2014 Double Cab AC

After using a thermometer in the vent, the lowest it went was 46 degrees. Outside temp around 85-95.. I'll speak to the dealership on my first visit about this.

 

I have had a photography bath thermometer in the dash vent to the left of the radio for 4+ years now. I had noticed that when the truck was about 3.5 years old that the AC just wasn't as good as new. Starting with the truck being parked in the shade and outside temps in the upper 80's it cools down to 42-44 degrees. But, when the truck is heat soaked from stop and go traffic (fan speed always on 3 out of 4 not in recirculate ) or left in the hot sun in a lot, it's a whole different story. It will either creep up into the low to mid 50's or take a while to get down there. This is especially true after the interior temp while parked hits 130+ degrees.

I added a couple of 7" aux fans to the condenser, and they helped a little, but not much.

It would seem that the BTUs are just barely enough for the volume of the access cab, and all bets are off if you like me are a dark color.

 

Why? Was that going down the highway?

That is a 34 degree differential at 85 degrees and 44 differential at 95 degrees, which is pretty damn good.

 

Back on line now. My truck is white with factory tinted windows. My wife also has a white Chrysler 200. On hot days the truck is much cooler than the 200 after sitting in the sun but the 200's AC will cool her car down much faster.

When I spoke of the "dual zone" AC it is the high end version where the driver and front seat passenger have separate controls for their own AC.

I'll have the dealer check it at the next service but I'm betting I get the same answer I used to get from the Harley Davidson dealer "they all do that".

It does get hot and humid here in Gator Country. The AC is running and will cool the truck down but I seem to be running it on high all the time.

I ran in recirc mode all 30 miles home from work the other day and it never got cool enough to take it out of recirc.

 

Do the meat thermometer trick...

One other possiblity is that the a/c control mode door is stuck/defective. Maybe unusual failure, but if the mode door is allowing the heater core to mix in hot air (even though you're on Max) rather than sealing it off.....

One other thing to check is if the compressor is cycling or running full time; return pipe should be frigid and small inlet pipe very warm....Compressor cycling at least once a minute with the truck [cab] cooled off and on recirculate...
If compresor's running full time it's likely under charged.

 

I had to recharge my '12 ac. I'm convinced that the factory doesn't fill all things all the way up now. Low tranny fluid, low transfer case fluid, low freon level, low diff fluids. Just us getting fucked by a big company so they make bigger profits.

 

Did you just top it off or get a full recharge at a shop?

 

same here

 

Ive had my 2014 DCLB for 8 months now and live in the bay area in CA. Rarely need to use the AC, as it never gets scorching since i'm close to the bay. I must admit the AC sucks as well. It takes quite some time to get decently cold and i find myself constantly having to put it at 3 or 4 fan to have some sort of cooling satisfaction. My friend's 08 and another 2011 have the same feeling. Is it because the cab is so big or maybe they are using a compressor off a tercel?

My 1994 civic with 256k miles blow way colder than my new taco. Dealer said its fine so i guess i'm out of luck and lucky to not be living in AZ or TX.

 

Take it to the dealer and let them take care of it. I have lived in the bay area before and if it will not cool down there there is somethjing wrong. I live in the very humid South Carolina Southern Coast and trust me Hot and Very Humid. Mine wil freeze my sack off if I leave it at Max Cool.

 

It will be due for a service next month and I will ask them to look at it then. I'd do it sooner but I bought from a dealer in Daytona instead of local so it's a 60 mile trip. Daytona Toyota offered a free lifetime power train Warranty, lifetime oil changes and tire rotations while the Leesburg Dealer offered nothing. I intend to drive this thing until it quits so that was a big deal for me.

 

You don't have to take it there for warranty or any other service.

All Toyota Dealers are required to provide warranty service. It doesn't matter where you bought it.

 

After paying close attention to mine now for about a week or so, there does seem to be a problem. Today, for instance, driving home from work. It's 109 out and a couple of times it got down to 42.8 on the meat thermometer. That is chilling nicely. Then a few minutes later its at 46.4 and nothing has changed - cruise set at 65mph.

 

It has to cycle on and off. If it didn't the evaporator would freeze solid. Then you would get zero air flow.

 

You may not have followed the thread through...

If I live in one place, and have 2002 Toy Highlander, 2005 Toy Tundra, and 2007 Lexus RX350, and they get you cold enough to turn the fan to the lowest setting on a 110 degree day every time and the new 2014 Tacoma leaves you not cool at all hardly ever, something may not be working right.

 

I like to go back where I bought it. The Dealer loses money on Warranty Service, they get reimbursed but not at the going rate. I figure the dealer that made the money on the original sale should take the warranty hit especially if it was something like this that should have been noticed as the test drove the truck before delivery. This one was rushed, they handed me the keys at 8 PM.

 

I am not to sure if this would apply to any of the newer trucks (unless you drive through a lot of dust storms) but I tried this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_em9lm69HQ

And it helped out my A/C. It was okay last year, but after cleaning my condenser, it seems to be much more cooler and gets cooler quicker. I didn't record temps from my vents last year (wish I did ) or head pressure, but I am going to get a temp today when I drive my truck to work. And I can't actually check pressures because I don't have a gauge (was going to get one from HF, but they want $60 for the nice one ).

 

I didn't say that you don't have an issue. I cannot check it from here. What I am saying is that at 42.8 or at 46.4 degrees F, both temperatures are acceptable temperatures for the vent outlet esp on a day that is 110 degrees F. You said it was chilling nicely at 42.8 and then went to 46.4 degrees, the difference is only 3.6 degrees F.

Take it to the dealer, but I think you are wasting your time.

Have you measured the outlet temperature of one of your other vehicles to compare?

 

I am A/C certified and cleaning the condenser is an outstanding tip. On residential and commercial HVAC's it is the #1 preventive maintenance routine after changing your filter. So doing a thorough cleaning on a automotive condenser make perfect sense.

But another thing occurred to me as I mulled through these posts. Tacoma's have mechanical fan assemblies and almost all the vehicles that posters here have used for comparison have electric fan assemblies that bypass all thermal control and run at their fastest speed when the A/C is turned on.

Now during highway driving this is of little significance BUT during city driving (stop and go) it will make a dramatic difference. At or near idle electric fans are running at their fastest speed and mechanical fans at their lowest. This alone would account for the perceived difference in cooling out put. As most of my driving is suburban and or rural my A/C system is running at its most efficient, if I were in mainly city type traffic it could well be a whole different story.

beondwacko says he added 2, 7 inch aux fans and they did help although not much according to him. BUT they did help. I am not a "Thermal Engineer" but with the right electric fan combo wired in to come on when the A/C is activated could just be the rite solution to this problem...

 

What do you mean that Tacomas have "mechanical fan assemblies?" What exactly is their drive if not electrical?