Hi everyone,

This is is my first post here so hello everyone. I have a 2010 Fit Sport. Overall I really like this car but one nagging issue is the AC is terrible in warm weather (mid 80s and above). By that I mean the AC blows cool-ish air but nothing really cold so the car never really cools down much. However AC works well in cooler weather and does its job.

Any thoughts on why my AC is not effectively cooling down my car in warm weather?

Thanks!

 

The AC is a bit underpowered on the car IMO. On a hot day, let's say high 80s with high humidity, with a perfectly functioning AC unit, it can take some time to get down to a comfortable vent temperature. I recommend getting a meat thermometer and sticking it in the vents to monitor. You should be able to get vent temperatures down to < 50F, but like I said, it might take some time on a hot day, even on recirculate.

The ECU also likes to raise the AC cycle temperatures when the idle is low (like when you're sitting in traffic) in order to conserve fuel. This is especially annoying on a hot day when the sun is beating down. One workaround to that I've found is to rev the engine to maybe about 1500 RPMs.

There's also the possibility that your evaporator temperature sensor could be drifting and causing the AC to not cycle at the right temperature (I had this problem). This can cause the AC to not cycle enough and be too warm, or cycle too much and be too cold (and freeze up the evaporator).

But before jumping to that conclusion, I would just monitor the temperatures with the meat thermometer for a while.

 

I'm not an expert, but I had the same AC issue with my 2012 Fit. Under performing and inconsistent AC when it's needed most. I like to do the basics myself so thought about buying a freon recharge can and trying to DIY. It seemed a bit tricky to get just the right amount as too little or too much are both bad for performance. So I took it to my local (wonderful people) mom and pop auto mechanic. They used the machine to pull out the old freon and importantly, put back the right amount. They also add a dye so they can tell if it's leaking. That was 2 summers ago and on this 3rd summer, it's still working great. It's not the AC from an American car from the 70's, but it works fine now. I think the Fit uses very little freon so it's very easy to lose just enough over time that it performs poorly. Get a professional refill and leak check and you may be pleasantly surprised.

 

This seems like a good plan. It checks for leaks and ends up with the right amount of freon in the system in the end. make sure to run the system on the recirculation mode for the coolest results. That way you're not drawing in outside hot air and then trying to cool it down.

LOL. Your system is probably working well in cooler weather because you're not in recirculation mode and are drawing in cold air from outside your vehicle and with the addition of your a/c making the air even colder- it probably works quite well!

 

Hello,
Based on the symptoms you described, most likely it is the A/C compressor clutch slipping problem. If you go to A/C shop, and after removing the old freon and added back the right amount of new freon and the problem still persist, usually those A/C shop will persuade you to buy a new compressor (they typically offer a non genuine A/C compressor that they claim as good as Honda Genuine Compressor). They will tell you that there is no way to fix your current genuine Honda compressor and too expensive to buy Honda Genuine A/C compressor.

All you had to do is buy the A/C compressor clutch shim kit from Honda (Original parts), choose the thinner shim from the one currently in your compressor and install them. However, you will need to buy the A/C clutch compressor tool (not expensive) and you don't have to remove the A/C compressor at all.
You just have to take out the right passenger side front wheel and take out the plastic fender liner to access the A/C compressor.

I hope this help

 

You'll find a lot of threads about the weakness of the Honda Fit air conditioning, across generations.
It's generally felt that even brand new, the AC is not the strongest.

You might be able to improve the situation with a AC service. But I would advise, to never expect the AC to be all that strong.

I owned a 2010, and now a 2016 and I live in a moderate environment. It does get hot in the summer for stretches, but it's not a Florida, or Desert type of heat.
For me? The AC is passable. I can usually keep the vehicle cool enough.
In the hottest of summer I use a sun shade, cracked windows, and all the "tricks" of how to best employ your AC.

If your AC hasn't been serviced in 9 years, I would start with that.
And I would keep in mind that even with improvement, the Fit AC has the reputation of being somewhat weak.