As you can imagine, summer temps here in Phoenix challenge most auto A/C systems. I haven't been too impressed with the Fit's so far when the temps go up, as it seems the system does a lot of compressor cycling (on/off/on, with warm air for 1-2 seconds before going cool again).

I've got an A/C vent temp gauge for home use that I will be using to monitor the vent temps the next few days. We just had a "cold spell" for Phoenix, with morning temps of about 50 deg. F today, but it's supposed to be back up to near 90 deg. F by Saturday.

I waited for about 10 minutes before doing a max/min betwwen the A/C and heating system. Blower speed was on setting 1, exterior temp was about 48 deg. F. Minimum temp with the A/C was 35.5 deg. F, max temp with the heat was 156 deg. F.

I'll experiement with blower speeds, and compare these temps to my other cars when I can.

 

Let me ask, which car's a/c have you been impressed with?

i bet the van is up there on the list huh?

 

Yup, the Sienna's got the best A/C, but even it has an issue. Works like a meat locker cooler, even when its over 110 deg. F, as long as you're moving. If you come to a stop, the electric fans simply don't move enough air through the condenser to keep the airflow really cold. Our old Dodge Caravan (despite many other flaws) didn't have this problem, its A/C was nearly perfect.

The 914 has a 3/60 A/C system - roll down the 2 windows, remove the top, and drive 60. Never had any problems with it.

BMW's have pathetic A/C systems. Best performance for my M3's system is to run it in manual mode, direct all of the airflow to the dash vents ("auto" causes some air to be diverted to the floor vents), and keep the cabin air filter clean. Almost tolerable in this mode.

The Boxster has a very good A/C, aided by the tiny passenger compartment. But the car isn't much fun to drive with the top up.

 

My RSX was pretty decent, but the best AC i've had has to be in my C350. I set the temp and it's always consistantly comfortable.

 

I live in Florida and we have already had some pretty warm days and I thought my AC was fine. The one thing that made a huge difference is window tint. You have to get it. The Fit has a lot of window coverage just letting all that direct sunlight in. If you have good tint the AC should be fine.

 

OK, I've been busy with stuff, and we haven't had any really hot days where I've been driving the Fit. However, they're coming this week (100+), so I'm back to collecting data. I've got a Protek 608 DMM with an RS232 interface that lets me datalog to a PC, and I have a very nice Fluke 80TK thermocouple module and a type K thermocouple, so I have all the stuff I need to monitor the vent temp vs time.

I didn't hook it up to the PC yet, but I did try out the DMM and thermocouple in the car on the way to work this morning. Outside temp was about 70 deg. F. You can see the compressor cycling very easily with this setup. Vent temps get really cold - I was seeing temps below 30 deg. F, rising to the high 40's before cycling down. To your hand, it all feels good, but the real test will be on my drive home today, after the car has been baking all day. What I've been experiencing is acceptably cool air followed by 1-2 second bursts of notably warm air during compressor cycles. It also seems to cut out under moderate (not WOT) accelerations, more than I would think. I will try to do the datalogging in the next few days and post the charts.

 

Update - have the datalogging working, but I haven't graphed the data yet. However, now I have some numbers on my A/C to discuss with my dealership. What I'm seeing is that on a 100 deg. F ambient day, the system cools quickly to the mid to upper 50's, then begins cycling. Most cycles have peak temps in the mid 60's, but if it coincides with an acceleration, temps can reach nearly 80 deg. F, which is feels quite warm. Steady part load cruising gives fairly steady vent temps from 55 to 65 deg. F. I'm sure when we get REAL heat around here (e.g. 115 deg. F) this will get worse.

Anyone else here in the desert southwest seeing similar behavior from their Fit's A/C?

 

Had my 09 FIT to the dealer to check A/C system for frequent cycling. Found refrigerant was at low end of specification. Dealer evacuated system checked for leaks and charged to nominal values. Problem not fixed. A/C is ice cold on freeway after 15 to 20 minutes. Short distance around town on hot day NOT very good! I like the car but... not having premo A/C in AZ is not acceptable. Also, dealer replace battery??? anybody have battery issues on 09 FIT?

 

No battery issues yet. Thanks for replying, I was beginning to wonder if I had the only A/C with issues. I don't think people outside of Phoenix realize just how essential it is to have an A/C that works in stop-and-go traffic when it's 107 like it was the other day. I'll have them check mine out, too, but it sure seems to me the issue is whatever is triggering the compressor to cycle. My guess is that it's aggressively biased to improve fuel economy - which I could care less about when I'm baking.

 

I live in Phoenix as well. I wonder how well the Fit would do if it had a more powerful engine? Say 130-140 HP. A friend at work as a Civic with the 1800 CC motor and no problem with A/C. Car is blue. I have an older Toyota Tacoma with 2.5 4 cyl and the A/C works very well. However, it does take awhile to cool the interior down, cuz the color is blue. Last time I ever buy that color here in Hot Feenix!

 

Let me know if your A/C improves. I will give it another month or so before I consider another car as a replacement.

 

The a/c on our 99 4Runner that we traded in on our 09 FIT was noticeably better. So far the FIT seems adequate. Of course we're not yet into our peak summer temperatures.

 

I will say that the ac was a little wimpy at first here in Florida, but after my tint was installed it got dramatically better. I have huper optic ceramic tint, 20% all around I can not feel any radiant heat through the tint lookat the huper optic website. Before tint ac was on 4 all the time now it's on 4 for about 5 min then down to 1 the rest of the time. It seriously made a difference. Also the ceramic tint is supposed to be better for tpms, gps, Bluetooth etc. I really think it was a great investment here in Florida.

 

FWIW, I have max legal tint on all windows. Tint isn't the problem here, it's the excessive compressor cycling in stop-and-go traffic. When the compressor is on, the A/C vent temps are pretty good, even in the hottest weather I've encountered so far, and the blower provides a decent volume of air.

 

i'm having the same problem and i know knoxville does get as hot as phoenix but we have real bad humidity. two weeks ago we where in florida with the temps in the middle 90's and in traffic i could feel it blow warm air. ive already had it back to the dealer and of course they couldn't find anything wrong i also have another problem that leads me to believe i have i have a small leak somewhere. after i drive it with the a/c on and park it i can hear a leaking -sizzle sound i know some of it might be normal cause my wifes escort does it but the fit will do it for almost 15 minutes. i think sometime this week i'm taking it to another dealer and if i get the same run around i might be trading it. and thanks for your info and time i really appreciate the work you put into this.

 

Man I was just about to make a post of this very same issue, happy I read yours first. It was pretty damn hot in Dallas today and I had the A/C on the coldest setting during my drive home from work. The constant cycling really gets on my nerves. When it's 90 + degrees out the last thing I want is for the car to blow warm air in my face, even for a second. I was seriously wondering if something was wrong with my car and maybe I had a refrigerant leak. I guess not, must be normal operation which is not too cool. It's not even real hot here in Dallas yet. When the summer gets here and the temperature is over 100 degrees everyday with a humidity rating of 90 percent I'm not sure the A/C in my Fit is going to be able to handle that. So far this is really the first issue that concerns me with this car. I have the darkest tint allowable by state law and it does help, plus the color of my car is white which probably helps a little too, but that A/C needs to stop the recycling crap.

Another concern I have is the big grill opening with no protection for the condenser. Car rides real low to the ground and that condenser is a prime target for rocks. I need to see if there is some kind of mesh grill protection I can add to prevent a blown condenser.

 

I live in Ohio and during the summers here it's a lot like Florida (I grew up in West Palm Beach) and honestly I've never been dissatisfied with the A/C in my Fit, granted it's only gone through one summer, although it was a sweltering summer 80s-90s and I would have it cranked to 4 with fresh air for the first 5 minutes then 2-3 with recirculate after 5-10 minutes. I'm fit myself but I run hot anyway. I dunno why people are complaining, it's plenty cold for me. No complaints.

The only A/C that's truly impressed me above the rest are Audi's...they offer the best temperature delta achievable by far compared to most other makes.

 

See these threads (a search will likely yield others too):

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...ur-09-fit.html

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...rocks-not.html

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...placing-2.html

 

The A/C in my Boxster is surprisingly good. Low vent temps, no cycling, huge air volume, and tiny passenger compartment. Temps drop like a rock within 10 seconds of starting it, even on the hottest days.

BTW, just to give others out there a point of reference - I keep the A/C vent thermometer I've been using in the car, it sits in the shade in the recess in front of the forward cupholders. Monday, the cabin temp in my Fit was 143 deg. F when I got in it at 4:30 PM. Welcome to Phoenix. And it was only a little over 100. Can't wait until it's 115!

 

My problem is the frequent cycling. I get in the car after work and the A/C blows cold within 15 seconds and then starts to cycle. This really annoys me when the interior of the car is in excess of 140 degrees and the A/C blow hot air in my face. I will bring it back to Honda again and ask if they can reprogram the control system to allow for longer periods between cycles. Once I’m on the highway the problem goes away after 15 to 20 minutes. I lower the blower setting initially to prevent the blow dryer effect in my face. This seems to be a little less annoying.