Just wanted to clarify something I have been hearing. Its getting hot here in NY and I have been running the A/C all the time. Now is it true that it is bad to have it on? Like in city driving and while the car is parked or something or Im waiting for someone in a parking. I have remote start so someitmes I wait for the car to tun for elike 5 minutes with the A/C before I get in.... So lets hear it.

 

No, it isn't bad... it's just that it robs horsepower and is bad on gas mileage. It won't hurt anything though.

 

It's extremely bad. It robs the atmosphere of ozone, and it causes global warming to account for all of the extra cold air. Stop at once or the enviro police will visit.

 

lol you ugys are too funny. But basically its not going to help in overheating the car is it?

 

It's exactly as deagle said. It robs the car of HP and you will lose some MPG. As far as overheating... if you are not moving along (i.e. stuck in traffic for a long time) in the glaring heat and humidity, yes... it will definitely be running hotter. But overheating? That's a toss up.

 

thats why they got rid of freon and went to r134a

 

Ummmm... yeah.

I was JOKING.

 

Really funny stuff.....

some people said that having the A/C on all the time will help in blowing your battery ... but who cares... Right now in FL the temp at noon is around 90 degrees.... I don't care if the car explodes.... Damn it is too darn hot in here.....

 

...and NOT using the AC can cause problems. it has been recommended to me to use the compressor at least once a week even in cold weather (defrosting usually takes care of this). this keeps the seals lubed and prevents premature recharging or seal failure. i bought my car in DC and the owner claimed to have only used the AC like 5 times in 18 months. i think that explains why my air is not that cold. taking it in under warranty soon....probable recharge at 30 months.

 

oh cry about it...me and CRB gotta deal with 100+ temps all summer...haha! (im in phx, az btw)

that's something i didn't know...i usually dont use the A/C (until recently, b/c i bought my car in Sept. and now i dont have it...its in TX) which is why i get such good gas mileage...but if it's gonna be harmful not to use it, then i will use it more often

 

Yeah, it reached 90 something today up here in NJ, and the humidity sucks, too. I just really had to use the A/C for the first time recently. It's funky on my car; sometimes it'll blow really cold and sometimes it'll be only moderately cool. And I know that the air will feel better when the car is moving (engine turning at higher rpm, compressor can turn at higher rpm), but the variance in air temperature does not seem to depend on moving vs. stopped.

I'll figure it out, I havne't experimented a lot with it yet. I may have just turned on recirculate too early.

And to get back on topic, I've never heard of any side effects from A/C usage other than those already mentioned. Like Lontar said, if you don't use it, you and anything inside your car will suffer. F*ck the ozone.

 

You can acually get better gas mileage sometimes with the A/C on. When you are on the freeway or driving I think it something like 60mph or more you will get better gas mileage than with the windows rolled down and the a/c off. "The aerodynamic drag caused by open windows takes more energy to overcome than operating the A/C compressor"

 

he was talking about if you didnt have it on at all..you dont have to have your windows down when the A/C is off...

 

touche......

 

 

You're not going to last on this forum with that behavior.

 

am i missing something here? i was simply stating a fact...during the winter (which is pretty much the only time i've had my car, besides the last month and a half or so) i never use my A/C and always have my windows rolled up...that saves a lot more gas (trust me, a LOT...i usually get about 30 mpg, and since ive started using my A/C it's down to 26) than having the A/C on constantly and leaving your windows up..

 

lol, why are you to serious of a person to not have A sense of humor once so ever?

 

what??

EDIT: see above

 

sorry I forgot to say A

 

Actually I saw a show that tested two identical cars and rode one with the windows down and one with the AC on and windows up. In the end the car with the AC used less gas.

 

Yeah I saw it on the today show the other morning

 

Haha. Forget it, man. This guy's not getting the point.

 

exactly, because at higher speeds (above 45 or so) the drag factor begins to outweigh the fact that your A/C compressor is going...but at lower speeds with your windows down, gas mileage is increased, and also, pertaining to my point above, when you are at any speed, having the windows up and using no A/C gives you the best results, gas mileage-wise...

EDIT:
yeah, i sorta gave up on that a while ago

 

you guys just love to talk sh*t dont you. Sorry I mispelled a opps looks like I spelled that one wrong too. You guys need to get a life all I was saying is what I heard on tv about getting better mpg with your a/c on You and maxilvr06 make the biggest deal about the stupidest ****!

 

well after this post, i'm done arguing, but i wasn't the one making a big deal out of it...all i said was: quote "he was talking about if you didnt have it on at all..you dont have to have your windows down when the A/C is off..."
no harm in that, right?? well WRONG i guess according to you, because you just HAD to get that post in to show you thought i was wrong...then i thought i would just clarify it a bit, because maybe you didn't understand, and you, again, persisted on acting like an @$$..so i ask you: who is the one that needs to grow up, here?

 

cool thanks guys. Also another quick question. When I turn the AC on and the fan comes on, it sis maskin gosme wierd noises not just a uqiet fan hum... My car is still nuder waranty shoul dI take it in for this? Will it be covered? or will I have to pay a diagnostic fee of like $90 or sometihng if they cant ifnd a problem r say this is normal.

 

im sorry, but could you clear this part up, please? did you mean to say, "it's making some weird noises unlike a fan, but more like a loud hum"? If so, it sounds normal to me...every car makes a pretty loud fan noise whenever the A/C is on, even audi's and bmw's (not that that proves anything...)

 

I have a headache now ...

 

With the AC compressor operating and the vehicle speed basically zero (I think it's below about 5mph) and/or the coolant temp. above a certain temp. (hot) the electric cooling (rad./condenser) fans come on. Is that not the sound that you are hearing?

 

thanks. I know its the fan, its just that it makes a wierd noise not just a hum. Its like an nueven noise hard to explain. Oh well I guess its okay. I was afraid that the engine can overheat if im using te AC at a standstill because I figured its taking the cool air away from the engine...

 

That's a typical common problem with cars of the 80's due to poor desing etc ...

 

This thread is a funny read. Like CRBWS6 posted, even if you do not feel the need to run your AC you should run it about once a month just to keep it lubed and keep moving parts from rusting up. It doesn't have to be for a long time. Running you AC will not cause any harm to the ozone. It is a closed loop system. Unless there is something seriously wrong with your AC (and you will notice it not working) no gasses will escape.

The show that recently did the test was MythBusters on Discovery Channel. While I love watching the show it is nowhere near a scientific study. They took two guys that did laps around a track with close to the same amount of gas and saw who got more laps. Even though the computer testers showed that the AC on gave better mileage they attempted to suck the gas out of each tank the add 5 gallons. that right there is a red flag. Then they had two differnet drivers going around the track. Unless you used the same vehicle on cruise control I would call the testing flawed. Even the owners manual shows that using the AC will give better mileage than having the windows down.

With all of that said I dislike the climate controls on my 2K GLE. It defaults to fresh air instead of giving the option of recycle each time you start it. With all the smog on LA freeways I would prefer to keep my clean air instead of getting "fresh air". I don't like the way it decides what vents to use and how hard to run the blower. Even if you set it manually it will change it when it feels like it.

 

I hate using my AC. It bogs my car down and makes my shifting through gears, feel like my sister is driving, necks snapping....

 

All this talk about hot temps... you are all invited down to Louisiana... land of God's armpit.

100+ degrees in the daytime, 100% humidity, and it gets down to a frigid 79 degrees at night.

Something to be said when 70 degrees is a 'cooler' evening.

 

We get 55* evenings and 90* days with less than 10% humidity.

 

I think I'm having the same problem. I bought a 03 leftover from the dealership that must have sat there for a good 10 months. Typically, how much would a recharge cost?

 

the only way you are going to overheat with the ac on is if your cooling system malfunctions. But even then, you should use your eyes to watch the temperature gauge rise. If it rises, shut off AC and put on heater. If it continues to rise pull over and shut car off. Dont open to check levels and condition until the car cools.

Driving 101.

 

I'd say more like overheating 100, driving is a bit different than what you described there ...

 

What kind of drag is there from leaving the sunroof open with an aftermarket wind deflector? I believe some air might get in the back seat. I've always had good mileage on my summer road trips, even with the sunroof open.