AC Performs Poorly in Hot Weather

[VA_CT]

I live in norcal., seen few high 80s temp. No issues with AC so far.

Sponsored

 

[rs38]

I think there is a risk that EVs will have less powerful AC systems than people in the USA may be used to, for range reasons.

no, the opposite is true.
fast charging BEVs have a very powerfull AC because it's essentially the same compressor to cool the battery 600kg or the cabin.

 

[BigBob]

I'd suggest getting some sort of heat sensor/thermometer that you can take a reading of the air the ac is blowing out. It's 1 thing if there isn't enough volume of cold air to cool your car down, but another if it just isn't blowing air at a low enough temperature. Might be useful to have that data / photo of the read out when you take the car in to avoid being fobbed off.

 

[DerekS]

I'd suggest getting some sort of heat sensor/thermometer that you can take a reading of the air the ac is blowing out. It's 1 thing if there isn't enough volume of cold air to cool your car down, but another if it just isn't blowing air at a low enough temperature. Might be useful to have that data / photo of the read out when you take the car in to avoid being fobbed off.

Yeah I took it to the dealer once and was told it's blowing cold air in spec. However, it was cooler weather then. I really think it just can't bring temps down when it's 90+ outside.

I'm taking it in for three recalls tomorrow including the AC pressure valve one so, we'll see if that fixes it.

 

[Windpower]

I'd suggest getting some sort of heat sensor/thermometer that you can take a reading of the air the ac is blowing out

I think this is a good approach. When I was having a problem with my AC at home, I got an IR temperature sensor from Home Depot to measure the temp coming from the AC vents in the house. According to my AC guy, the temp should be around 65 degrees F, but I was measuring 70 degrees with an outside temp of 90 degrees. The AC guy made a couple of adjustments and fixed the problem without replacing any parts.

 

[JCW_DFW]

I'm in Dallas and have the total opposite experience. I've told several people that it's the best HVAC I've ever had in a car, and that comment is driven by the A/C cooling the car down very quickly. I thought the glass roof would be a nightmare when I park outside, but I've had the car through an entire annual weather cycle now, and I've found for outdoor parking, if I turn on the climate control five minutes before I get in the car, it is completely bearable. (Something I could not say about RR or BMWs, which, but the way required the engine to start remotely.)

It can be frustrating not to be able to easily change the direction of the air flow. I generally just ride it out, and the car cools off in that five minutes or so, whether I remote start the HVAC or not.

 

[Wakesurfer]

I'm in Dallas and have the total opposite experience. I've told several people that it's the best HVAC I've ever had in a car, and that comment is driven by the A/C cooling the car down very quickly. I thought the glass roof would be a nightmare when I park outside, but I've had the car through an entire annual weather cycle now, and I've found for outdoor parking, if I turn on the climate control five minutes before I get in the car, it is completely bearable. (Something I could not say about RR or BMWs, which, but the way required the engine to start remotely.)

It can be frustrating not to be able to easily change the direction of the air flow. I generally just ride it out, and the car cools off in that five minutes or so, whether I remote start the HVAC or not.

Me too! I do not live to far from you (Granbury) and pretty much all of our drives are during the day. Never had a problem cooling the car (glass roof as well) with no window tinting. Every once in a while I have to move the fan to position #4 but after a few minutes I back it down to 3 and even on 95+ days the A/C at fan position #3 keeps the car cool.

It will be interesting to see what the dealer finds when DerekS takes his car in.

 

[XLR82XS]

I have the pano roof and no insulated glass. I do have tinting all around except the windshield.

Get that windshield tinted! It's the most important piece of glass to add protection too.
Derek: is your car tinted? My car (w/pano) has ceramic tint all the way around and no issues A/C operation. Run it on 75F in auto and cabin stays cool even during S. FL summers. Ceramic film is a must.

 

[DerekS]

Get that windshield tinted! It's the most important piece of glass to add protection too.
Derek: is your car tinted? My car (w/pano) has ceramic tint all the way around and no issues A/C operation. Run it on 75F in auto and cabin stays cool even during S. FL summers. Ceramic film is a must.

No tint - I don't care for it and don't like the lack of visibility at night. My old-ass eyes can't deal with it.

 

[XLR82XS]

No tint - I don't care for it and don't like the lack of visibility at night. My old-ass eyes can't deal with it.

It'll help - seriously. Wincos makes a clear film.

https://autobahnwindowfilms.com/products/window-tint/

https://madico.com/automotive/window-tint/wincos

 

[menzz]

No tint - I don't care for it and don't like the lack of visibility at night. My old-ass eyes can't deal with it.

Born and raised in Egypt so typical summer weather is over 100 degrees. I would recommend the tint. I’m looking into it now. Don’t know if I will do it on the windshield but definitely on the rest and probably a clear one. I don’t care for dark tints either.
Also, eco mode is useless. I stopped doing range and eco modes as at the end the mileage is similar to what I get with my regular driving.

 

[kort]

No tint - I don't care for it and don't like the lack of visibility at night. My old-ass eyes can't deal with it.

getting all the side windows would be far better than no tinting.
then you could use a sun shade for the windshield if parking direct sun.
here in florida a good parking space is one in some shade regardless of how far you need to walk.

I just had a panamera loaner without any tint and I did feel the difference

 

[XLR82XS]

Don’t know if I will do it on the windshield but definitely on the rest and probably a clear one. I don’t care for dark tints either.

Due to the angle of the glass - windshields are most important to film.

 

[npx]

Take it in.

On the MK7 GTI's, there is actually a system setting accessible only by diagnostic called "hot climate mode" where basically the car was sold by default with it disabled.

what it did was run the AC compressor pressure a bit lower, in order to put less drag on the drive belts and improve fuel economy. just a little bit, you know how important fleet MPG targets are now. if you lived somewhere hot, you would enable this mode and the AC would run about 25 percent better when it was on max vs with the mode disabled. it actually did make a difference when it was 105 F in San Jose on an August day.

now, I have no clue if that kind of switch exists on the Taycan, but if it did, the dealer might know about it. or maybe there's a real issue. who knows. take it in, we're all under warranty anyway.

 

[rs38]

I'd suggest getting some sort of heat sensor/thermometer that you can take a reading of the air the ac is blowing out.

good advice!
turn your AC to max cool and the outlet temp has to be as low as 0-5°C or 32°F!!!

Sponsored