AC on. AC off. AC on.

WRX Jim · 04-28-2003, 05:13 PM

I wasnt sure where to post this, but since i have a wrx, and its factory forced inducted. ... i figure i can post here..

WHY DOES THE STUPID AC TURN ON AND OFF..

COLD AIR...warm air... COLD air.... warm air...

anyway to disable that stupid fuinction?

makes the car feel like crap when ur driving and u can actually feel the power differences.

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cnk · 04-28-2003, 05:16 PM

Not exactly sure what you're talking about here?

Under what conditions are you experiencing this? If you are going WOT, this will cause the A/C to be turned off until you get off the gas.

Calvin

mikkyo · 04-28-2003, 05:32 PM

If you are talking about using the Defroster, it cycles the AC.
There is a mod you can do to make it not use AC unless you press the AC button as well which will remove the issue completely.

WRX Jim · 04-28-2003, 05:35 PM

normal driving.
ac on, not defroster mode.

no one has noticed this on their car?

Silverscoob · 04-28-2003, 05:37 PM

Mine does the same thing. Its like super cold for a few seconds, turns to like regular air for a few seconds, back to super cold. I tried doing some investigating on this last year but I couldn't find any info on it. And I was too lazy to have a mechanic look at it.

WRX Jim · 04-28-2003, 05:37 PM

exactly! why would subaru make the AC do something so stupid.

Silverscoob · 04-28-2003, 05:40 PM

Maybe its just our silver rex's

jjunior887 · 04-28-2003, 05:41 PM

yeah I think it's a silver thing mine does it too.

Kwyjibo · 04-28-2003, 05:43 PM

I think its to keep too much load off the engine.

Basically it only really works when the revs are up. At idle it slows down to keep work the engine has to do at a minimum, and at WOT it does the same to give you power (kinda like on the new M3, at WOT the alternator stops working, good for something like 8hp)...

So I guess in stop and go traffic it would suck...maybe put it in neutral and rev the eingine at like 2-3K and see if it comes back on.

wannaimpreza · 04-28-2003, 06:06 PM

i have has 2 wrx's both with this problem a 2002 and now a 2003
you can feel the compressor turning on and off
and really does make the car feel bad
my 2002 i took to the dealer because of the air going from hot to cold and they said nothing could be done
the air never gets really cold either
like for example in my parents car you take a 20 min drive and you have to turn the air down because it is so cold
but last summer i took a trip from st. louis to chicago and had the air full blast the entire time and i was still HOT

jjunior887 · 04-28-2003, 06:09 PM

sounds pretty much the same as mine, maybe someone in the electrical forum can figure something out.

ShaggyGT · 04-28-2003, 06:26 PM

If your compressor is cycling hot and cold air then that usually means your A/C systems is low on freon. If you are only getting hot air then I would definitely get the A/C system checked. This is a common problem with cars and I service A/C systems all the time especially during the summer time season.

This may or may not be a solve to the problem, but this would be a good place to start. Just my .02 cents.

-Matt

TealFreak · 04-28-2003, 06:43 PM

Mine is a brand new 03, it's red, and it does the same exact thing.

Rick Schu · 04-28-2003, 06:44 PM

There is a technical service bulletin for this. A sensor on the evaporator core designed to detect icing of the system freezes up more than it should, causing the compressor to shut off frequently. In Dec 01 production they moved the sensor to a different part of the core. But that didn't help all cases. Then in Oct. 02 they changed the sensor to an internal sensor.

Unfortunately, this is not a DIY job. I haven't had a chance to take my car to the dealer yet and I have the EXACT same problem.

nhluhr · 04-28-2003, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by WRX Jim
I wasnt sure where to post this, but since i have a wrx, and its factory forced inducted. ... i figure i can post here..

WHY DOES THE STUPID AC TURN ON AND OFF..

COLD AIR...warm air... COLD air.... warm air...

anyway to disable that stupid fuinction?

makes the car feel like crap when ur driving and u can actually feel the power differences.

It's the effect of the A/C system self-regulating its own operating temperature. What you're feeling is the effect of the A/C compressor (belt-driven device on the driver-side of the engine) kicking on and off to continuously compress the refridgerant. If it were to run continuously, the effect would be that your heater core might possibly freeze over (not a good thing). You can feel it happening when you're driving at constant throttle but for the most part it's relatively unobtrusive. It might feel like the car is stumbling or something but it's perfectly normal.

-Nick

heffergm · 04-28-2003, 06:57 PM

The compressor turning itself on and off is normal... any car with A/C will do this.

However, it's not normal for it to start blowing cold air, then warm air, etc. You should feel the compressor cycling, but the air should remain cold.
Bring it in and complain... it's not right.

pyropretz · 04-28-2003, 07:39 PM

I found the same quirk with my ac. However i first noticed it late last year after walking to my car with my friend in the rain. The AC was anable to defog the windows even on the highest fan setting. the ac would go on for 8 secs and then off for 20 secs. That was in cold 40 deg weather. Now with the warmer temperatures it stays on much longer at least half the time now. I found that its not too bad but the AC does have a hard time getting the car a comfortable temperature when it is warm and very sunny out. This might be better later in the summer when i'm wearing shorts and not long pants. If you really want it to get colder try putting the ac on recirculate. I found the ac to get much colder when its not sucking hot air from the outside. If there really is a techinal bulletin on this i should definetly goto dealer to have it performed. But i think i'll hold off until i can try the ac in the summer.

Franklin

Sonic1 · 04-28-2003, 09:10 PM

Not it is not just a silver thing, my Sonic Yellow does it too.

PharmCo · 04-28-2003, 09:39 PM

My black does it too. Has from day 1. Really sucks when it is 100 out. Air temp out the vents is 90, 50, 90, 50, 90, 50 and it never cools a black car fully.

~PC

WRX300 · 04-28-2003, 09:41 PM

To twist the question a little:

does the "AC mod" thus aleviate the constant cycling of the AC compressor? or does it only affect the defroster setting?

Wrx300

Kean · 04-28-2003, 09:45 PM

Mine does the same thing and it's not something I would consider "normal". It gets downright uncomfortable when it's warm outside. It's annoying to have the A/C cycle cold and warm air constantly. I've read the service bulletin Rick Schu described and it made sense to me. I'm waiting until the weather begins to warm up enough so the problem will be more apparent when I bring it in.

Chillee B · 04-28-2003, 10:39 PM

Hehehehe! My little blue one does it too!

Sandkicker · 04-29-2003, 02:24 AM

Um, mine goes on and off too...

but it's usually due to me pushing the A/C button on and off when i need power

stopped at traffic light about to turn green : A/C off
once cruising at steady speed : A/C on
need power to pass someone : A/C off

Moral of the story... this A/C sucks... i guess if yer not turning it off/on by yourself it'll do it anyway, just at different times... what a pain...

Equilibrium Tuning · 04-29-2003, 02:48 AM

Have the same issue. The AC cycles on/off pretty constantly while cruising. Its annoying and I want to fix it. Will the dealer do something about this?

-- Ed

warlord225 · 04-29-2003, 02:51 AM

hmmm, our legacy doesn't

04-28-2003, 05:13 PM	#1
WRX Jim Scooby Specialist Member#: 22321 Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Germantown MD	AC on. .AC off.. AC on.. I wasnt sure where to post this, but since i have a wrx, and its factory forced inducted. ... i figure i can post here.. WHY DOES THE STUPID AC TURN ON AND OFF.. COLD AIR...warm air... COLD air.... warm air... anyway to disable that stupid fuinction? makes the car feel like crap when ur driving and u can actually feel the power differences. * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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04-28-2003, 05:16 PM	#2
cnk Scooby Guru Member#: 10757 Join Date: Oct 2001 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: NJ Vehicle: 2013 BRZ Limited 6MT DGM	Not exactly sure what you're talking about here? Under what conditions are you experiencing this? If you are going WOT, this will cause the A/C to be turned off until you get off the gas. Calvin

04-28-2003, 05:32 PM	#3
mikkyo Scooby Specialist Member#: 25399 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Silly Valley, CA Vehicle: 2003 Impreza WRX Black	If you are talking about using the Defroster, it cycles the AC. There is a mod you can do to make it not use AC unless you press the AC button as well which will remove the issue completely.

04-28-2003, 05:35 PM	#4
WRX Jim Scooby Specialist Member#: 22321 Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Germantown MD	normal driving. ac on, not defroster mode. no one has noticed this on their car?

04-28-2003, 05:37 PM	#5
Silverscoob Scooby Newbie Member#: 14930 Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Herndon, VA Vehicle: 2006 Evolution Graphite gray	Mine does the same thing. Its like super cold for a few seconds, turns to like regular air for a few seconds, back to super cold. I tried doing some investigating on this last year but I couldn't find any info on it. And I was too lazy to have a mechanic look at it.

04-28-2003, 05:40 PM	#7
Silverscoob Scooby Newbie Member#: 14930 Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Herndon, VA Vehicle: 2006 Evolution Graphite gray	Maybe its just our silver rex's

04-28-2003, 05:41 PM	#8
jjunior887 Scooby Specialist Member#: 16738 Join Date: Mar 2002 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: Charles Town, WV Vehicle: 2006 STi Crystal Gray Metallic	yeah I think it's a silver thing mine does it too.

04-28-2003, 05:43 PM	#9
Kwyjibo Scooby Specialist Member#: 17851 Join Date: Apr 2002 Vehicle: 2003 WRX R.I.P. 7.27.2005	I think its to keep too much load off the engine. Basically it only really works when the revs are up. At idle it slows down to keep work the engine has to do at a minimum, and at WOT it does the same to give you power (kinda like on the new M3, at WOT the alternator stops working, good for something like 8hp)... So I guess in stop and go traffic it would suck...maybe put it in neutral and rev the eingine at like 2-3K and see if it comes back on.

04-28-2003, 06:06 PM	#10
wannaimpreza Scooby Newbie Member#: 14264 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: st. louis MO Vehicle: '03 wrx wrblue	i have has 2 wrx's both with this problem a 2002 and now a 2003 you can feel the compressor turning on and off and really does make the car feel bad my 2002 i took to the dealer because of the air going from hot to cold and they said nothing could be done the air never gets really cold either like for example in my parents car you take a 20 min drive and you have to turn the air down because it is so cold but last summer i took a trip from st. louis to chicago and had the air full blast the entire time and i was still HOT

04-28-2003, 06:09 PM	#11
jjunior887 Scooby Specialist Member#: 16738 Join Date: Mar 2002 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: Charles Town, WV Vehicle: 2006 STi Crystal Gray Metallic	sounds pretty much the same as mine, maybe someone in the electrical forum can figure something out.

04-28-2003, 06:26 PM	#12
ShaggyGT * Banned * Member#: 19221 Join Date: May 2002 Chapter/Region: South East Location: Jacksonville, FL Vehicle: 2005 Legacy GT (STi) UR35R/Rotated Intake Mani	If your compressor is cycling hot and cold air then that usually means your A/C systems is low on freon. If you are only getting hot air then I would definitely get the A/C system checked. This is a common problem with cars and I service A/C systems all the time especially during the summer time season. This may or may not be a solve to the problem, but this would be a good place to start. Just my .02 cents. -Matt

04-28-2003, 06:43 PM	#13
TealFreak Scooby Newbie Member#: 33368 Join Date: Feb 2003 Vehicle: 2003 WRX wagon Sedona Red	Mine is a brand new 03, it's red, and it does the same exact thing.

04-28-2003, 06:44 PM	#14
Rick Schu Scooby Newbie Member#: 34661 Join Date: Mar 2003	There is a technical service bulletin for this. A sensor on the evaporator core designed to detect icing of the system freezes up more than it should, causing the compressor to shut off frequently. In Dec 01 production they moved the sensor to a different part of the core. But that didn't help all cases. Then in Oct. 02 they changed the sensor to an internal sensor. Unfortunately, this is not a DIY job. I haven't had a chance to take my car to the dealer yet and I have the EXACT same problem.

04-28-2003, 06:57 PM	#16
heffergm Scooby Specialist Member#: 34672 Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Northern VA Vehicle: 2003 wrx WR Blue Pearl	The compressor turning itself on and off is normal... any car with A/C will do this. However, it's not normal for it to start blowing cold air, then warm air, etc. You should feel the compressor cycling, but the air should remain cold. Bring it in and complain... it's not right.

04-28-2003, 07:39 PM	#17
pyropretz Scooby Newbie Member#: 25603 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Queens, NY Vehicle: 2003 WRX Wagon 5mt WRB	I found the same quirk with my ac. However i first noticed it late last year after walking to my car with my friend in the rain. The AC was anable to defog the windows even on the highest fan setting. the ac would go on for 8 secs and then off for 20 secs. That was in cold 40 deg weather. Now with the warmer temperatures it stays on much longer at least half the time now. I found that its not too bad but the AC does have a hard time getting the car a comfortable temperature when it is warm and very sunny out. This might be better later in the summer when i'm wearing shorts and not long pants. If you really want it to get colder try putting the ac on recirculate. I found the ac to get much colder when its not sucking hot air from the outside. If there really is a techinal bulletin on this i should definetly goto dealer to have it performed. But i think i'll hold off until i can try the ac in the summer. Franklin

04-28-2003, 09:10 PM	#18
Sonic1 Scooby Newbie Member#: 23974 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Arizona Vehicle: 2003 WRX Wagon Sonic Yellow	Not it is not just a silver thing, my Sonic Yellow does it too.

04-28-2003, 09:39 PM	#19
PharmCo Scooby Newbie Member#: 11443 Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Boulder, CO Vehicle: 2002 WRX Midnight Black	My black does it too. Has from day 1. Really sucks when it is 100 out. Air temp out the vents is 90, 50, 90, 50, 90, 50 and it never cools a black car fully. ~PC

04-28-2003, 09:41 PM	#20
WRX300 Scooby Newbie Member#: 17974 Join Date: Apr 2002 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Chicago	To twist the question a little: does the "AC mod" thus aleviate the constant cycling of the AC compressor? or does it only affect the defroster setting? Wrx300

04-28-2003, 09:45 PM	#21
Kean Scooby Guru Member#: 25187 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: So. CA Vehicle: '08 Foz Prem TGM '10 Challenger R/T Blk	Mine does the same thing and it's not something I would consider "normal". It gets downright uncomfortable when it's warm outside. It's annoying to have the A/C cycle cold and warm air constantly. I've read the service bulletin Rick Schu described and it made sense to me. I'm waiting until the weather begins to warm up enough so the problem will be more apparent when I bring it in.

04-28-2003, 10:39 PM	#22
Chillee B Scooby Newbie Member#: 26014 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Saint Petersburg, FL Vehicle: 2006 WRX Wagon Black	Hehehehe! My little blue one does it too!

04-29-2003, 02:24 AM	#23
Sandkicker Scooby Specialist Member#: 6954 Join Date: May 2001 Chapter/Region: RMIC Location: SLC, UT Vehicle: 05 FXT Pre: 02WRX, 98RS, 99RS	Um, mine goes on and off too... but it's usually due to me pushing the A/C button on and off when i need power stopped at traffic light about to turn green : A/C off once cruising at steady speed : A/C on need power to pass someone : A/C off Moral of the story... this A/C sucks... i guess if yer not turning it off/on by yourself it'll do it anyway, just at different times... what a pain...

04-29-2003, 02:48 AM	#24
Equilibrium Tuning NASIOC Vendor Member#: 26933 Join Date: Oct 2002 Chapter/Region: BAIC Location: Fairfield, CA Vehicle: 2006 STI CGM	Have the same issue. The AC cycles on/off pretty constantly while cruising. Its annoying and I want to fix it. Will the dealer do something about this? -- Ed

04-29-2003, 02:51 AM	#25
warlord225 Scooby Newbie Member#: 24729 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: New Zealand Vehicle: 1993 Legacy gtb- sti black wagon	hmmm, our legacy doesn't