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Old 07-16-2017, 11:37 PM   #1
Suba Cool
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Default 2017 air conditioning not cooling adequately in hot weather

I know that a couple of the puppies on this forum are going to say "you're not HVAC-ing right". Here's a tennis ball, go chew on that and run around in circles. You're cute.

Puppies are cute but I have a real topic to address about my 2017 Impreza with 4k miles. Great car so far, love it. I have lived in NC for 20+ years with many different cars. Lived through many burning humid summers here.

The air conditioning really sucks in this car when it's above 90 degrees outside. If it's even 75-80 degrees, things are fine and it blows cold. It just can't keep up at higher temps.

Mainly when in town during stop-and-go traffic. Like other 4-cyl cars I have owned, when accelerating enough to make the car move, it drops the AC compressor for a few seconds and the AC blows lukewarm until the car is back in motion (20+MPH). That's not really surprising, but when sitting in traffic it still can't maintain. I checked and the radiator/condenser fan comes on, but really I'm blasting the AC on the front vent setting/recirc just to get some cold air.

I stuck a meat thermometer and a laser temp gauge as deep as I could into the vents. It averaged 53-59 degrees when 95 degrees out. This seems way higher than ought to be normal, but then again I've never had a BRAND NEW CAR where I have been concerned about the air conditioning.

To make it more interesting, I parked right next to a girl with a 2017 Impreza Sport at the dog park today and the only thing I said was "hey is your air conditioning not good"? and she looked surprised said "yeah, we were just talking about how bad the AC in this car is".

Anyone else with a 2017 Impreza in the South enjoying the HVAC mediocrity, or is it just me and the dog park girl?
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Old 07-16-2017, 11:59 PM   #2
Commander Keen
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A few practical solutions for any car...

1. If you're drawing in fresh air, you're really not HVACing right.

2. Infrared window tint.

3. Additional cooling at the condenser.

4. Hydrocarbon refrigerants - an effective drop-in performance boost for R134a systems. Research thoroughly and use at your own risk.

5. Disable anti-icing measures at the evaporator.

6. Check for overcharge/undercharge. Either condition can cause high vent temps.
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Old 07-17-2017, 12:05 AM   #3
Suba Cool
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Commander Keen View Post
A few practical solutions for any car...

1. If you're drawing in fresh air, you're really not HVACing right.

2. Infrared window tint.

3. Additional cooling at the condenser.

4. Hydrocarbon refrigerants - an effective drop-in performance boost for R134a systems. Research thoroughly and use at your own risk.

5. Disable anti-icing measures at the evaporator.

6. Check for overcharge/undercharge. Either condition can cause high vent temps.

4. Can I mix R134a with R12 for extra cooling?
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Old 07-17-2017, 12:10 AM   #4
Commander Keen
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Quote:
4. Can I mix R134a with R12 for extra cooling?
No. R12 reacts poorly with the oil in a R134a system. Hydrocarbons outperform R12, though by a smaller margin than R134a.

Look up "Duracool".
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Old 07-17-2017, 07:38 AM   #5
Suba Cool
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Commander Keen View Post
No. R12 reacts poorly with the oil in a R134a system. Hydrocarbons outperform R12, though by a smaller margin than R134a.

Look up "Duracool".
Oh lordy, I was joking
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Old 07-17-2017, 08:55 AM   #6
drpoop
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It happens in a car with large windows and a tiny engine (therefore a matched tiny AC compressor). Get QUALITY tint that rejects IR or live with it, only options.
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Old 07-17-2017, 11:19 AM   #7
TrickNipple
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So what you're saying is that your Suba isn't cool?
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Old 07-17-2017, 01:38 PM   #8
Suba Cool
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TrickNipple View Post
So what you're saying is that your Suba isn't cool?
Well-played, sir.
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Old 07-17-2017, 02:40 PM   #9
Commander Keen
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Quote:
Oh lordy, I was joking
You know some noob will try it and trash his A/C system.

Still, Duracool is a good option if you're OK with servicing your own system. If you want to stay with R134a, you might try "tuning" your refrigerant level while monitoring vent temps in a worst case scenario (idling on a hot day).
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Old 07-17-2017, 05:09 PM   #10
EricP350
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Recirculating made a huge difference with mine when it was 100+ a few weeks ago. Also 1 or 2 notches from max on the blower kept the air cool when accelerating. Closed the sunroof and the shade.

But thin dry Colorado air vs your dense humid air.
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Old 07-17-2017, 05:14 PM   #11
Commander Keen
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But thin dry Colorado air vs your dense humid air.
The great thing about recirculating is that the humidity needs to be removed from the cabin only once (aside from what the passengers generate).

Condensing water gives off a lot of heat that would otherwise be absorbed from the air.
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Old 07-20-2017, 11:07 AM   #12
cole70
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I am having the same problem in my '13. If its over 75 degrees out, it takes FOREVER to cool. I usually make it home by the time cool air is finally coming out. Yet in the am, at cooler outdoor temps, the AC is pumping out cool air immediately. Recirc and windows down a bit when I first get in after it sitting out in the sun (just to get the HOT air out of the cabin), yet I sweat all the way home.
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Old 07-20-2017, 03:04 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cole70 View Post
I am having the same problem in my '13. If its over 75 degrees out, it takes FOREVER to cool. I usually make it home by the time cool air is finally coming out. Yet in the am, at cooler outdoor temps, the AC is pumping out cool air immediately. Recirc and windows down a bit when I first get in after it sitting out in the sun (just to get the HOT air out of the cabin), yet I sweat all the way home.
Unless you live in some place with intense sun like a desert it sounds like something is wrong, I'd get the AC system checked.
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Old 07-20-2017, 04:37 PM   #14
ObewanKenobi
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Today it was high 80s, yesterday it was 90 and humid as Hell! My AC did a fine job, actually had to turn the fan down. This was in city driving.

Who knows?
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Old 07-20-2017, 05:13 PM   #15
Commander Keen
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90F ambient is the threshold where I typically increase the blower speed to 2 to keep comfortable. I have 20% ceramic tint on everything but the windshield and a black interior.

GP/GJ Imprezas can move 17K BTU/hr, or the equivalent of about 5 m^2 of full sunlight. Someone with a 2017 service manual can look up the numbers for that car.

I would consider clear windshield tint if my car had trouble keeping cool. When you don't feel the heat of direct sunlight, higher interior temps are tolerable.

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Old 07-20-2017, 07:07 PM   #16
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Christ ceramic tint on all windows except the windshield is already expensively polishing the turd that is an Impreza, can't imagine a clear (read: expensive) tint on the windshield in addition to that. I was quoted $699 for all windows except windshield with 3m crystalline.
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Old 07-21-2017, 09:35 PM   #17
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That's 21.2 Fahrenheit.
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Old 07-23-2017, 05:45 AM   #18
flyboy1100
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Default 2017 air conditioning not cooling adequately in hot weather

Quote:
Originally Posted by drpoop View Post
Christ ceramic tint on all windows except the windshield is already expensively polishing the turd that is an Impreza, can't imagine a clear (read: expensive) tint on the windshield in addition to that. I was quoted $699 for all windows except windshield with 3m crystalline.


I paid 325 i think for the same

And to OP. The impreza requires use of Recirc mode anything above 85F, my '12 has seen a decent amount of 100+ and it is fine with recirc mode but without might as well be running the heater.

And the windshield is what lets in most of the heat, so good quality tint on the other windows will help aa long aa you aren't facing the sun

Last edited by flyboy1100; 07-23-2017 at 05:50 AM.
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Old 07-23-2017, 08:25 AM   #19
drpoop
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You got 3m crystalline flyboy?
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Old 07-23-2017, 09:09 AM   #20
flyboy1100
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drpoop View Post
You got 3m crystalline flyboy?


Pretty sure, if not it is 3m ceramic from 5 years ago anyway
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Old 07-23-2017, 09:37 AM   #21
drpoop
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Yeah I knew what the shop quoted me was pretty high, I didn't know how high though. I think they mostly work on exotics so being overpriced or perhaps just extremely high quality install makes sense. I'll call a few other places.

Got quoted $400 for 3M ceramic 40% VLT on all windows except windshield. Seems a lot more fair. 3M tint is really high quality, I imagine it's not cheap for them to acquire.

Last edited by drpoop; 07-23-2017 at 12:42 PM.
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Old 05-30-2018, 03:36 PM   #22
subaru2010
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Were there any updates on the success / failure of Duracool?
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