How would you rate the ventilated seat and AC performance?

If you live in a hot climate and have a model with ventilated seats, how would you rate (1=poor, 5=excellent) the cooling ability of the 2024 Tacoma's ventilated seats and (separately since the answers may be different) the AC system?

If you've ever had to turn the fan speed down from max because it was too cool, that's an excellent ventilated seat and would rate a 5. If you struggle to even tell that it's ventilated on max speed, that's a poor/1.

Toyota usually builds some robust AC systems so I'm guessing the AC (for front passengers anyway) would rate a 4 or 5. But if you had rear seat passengers on a summer drive, what did they have to say about cooling in the rear seats?

 

No ventilated seats here but having problems turning my AC off. When trying to shut off AC with the illuminated rocker switch it just continues to blow cold air. In order to get it to stop blowing cold I must turn the temp way up. Seems to me that the compressor is still running. Am I doing something wrong???

 

Been a sauna in my area past few days. AC works like a champ just like it did on my 3G. Seat ventilation is new to me. Thought I didn't need it, now it is so nice maybe I do. Getting soft.

 

Ventilated rear seats? Is that a thing?

 

Originally reported by and investigated extensively by @slater in this thread:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-is-the-ac-in-the-2024.831315/

There might be work around as posted here:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/ac-runs-with-it-turned-off.836579/page-2#post-30012177

and a couple of posts down.

 

I am thinking he means does the cool air hit the rear passengers. LOL.

 

He said “cooling in the rear seats”.

 

That seems to be the workaround for me as well. The way my salesman explained it who was actually knowledgeable for once, the AC can be on without the light illuminated, he said in this scenario, the AC is in eco mode. If the AC is going without the light and eco isn't cold enough, pushing the button to make the light come on will take it out of eco and give full cooling. Pushing it again will turn the AC off. If you turn the truck off with the AC light on, it will start with the light off but with the AC on in eco, need to push it twice to turn it off. So I just turn it off before parking in the evening since I don't need AC in the morning and it will start with it still off.

It's dumb and overly complicated, I also couldn't find all of this explained in the manual but it seems to be true.

I don't have the AC seats but the only vehicle I ever experienced a decent AC seat in was my 24 RAM HD. It was garbage in my 23 Tundra so I didn't care about not having it. AC in general for the truck is great and the cab is small enough that it cools down quickly even in the rear without having rear vents.

 

Great.

 

It's great. Can't go back now!

 

Rate the ventilated seats at a 5.

 

Ah the imperfect English language! How about this clarifying revision: How is the AC cooling perceived by rear seat passengers while they are riding in the rear seats? (I could be wrong but I don't think any '24 Taco trims have any rear seat AC vents (and none with ventilated rear seats) so I figured the question's target would be obvious)

PS, yes there are some vehicles with 2nd row heated and ventilated seats. I think the Telluride is one example, but it's not available on all trim levels. You may have meant your question (whether ventilated rear seats is a thing) to be specifically directed at Tacomas, but you didn't make that clear and it could be interpreted in several ways ;o)

 

I use my ventilated seats a lot more than I thought I would here in the middle of Idaho, and yeah, I turn them down once in a while. The AC is just like any other vehicle I've owned.

 

I was actually wondering if the hybrids might have ventilated seats. I think they have ventilation for the battery under the rear seat.

 

5/5 Sport w/premium package.

 

A/c is great in my truck, no complaints.

 

And according to a Toyota press release, the selected drive mode affects HVAC performance: "Standard drive modes include Normal, Eco, and Sport, adjusting shift and pedal mapping, HVAC performance, and steering feel based on the selected drive mode."
(from: https://pressroom.toyota.com/legendary-performance-modern-power-2024-toyota-tacoma-with-i-force-max/ in the section called "Taking Tacoma to the MAX")

 

Good catch. Maybe that is why I don't feel the dreaded compressor vortex. I put it immediately in ECO mode.

 

Let's see. I like the ventilated seats. I use them all the time. I don't notice the seats as much as when I first started using them. I know they come heated and cooled, but for me they are not as nice as the heated seats. I would say 3/5 strictly for value as an option. I have had no issues with how they function. The A/C I would rate as adequate. The newer refrigerants just don't cool like the old ones. I live in the south with a lot of humidity. The A/C will get the truck comfortable on a hot day. It's not going to run you out though. I have not had any issues with it functioning, but I would not say there is anything about it that makes it stand out.

 

That is interesting! I haven't paid attention but does the drive mode you select, save the next time you start the truck? I had selected normal a while back and haven't thought twice about it since then.