AC not performing well while stopped in my 2018 OR

I have a ‘18 Tacoma OR with duel climate control. When running the AC, I’ve noticed that when I’m at a stop light, the AC will blow noticeably wormer air then when I’m moving. I thought the days of innefeciant AC compressors in cars was a thing of the past. My first car was an ‘87 Chevy spectrum and its AC did the same thing because the compressor needed to run faster then engine idle speed to blow cold air. I’ve owned about 15 cars since then and non of them did what I’m experiencing in my new Tacoma. Is this normal for this truck or should I get the AC unit checked out?

Prior to my Tacoma I drove a ‘15 Ram 1500 and my wife’s Honda Accord. Both of those blow consistently cold air wherther they were moving or stopped. Any thoughts?

 

Normal. Only time you will notice it is in the first few minutes. Once it gets cold in the truck then all is good.

 

Are you using the recirc setting?

 

Yes I am. I have the AC set to auto and the recirculation setting turns itself on automatically.

 

All the time or when truck is just started?

 

Whenever I come to a stop or the engine is near idle. Any other time, it blows comfortably cold air. But when I stop the air coming from the vents gets noticeably wormer even if I’ve been driving for 30 + minutes (my commute)

 

Is it really hot where you are? It’s been in the 90s and even 100s lately around here, AC doesn’t always feel cold unless I crank it up.

Have you done any mods under the hood? Like install a light bar or something near an AC line and maybe caused a super slight leak in the tubing.

I’ve never felt it warm up, I just notice it doesn’t always feel cold until it starts cooling everything down.

 

It has been really hot here. Upper 90’s and 100’s (Sacramento Ca area). I’ve done some simple mods to my truck but nothing under the hood yet (good question though).

I’ve driven a plethora of different cars over the 32 years I’ve been licensed to drive and there have only been a few times I can remember the AC struggling so much to keep the air flowing “cold” when the car was stopped. And it was usually an enexpensive car.

For my Tacoma, I would characterize the change as going from “cold” air to “cool” air whenever I come to a stop. I’m probably being petty, but spending what we do for these awesome trucks, I guess I expect the quality of the components to support the higher price we pay.

I will bring this up to the service department when I have my 5000 mile service done in a few weeks from now. But it sounds like this is a normal limitation for the AC unit in these trucks.

 

I think people in general are getting too acclimatized by having AC cranking thru every aspect of their lives to the point of a slight suggestion that the air may be warmer when the vehicle has stopped is a life changing event for the worse. some people cannot deal with a 70 degree day with a breeze and no humidity because their lives have been acclimatized to having ice cold AC at every stage of their lives no matter if u can do without it or not. weakens the body

 

The fact that they have made the reciever/drier microscopic and appear to have reduced the size of the charge has definitely exasperated this issue.(I haven't looked up actual data, but antecdotally it seems like we went to 30+oz of r12 in the 80s, 90s to more like 18oz of r134a in 00s-10s.) That extra refrigerant was available as liquid to keep blowing cold when stopped at a light, at least for a minute.

That being said, the 3rd gen Tacoma is without a doubt the most effective AC in our family fleet (Florida). So yours may not be operating correctly.

 

Also have a ‘18 Tacoma OR.

Been hot as hell in Sacramento and Folsom the last week, and i can also say i have noticed at times the A/C blowing slightly warmer air when at stops vs at higher rev's, i don't notice this always but sometimes, more likely if the truck was just started within the last 20 minutes.

Just got the truck a few weeks ago, doubt there is anything wrong.
The AC is still better no matter what then the fusion i had at stops. heh

 

Get something like

$18 Robinair (10596) Dial Thermometer, -40° to +160°F , Black

one of these and put it in the center vent. Then see how much it runs at on the road, and when you idle how much it rises.

That will give you something to tell the service folks. Usually temp rise at idle is due to inadequate air flow on the condensor. Like your fan isn't pulling enough, the fins of the condensor or between the condensor/radiator are filled with debris or mud, the splash pan below the engine is missing, the cowling around the radiator is missing, crooked, unsealed, stuff like that.

None of which (other than debris) should be an issue on a new vehicle.

Not at all. Nice and toasty here, normal summer with 95*/80% and mine works like a champ.

I do have 134a, and you have R1234yf. However, unlike the change from R12 to R134a in '94, I would not have expected this change to have component design issues.

 

That makes a lot of sense to me and is kind of what I was thinking the issue might be. There is obviously a fine line between reducing the volume of the system to save energy, cost, and the environment, to being able to continue to provide comfort to those who expect it and pay for it. Thanks BigWhiteTRD.

 

Great idea Clearwater Bill!! I don’t know why I didn’t think of that. I’m pretty sure I actually have one of those rolling around in my toolbox somewhere already.

 

I’m right there with you BillsSR5, but that’s not the reason behind this post.

 

I have noticed the same thing on my 17.

My F150 a/c was terrible, the Tacoma is light years better but my Jeep could freeze you on low stopped.

 

I rarely use the AC. Don't like the power drain or the gas mileage hit. I'll turn mine on when going down long grades to help with engine braking.

 

As said, get a thermometer to keep in the vents. Keep a log of temps while driving vs stopped at lights. If it's a large difference; then make copies of your notes. Bring it to the dealer. There are procedures for testing AC systems that under perform in those circumstances.