AC not blowing cold

[SJExplorer]

I recently purchased a 2011 Limited, and am having issues with the AC getting "cold enough". Even on the "Lo" setting, the AC seems to only get a few degrees cooler than the outside temperature. My wife has a 2011 BMW 328i that will almost freeze you out of the car at the 60 degree setting, but my Explorer is severely lacking in the AC department. Is this a common issue? I have an appointment with the dealer next Thursday, but won't be happy if I get the "everything seems fine" response.

 

[JDraper]

My '11 Will freeze you out when it's set on Max Lo. It's possible there isn't enough refrigerant in it or it has a loose line (my '05 SuperCrew had a loose line from the factory and the a/c worked for about 1 month before it crapped out)

 

[peterk9]

I recently purchased a 2011 Limited, and am having issues with the AC getting "cold enough". Even on the "Lo" setting, the AC seems to only get a few degrees cooler than the outside temperature. My wife has a 2011 BMW 328i that will almost freeze you out of the car at the 60 degree setting, but my Explorer is severely lacking in the AC department. Is this a common issue? I have an appointment with the dealer next Thursday, but won't be happy if I get the "everything seems fine" response.

If you do a 'Search' for this issue you will find several threads regarding A/C problems. I would not say that it is a common problem. It is best to take it to your dealer to have it looked at. Some issues were a faulty 'blending door' or the engine cooling fans not running. There are 2 of them. Have you checked them? Does switching to Max A/C make any difference? It could also be that the refrigerant may be low as JDraper mentioned. There is also a TSB listed in the TSB threads but I don't know for sure if it would apply;

11-7-21 COOLING FAN NOISE, LACK OF A/C AND/OR OVERHEAT CONDITION


Peter

 

[FordService]

I recently purchased a 2011 Limited, and am having issues with the AC getting "cold enough". Even on the "Lo" setting, the AC seems to only get a few degrees cooler than the outside temperature. My wife has a 2011 BMW 328i that will almost freeze you out of the car at the 60 degree setting, but my Explorer is severely lacking in the AC department. Is this a common issue? I have an appointment with the dealer next Thursday, but won't be happy if I get the "everything seems fine" response.

Hi SJExplorer.

I'm confident your dealer will address this concern for you. Let me know if you need anything in the future!

Ashley

 

[Saffer]

Had a similar problem, low on refrigerant was to blame.

 

[nitzer51]

is there a way that I can check my refrigerant? Would it be too much to assume a vehicle health report from MFT would be able to detect that?

 

[peterk9]

is there a way that I can check my refrigerant? Would it be too much to assume a vehicle health report from MFT would be able to detect that?

I doubt that you can check the refrigerant level without the proper tools/gauges. As for the VHR, I'm not sure what it shows and doesn't show. We don't have that here in Canada.

Peter

 

[SJExplorer]

is there a way that I can check my refrigerant? Would it be too much to assume a vehicle health report from MFT would be able to detect that?

It does not show up on the VHR. I am taking it in this morning, and will report back when it is fixed.

 

[klledoux]

I am having the same issue with my 2011 Ex Limited.

I brought it in last week because the AC was flakey. It would run cold and then hot and I would try pushing different buttons and it might start working again. We were heading to the beach for the weekend so we brought it to a local place to have coolant put in. It kept happening so I brought it in to Stoneham Ford in MA last week. Of course they did all of the diagnostics and couldn't replicate the problem or find anything at all. They said I have to drive it in when it is happening. It hasn't been working during this massive heat wave in Boston. 2 small kids, working mom, 40k investment and here we are! I have to bring it in today, hope that it is actually happening and get a rental.

I will report back if they find anything. The last 2 days it seem it blows hot when driving but cold when in park.

Kim

 

[FordService]

...I am taking it in this morning, and will report back when it is fixed.

...I will report back if they find anything...

Reach out to me if you need any additional assistance, SJExplorer and klledoux. I'll be here if you need me.

Crystal

 

[SJExplorer]

Kim,
Mine was just not getting cold. It would blow cool on the LO setting, but nowhere near as cold as my wife's 2011 BMW or my son's 2005 Nissan. I dropped it off this morning, and they gave me a rental. I am waiting on a call from them to find out the diagnosis. Even on MAX AC, it was only blowing mildly cold air yesterday during the 98 degree day here in NJ. Hopefully they get it fixed the first time around.

 

[SJExplorer]

I picked up my EX this morning, and took a ride with the lead tech. It seems that unlike my other vehicles, I need to use the "recirculate" feature at a minimum, if not the Max Lo setting which recirculates as well. He even took me out to a brand new 2013 and showed me that the temp from the vents of my EX is the same. (I appreciated his demonstration)

His explanation was that the volume of interior space, is hard to cool on 90+ degree days when the system is constantly trying to cool 90+ degree air. It made perfect sense, and I am satisfied with everything. He was quick to tell me that I should immediately bring it in if the air temps are the same between recirculated and outside air. Now I know, and knowing is half the battle.

I will say that the Chevy Cruze clown car I had as a rental could cool the cabin to refrigerator temps, but the cabin on that was about a third the size of my EX.

 

[JohnBoyToo]

Pssshaaawww

98 degrees - we call that a cold front heyer in North TexUS !!!

but we ARE ready for it and don't have the humidity ---- (except Houston and southward - they have it ALL - heat, humidity, bugs, etc...)

good luck with it - LOVE the cooled seats - just wish they came on automatically like they were last set so I wouldn't have to hit the button each time !!!!

 

[SJExplorer]

Pssshaaawww

98 degrees - we call that a cold front heyer in North TexUS !!!

but we ARE ready for it and don't have the humidity ---- (except Houston and southward - they have it ALL - heat, humidity, bugs, etc...)

good luck with it - LOVE the cooled seats - just wish they came on automatically like they were last set so I wouldn't have to hit the button each time !!!!

I grew up in the heat and humidity of Alabama. I like NJ, because 85 is an average temp in the summer. 95+ degrees and 80+ humidity is really hot here, and quite frankly it sucks. If I wanted these temps and humidity I would move back to Bama!

 

[peterk9]

I grew up in the heat and humidity of Alabama. I like NJ, because 85 is an average temp in the summer. 95+ degrees and 80+ humidity is really hot here, and quite frankly it sucks. If I wanted these temps and humidity I would move back to Bama!

Although I haven't had an issue in getting the cabin cooled down, I may try that 'recirc' tip you mentioned. Seems we are getting the same type of weather up here, temps in the 90's and high humidity making it feel like 110+ F. Not my type of weather.

Peter

 

[SJExplorer]

Peter, the recirculate makes a huge difference!

 

[klledoux]

Well thank goodness my ac was not working when I rolled into the service station. The tech came out and was able to hook my EX up immediately - it was a "pressure" issue. It typically happens when there is air in the line or too much coolant. Makes sense since it was flakey and after a week we took it somewhere locally to have some coolant put in, they overfilled it by 100g.

We think there must have been pressure issues due to air in the lines and then the problem was exacerbated by the overfill. He drained the coolant and flushed the lines, then refilled.

It is colder than it has been since the summer started and is working in this 100 degree heat. If it stops working at least the tech knows it is a pressure issue.

 

[SJExplorer]

Well thank goodness my ac was not working when I rolled into the service station. The tech came out and was able to hook my EX up immediately - it was a "pressure" issue. It typically happens when there is air in the line or too much coolant. Makes sense since it was flakey and after a week we took it somewhere locally to have some coolant put in, they overfilled it by 100g.

We think there must have been pressure issues due to air in the lines and then the problem was exacerbated by the overfill. He drained the coolant and flushed the lines, then refilled.

It is colder than it has been since the summer started and is working in this 100 degree heat. If it stops working at least the tech knows it is a pressure issue.

Glad you got your issue sorted out!

 

[FordService]

Well thank goodness my ac was not working when I rolled into the service station. The tech came out and was able to hook my EX up immediately - it was a "pressure" issue...

I'm so glad your dealership resolved this for you, Kim. Reach out to me if you need assistance in the future; I'll be happy to help.

Crystal

 

[dabucs]

Found a solution

As you can see in my profile I live here in Florida and it is just hot and humid here. I have recently discovered that for my AC to blow cool air as quickly as possible I have to turn on the fan on rear AC at high to blow all warm/hot air out of the ducts. As I have read in this forum the AC air intake is at the rear so I guess that is how the air travels - from back to front- so if I do not turn the rear AC blower/fan on all the warm air that are in the ducts has to be expelled before I get the cool air. I guess it is just another characteristic of this vehicle.