So I bought this car nearly a year ago. I noticed that the ac doesn't perform well on high heat days. I evacuated everything and recharged it to spec but it did very little to help. The problem I have is the AC underperforms at idle. Once the car starts moving the ac picks back up again. I have read statements that these cars can't keep up with hot weather 110F +. However I can not compare to anything. Would someone with a great working AC, 2nd gen fit and hot weather state be able to help me out to get a baseline for temp readings? I want to find out what temp you're getting at vents, at idle on say a 100F day after the car is fully warm etc.

Like I've said before, the ac works well when the car is moving. I know it's not the fans because they run fine. I know it's not the heat in the engine bay/condenser because if I give it slightly higher rpms on park the ac picks back up and cools. The car is fully tinted with suntek 30% in the front 15 or so in the back.

 

I think the Fit is known to have weak AC. Mine has always struggled since it was new. Especially during hot summer months in Texas. A correct sized windshield sun shade helps a lot when car is parked. The Fit's windshield is huge.

 

My guess is it is something with the belt. Likely the AC compressor is failing or at least the part that is supposed to spin.
When the engine runs it is giving enough power to move the roller bearing or whatever is the right name for it.

 

I live in Phoenix. What I normally do in summer is set the control to "face level". That blows the coldest air. Also do recirculate after about 10 min. As Usert says, gotta have a big windshield shade. My car is gray & seems to heat up faster than a silver or white car. Hope you find the problem quick. We're not quite to the dawg days yet. heh

 

Live here too, would you happen to have a thermometer on hand so you can tell me what vent temp you're getting at idle on the hottest part of the day?

 

Live in Atlanta, just recharged my Fit before my tint job (20% Suntek CIR all around except windshield) in early June, so I took some readings. I didn't get to test idle in hot environment, so interpret these results however you want.

Idle: 70F, night, raining. Thermometer probe in center vent, AC on coldest setting, fan speed 4, recirc, idle for 30+ mins (forgot I was running the test ) I came back to a freezer as the thermometer reported 38F!

Driving: 85F day, sunny. Same AC settings but car under daily driven load, the thermometer read 42F at the lowest point (under load ~2.5k rpm), but usually stayed 48-52F off throttle.

I noticed that the AC is super effective when its positioned for your face. If you try to do face + feet, the cooling drops dramatically... my other cars don't drop off as sharply as the Fit in this mode.

 

Sorry, no themometer.

 

Ok so I did a temp check on mine.

​​​​Ac on, recirc on, fan speed 4, clean cabin filter.

Outside temp roughly 110F
Inside temp roughly 130F
​​​Car on, first couple mins idle blows about 70-75F
After a 10 min drive the car blows roughly 45F while driving.

​As soon as I let off the throttle however, the temp starts rising slowly at the vent. By then the ambient interior temp is roughly 90F.
As soon as the car is idling, the vent temp climbs up to about 60-65F

I can alleviate the temp at idle by giving it a little throttle. Which indicates to me that it's not an issue with the condenser fans.