Cabin Temperature

[Silver-Aurion]

Well summer is definitely here, with the mercury hitting nearly 40 in Melbourne today. My annoyance with the Aurion is that the aircon doesn't cool down the car. It blows out freezing cold air, but I found the culprit why.

The suns heat and rays comes right into the car from the big ***** front windshield. I put my hand on the dash and its so hot you can fry an egg on top. And this isnt just these really hot weathers, even normal temperatures the cabin of the car won't go really cold. In my old 97 Camry, when I would turn the aircon on the car would be COLD, like the cabin air in the car would be cold.

In the Aurion, even with the aircon on its lowest the air is a Mild cool, the only way to cool down is to face the vents to your face which I don't like doing because it dries out your lips etc.

When the sun hits the dash, it radiates that heat into the car and the car does not cool down.

Edited December 30, 2009 by unique

[DJKOR]

Have you tinted your side and rear windows as well? This can make difference towards making your air conditioner more efficient.

Remember as well that the Aurion is a bit larger than your old Camry. This equates to more surface area in contact with the sun which can then heat up and radiate this into the car.

As well, keeping air flowing over the condenser (in front of the radiator) will increase the efficiency of the air conditioner by allowing the evaporator to absorb more heat. This is why the air conditioner works it's best when you are moving at highway speeds.

[SCOOTA44]

I too have found the aircon not as effective as previous models, but it works better on recirculate rather than fresh. but like daryl says window tinting will help, i have not done this myself yet.

[wilbur94]

hello,

i have the same sort of problem my ZR has 20% tint side and rear and it take about 10 - 15 minutes to get the car to a cool temp even when on the highway like DJKOR said it works its best when you are moving at highway speeds. my still takes about 10 minutes can there be something wrong with my aurion its quiet anoying when its a 40* day

thanks

wilbur94

[1stKill]

Yeah i have to agree with high cabin temps in the Aurion on hot days,my old sh!tbox BA XR6 & VT Comm aircons were much cooler.Tinting the windows (as suggested) and a reflective sunshade & windows just cracked open a bit for airflow when i'm parked helps alot. B)

[DJKOR]

More on that topic of surface area, when you are cooling down your car with the A/C, you have to remember that the air conditioner is working against a radiating heater in essence. Think of what happens when the sun shines on the roof of the car and the doors, etc. It heats up to the temperature outside the car (even more in the sun), and then this heat radiates into the car.

That said though, I must admit I have seen better aircons out there. I'm guessing that Toyota put a slightly under-rated system in the Aurion compared to what it should have had. Maybe this had something to do with being more fuel efficient?

[SCOOTA44]

More on that topic of surface area, when you are cooling down your car with the A/C, you have to remember that the air conditioner is working against a radiating heater in essence. Think of what happens when the sun shines on the roof of the car and the doors, etc. It heats up to the temperature outside the car (even more in the sun), and then this heat radiates into the car.

That said though, I must admit I have seen better aircons out there. I'm guessing that Toyota put a slightly under-rated system in the Aurion compared to what it should have had. Maybe this had something to do with being more fuel efficient?

I think you hit the nail on the head, efficency vs economy.

[fuel miser]

Travelled back from Wagga to Bathurst today outside temp started at 37 C and dropped to 32 C during the trip.

When I started the car I opened all the windows and had the air con on for the first five minutes before closing the windows. (goodbye large amounts of heat).

Have got tint on the windows, used the rear window sheild in the pressara. Set the air con to auto for the trip at 22 C and wasn't too long before the fan speed and temp inside the car had reduced significantly.

Car was outside in the sun all day in 37 C with sheild inside front windscreen and rear sheild up, still it was uncomfortable to get into. Maybe not letting the sun shine directly onto everything inside and heating them up is the secret.

By the time we had 30 k's travelled the fan was on one bar and sucking outside air. (at start when in auto it always selects re-cycle). And there was no complaints from anyone, some had even turned the vents away from there position.

Just providing some feedback and maybe some hints to limit heating up the car. There is always the option to park in the shade also.

[Silver-Aurion]

My car does have tints, I think it came dealer fitted by the previous owner as it was a company car. The aircon in My aurion is amazing. Even though it was hitting 40 outside, the aircon was literally blowing out freezing cold air.

But I had to drive with it on nearly to the highest Bar all the way home to keep the cabin of the car at least cool.

I wish it was legal to tint the front window. Even if there was some sort of tint that was like 99% but its purpose was to reflect heat I would get it installed. When the sun hits the dash it gets really hit in the car. My steering wheel was pretty hot too.

But I never thought of actually putting the front windshields on. I'll try that next time its hot so maybe it can cool the heat before it comes into the car.

[Silver-Aurion]

That said though, I must admit I have seen better aircons out there. I'm guessing that Toyota put a slightly under-rated system in the Aurion compared to what it should have had. Maybe this had something to do with being more fuel efficient?

Hmm, this kind of goes against what I said. I believe the aircon works great. I've been in cars where the aircon literally ONLY blows "COOL" air on really hot days like today. But the Aurion pumped out freezer cold air.

[Hiro]

If you want to make the air-con in an Aurion look good, try a Mazda 2 (the first ones, not the swoopy current ones). My parents have one, and on hot days it's like ****** on a bushfire. The vents do put out cold air, but even on full the fan isn't that strong and there is a metric football field of glass area for the sun to just beat down on. Another analogy would be like trying to cool down a greenhouse with one of those little toy battery-powered fans.

[Silver-Aurion]

If you want to make the air-con in an Aurion look good, try a Mazda 2 (the first ones, not the swoopy current ones). My parents have one, and on hot days it's like ****** on a bushfire. The vents do put out cold air, but even on full the fan isn't that strong and there is a metric football field of glass area for the sun to just beat down on. Another analogy would be like trying to cool down a greenhouse with one of those little toy battery-powered fans.

Funny you mentioned that because your not the first one. A family friend recent purchased a Mazda, those four door ones that look like lady bugs :P. And it wasnt even that hot out, but he put it on. And I swear the aircon was not blowing cold like many other cars I've been in. He kept fiddling around with it but what ever we tried the just was not blowing cold. It was like a mild cool blowing through.

Must be a mazda thing?

Another thing, don't forget, cars like Holdens, Fords and maybe the Aurions have good aircons because they were build for Aussie climate? Just a thought.

[Deanja]

I'm amazed that you find your air con not adequate, I've lost count of the cars we've owned and I have to say the air con in our prodigy is amongst the best we've had, it's set all the time to 25 deg. and auto and works like a charm, in NSW, QLD where ever we go. The air con in the wifes Prius the same.

MAYBE YOU SHOULD AIM THE VENTS AT YOUR FACE LIKE YOU'VE SAID AND TRY 'LIP BALM'!!!!

[DJKOR]

That said though, I must admit I have seen better aircons out there. I'm guessing that Toyota put a slightly under-rated system in the Aurion compared to what it should have had. Maybe this had something to do with being more fuel efficient?

Hmm, this kind of goes against what I said. I believe the aircon works great. I've been in cars where the aircon literally ONLY blows "COOL" air on really hot days like today. But the Aurion pumped out freezer cold air.

Not completely against what you said. A more efficient air conditioner could blow out freezing cold air as well, but the key here is how much heat it can absorb. The air conditioner is essentially a heat absorber and the more heat you can absorb, the quicker you can cool the surroundings.

I'm amazed that you find your air con not adequate, I've lost count of the cars we've owned and I have to say the air con in our prodigy is amongst the best we've had, it's set all the time to 25 deg. and auto and works like a charm, in NSW, QLD where ever we go. The air con in the wifes Prius the same.

MAYBE YOU SHOULD AIM THE VENTS AT YOUR FACE LIKE YOU'VE SAID AND TRY 'LIP BALM'!!!!

I think the air conditioner is great. I'm just saying that it could maybe be more effective. I'm saying this on behalf of others because the only time I use my aircon is for it's weekly 15 minutes to help keep the oils circulated. I drive with my windows down and fan on full when in summer heat.

[VF-X]

Yea... Find it more effective sometimes to switch on aircon and open up the windows.. Get cooler faster... After all the packed heat all gone, close up the windows. Aurion's Air-con is alrite in terms of cooling down temperature.. I've seen worse..

[Mecha-wombat]

To remove heat effectively first you need to have some where for it to go

I dont own an Aurion but I do this on all my cars

I get in and wind down ALL the windows I have the fan on but not on recirculate drive for 2-5 mins and get majority of stale hot air out of car turn on AC wind up all windows half way and let AC cool car a bit more than button up and drive away

In my 380 GT it is fitted with a sunroof so I just leave it open as HOT air rises

I just need to get the windows tinted on it but it does not get too uncomfortable even with leather which I thought it would but doesnt

[BanHien]

... Set the air con to auto for the trip at 22 C and wasn't too long before the fan speed and temp inside the car had reduced significantly. ....

Car was outside in the sun all day in 37 C with sheild inside front windscreen and rear sheild up, still it was uncomfortable to get into. Maybe not letting the sun shine directly onto everything inside and heating them up is the secret. ..

1. Same as mine, I normally setup 23 C (driver's side).

2. One thing I've noticed: the car is much hotter than my Vienta Grande after same duration under ther sun. Both cars are same color outside but the Vienta is not black inside. The steering wheel of the Presarra is much hotter.

BH

[byw]

A question about climate control air cond and fuel consumption that has been bugging me for a while.....

Does the climate control system shut down the compressor if the desired cabin temperature has been reached and hence use less fuel or does the compressor stay on all the time regardless whether the set cabin temperature has been reached or otherwise?

[Steven]

nearly all modern day air conditioning compressors use a type of magnetic clutch on the pulley wheel, so it only engages and therefore puts load on the engine when it's actually needed. Works the same way as many home air conditioners. So yes, the climate control system only has the compressor running when it needs it running, and will shut it off when it reaches the desired temperature.

[byw]

nearly all modern day air conditioning compressors use a type of magnetic clutch on the pulley wheel, so it only engages and therefore puts load on the engine when it's actually needed. Works the same way as many home air conditioners. So yes, the climate control system only has the compressor running when it needs it running, and will shut it off when it reaches the desired temperature.

Thanks for the quick reply... I can now say I am doing my bit for the environment by setting the temp to 24 deg instead of 20 deg...

I guess this does not apply to cars without climate control and for those cars, the compressor will always be engaged and put a load on the engine whenever the a/c button is pressed..... :(

[Sera30]

I also noticed the heat from the dashboard and that is why I have a dashmat. Doesn't look the greatest but I feel the cabin is not as hot inside.

[Steven]

no I should correct myself, even cars with regular air con have this feature - it judge goes by the temperature you set on the dial rather than the temperature the cabin is sitting on.

[Silver-Aurion]

I also noticed the heat from the dashboard and that is why I have a dashmat. Doesn't look the greatest but I feel the cabin is not as hot inside.

Yeah I thought of doing this, but I don't like them. Makes it look like an old mans car, no offence. ;)