hopefully adding some refrigerant and a tint will remedy this.

I live in Los Angeles so it’s always 1000° here and mine works so well that I have to keep turning it on and off because it gets too cold

They are, double checked. I’m pretty sure I’m just a little low.