Does Toyota make the best automotive a/c?

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: oldmaninsc
The A/C in my F150 will blow ice cold in a very short time on any 90 or 100+ degree day. The Camry gets cold enough, but anyone who has ever drove it thought the fan was slightly anemic. We bought the Camry new, and I asked Toyota to check it one time. They said it was "operating as designed."



Make sure your fan control resistor isn't fried, the intake ducts are clear, and all the servo motors are doing their thing. I have foam the foam used as a gasket can break down and cause air leaks inside the dash.

 

[HerrStig]

My SAAB 900s had good AC, they used the GM approach of having the evap in a housing in the engine compartment so it could be the proper size. Evaps jammed into the dash are often right on the edge of being undersized, and may not be up to making plenty of cold air when the system degrades with wear.
I've got a 99 Camry in the fleet with 300K on it and nothing in the AC system has ever needed attention except for a once a year quarter to half a standard R134 can top off.
I get a kick out of those "50 dollar AC checkups" ripoffs. Yup, it's all there.
I think outside of loss of 134 through the hoses and connections the biggest problem with car systems is the carbon seal used to keep the 134 in the compressor. As they wear the leak ever so slightly (at first). Automatic climate control, which runs the compressor year 'round, contributes to that.

 

[rslifkin]

Older Toyotas (90s) seem to have great A/C, while the newer ones I've been in and driven (mostly mid 2000s) have only decent A/C. My Jeep has excellent A/C, gets cold in seconds and will happily turn the interior into a meat locker in the middle of summer.

 

[oldmaninsc]

Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: oldmaninsc
The A/C in my F150 will blow ice cold in a very short time on any 90 or 100+ degree day. The Camry gets cold enough, but anyone who has ever drove it thought the fan was slightly anemic. We bought the Camry new, and I asked Toyota to check it one time. They said it was "operating as designed."



Make sure your fan control resistor isn't fried, the intake ducts are clear, and all the servo motors are doing their thing. I have foam the foam used as a gasket can break down and cause air leaks inside the dash.


I think you missed my point. It does throw cold air, just not as much as we think it should and compared to other vehicles. It operates the same now as it did when it was new. If it DID come from the factory with any bad parts, then so did the other two new Camry we test drove at the time we bought this car.

 

[hattaresguy]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
GM has really good AC systems, Mercedes and the Italians are the worst.

The Germans still can't figure out how to build a proper AC system.


Actually this is not accurate. The systems used in many cars today are designed for a compromise between high efficiency, least drain on
engine (MPGs) and REASONABLE comfort. Just because an A/C system won't freeze you in a few minutes doesn't mean it isn't working
perfectly and effectively. The problem is that US customers expectations are not practical.


How is my statement not accurate? Go sit in a mid 90's Ferrari on 100 degree day and report back.

Mercedes even brand new ones still suffer from CC problems that they should not. Ever replace the evap on a W210 or a W140? I have, it sucks. The W210, my buddies W463, mine W126, and the W140 all required rebuilt CC units as well.

Never had such problems with American cars.

Modern stuff all comes from the same suppliers but I still think some manufactures spec it better than others.

 

[fdcg27]

Toyota apparently put a decent AC system in old Camrys, but no better than that found in many other cars.
Our '97 and '99 Accords had pretty good AC, even on the 100F degree days we get here at least once each summer.
Thing is our hot days in the part of the state also feature 90% relative humidity as a general rule.
My old BMW has excellent AC, as did our old Aerostar.
Seventies GM cars had the best AC ever put in any car I've ever driven.

 

[Falcon_LS]

The best AC experience I had has been with Crown Vics and their siblings. Even at 135 F temperatures, which we regularly see during the summer, they have never let me down in terrible traffic.

 

[jgeorge]

i have a 1996 camaro 3800 engine a/c will freeze you out and this car is a convertible.
also have a 2003 tahoe great a/c on it also neither vehicles have had any a/c work done on them. i will agree the ford trucks can freeze you out.

 

[edwardh1]

Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
GM has really good AC systems, Mercedes and the Italians are the worst.

The Germans still can't figure out how to build a proper AC system.


Actually this is not accurate. The systems used in many cars today are designed for a compromise between high efficiency, least drain on
engine (MPGs) and REASONABLE comfort. Just because an A/C system won't freeze you in a few minutes doesn't mean it isn't working
perfectly and effectively. The problem is that US customers expectations are not practical.


disagree, the manufacturers don't want to spend money on a larger evaporator.
why live with a poor a/c??
German cars?- a hot day there is 85

 

[edwardh1]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
Originally Posted By: antiqueshell
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
GM has really good AC systems, Mercedes and the Italians are the worst.

The Germans still can't figure out how to build a proper AC system.


Actually this is not accurate. The systems used in many cars today are designed for a compromise between high efficiency, least drain on
engine (MPGs) and REASONABLE comfort. Just because an A/C system won't freeze you in a few minutes doesn't mean it isn't working
perfectly and effectively. The problem is that US customers expectations are not practical.


How is my statement not accurate? Go sit in a mid 90's Ferrari on 100 degree day and report back.

Mercedes even brand new ones still suffer from CC problems that they should not. Ever replace the evap on a W210 or a W140? I have, it sucks. The W210, my buddies W463, mine W126, and the W140 all required rebuilt CC units as well.

Never had such problems with American cars.

Modern stuff all comes from the same suppliers but I still think some manufactures spec it better than others.



what is a CC