[Kway24]

Hello everyone my 2017 Chrysler Pacifica a/c is blowing warm air.. I bought an a/c recharge kit and it will not connect to the low side port at all just tried for hour and half with two types of kits.. anyone have problems with a/c or any problems with a/c port damage from factory????

 

[SWPacLim]

I wouldn't try and charge it yourself. If the refrigerant is gone, there's a leak somewhere and you can damage the system trying to charge it yourself. Take it to a mechanic.

I have always thought the A/C in the Pacifica was quite poor.

 

[Waldo]

My A/C has been fine. No problems. Cools as expected.

 

[Lscman]

I have noticed that the auto setting for summer A/C use always sets the fan speed too low, and drops it too soon. It's like 90+ degrees out yet the fan speed defaults to "3" after driving for 10 minutes. The fan speed needs to be at 4 or 5 speed setting to keep the cabin in the low 70's when it's over 90 degrees out. In "auto mode" the passengers literally cook if it's sunny out. Setting it to 5 or 6 will chill the interior in extreme heat weather. I think engineers tried too hard to minimize fan noise and alternator loading on the auto setting. Maybe setting the interior temp to a much lower value would fix this annoyance, but a 70 degree auto setting does not cool as well as 72 does in my other cars.

 

[freddief73]

Hello everyone my 2017 Chrysler Pacifica a/c is blowing warm air.. I bought an a/c recharge kit and it will not connect to the low side port at all just tried for hour and half with two types of kits.. anyone have problems with a/c or any problems with a/c port damage from factory????

The Pacifica is like most other recent FCA products and uses R-1234yf refrigerant. The kits you are buying are most likely intended to be used for systems using R-134a refrigerant which have different fittings.

I have noticed that the auto setting for summer A/C use always sets the fan speed too low, and drops it too soon. It's like 90+ degrees out yet the fan speed defaults to "3" after driving for 10 minutes. The fan speed needs to be at 4 or 5 speed setting to keep the cabin in the low 70's when it's over 90 degrees out. In "auto mode" the passengers literally cook if it's sunny out. Setting it to 5 or 6 will chill the interior in extreme heat weather. I think engineers tried too hard to minimize fan noise and alternator loading on the auto setting. Maybe setting the interior temp to a much lower value would fix this annoyance, but a 70 degree auto setting does not cool as well as 72 does in my other cars.

I think the auto setting usually works fine in our van. We keep the all zones (front driver & passenger, rear) synced to the same temp setting. The only time it sometimes seems inadequate is when the sun is shining on me through the window kinda like what you said. I don't have any other vehicle with auto climate control to compare it to though. The Pacifica is the first vehicle we've owned with auto climate control.

The winter/colder months is when I have a bigger issue with the HVAC system. When using Auto mode, it sometimes doesn't direct enough air to the windshield to keep the fog off it. I also don't like that Auto mode directs most of the heat to the floor vents and cool air comes out of the main vents.

 

[RayLin]

While I can't answer your question, I can say our A/C works great. When we purchased ours, the dealer recommended setting it to auto and recirc and let it run. We've done this since day one over 4 years ago and we have front & rear set to 70. I might add we live in central Florida so it gets hot out. There are times the wife closes her passenger side vents.

 

[generaltso]

My AC started blowing warm air sometimes and then eventually quit all together. It had an OBD code for a bad interior temp sensor, so the dealer replaced it. They thought that fixed it, but when I went to pick it up, the AC wasn’t working again. Now they replaced the compressor, which seems to have fixed it.

 

[jerry17]

As I said on another A/C thread, there is a known problem of intermittent compressor (bad clutch?) on 2017s. Search for details. But @Lscman 's post caught my eye.... I have the opposite impression, although I don't know what @Lscman means by "summer setting:"

I have noticed that the auto setting for summer A/C use always sets the fan speed too low, and drops it too soon. It's like 90+ degrees out yet the fan speed defaults to "3" after driving for 10 minutes. The fan speed needs to be at 4 or 5 speed setting to keep the cabin in the low 70's when it's over 90 degrees out. In "auto mode" the passengers literally cook if it's sunny out. Setting it to 5 or 6 will chill the interior in extreme heat weather. I think engineers tried too hard to minimize fan noise and alternator loading on the auto setting. Maybe setting the interior temp to a much lower value would fix this annoyance, but a 70 degree auto setting does not cool as well as 72 does in my other cars.

Yesterday morning - at 90+ the ungodly humidity in the NYC area, it took my 2020 over 20 minutes and 15+ miles mostly on highway to drop down off max in AUTO. The front seat area is comfortable within a few minutes although the high speed blowing goes on and on. And the back cooling is ON -- in fact when I start the van I hear that fan before the front dash blowers. It is a large space to cool. Starting with my 2008 T & C, it seems to take forever to fully cool the van at automatic (& max) A/C. If I dusted off my old A/C capacity equations, I might guess at the BTU equivalent needed to cool the van, although the sun loading is a factor that must be considered - but I have no idea of the capacity of van's A/C. In reality, though, without increasing the circulation (CFM) by adding vent outlets we would probably have uncomfortable air velocity from the existing vents in order to speed cooling.

 

[Lscman]

The Pacifica is like most other recent FCA products and uses R-1234yf refrigerant. The kits you are buying are most likely intended to be used for systems using R-134a refrigerant which have different fittings.



I think the auto setting usually works fine in our van. We keep the all zones (front driver & passenger, rear) synced to the same temp setting. The only time it sometimes seems inadequate is when the sun is shining on me through the window kinda like what you said. I don't have any other vehicle with auto climate control to compare it to though. The Pacifica is the first vehicle we've owned with auto climate control.

The winter/colder months is when I have a bigger issue with the HVAC system. When using Auto mode, it sometimes doesn't direct enough air to the windshield to keep the fog off it. I also don't like that Auto mode directs most of the heat to the floor vents and cool air comes out of the main vents.

I should clarify.....

My A/C "auto setting" does keep the interior cool enough if it's set to 68 degrees. I was just surprised to notice that when set to 70 degrees, and it's sunny, and the outside temps are around 95 degrees, the system drops to lower fan speeds of 2 or 3 once you're on the road for 10 minutes or so. This putz fan speed doesn't cut it when it's 95 out!! The fan should never be running on speed 1 to 3 when the temperature differential between setting and outside temp is 25 degrees.

When it's 90+ outside, a setting of 68 degrees in my 2019 Pacifica seems to behave like a 71 or 72 degree setting in most other vehicles. Unfortunately, a setting of 68 freezes people when it's 80 degrees or less outside. This makes it necessary to raise the auto temps on cooler days, and lower it on hot days. My other cars hold a more stable temp all year around.

 

[SWPacLim]

The A/C on my 2020 isn't great either. I wonder if its the huge windshield and the black dashboard that absorb a lot of solar load and make it Gard to keep the van cool?

I'm considering having the windshield tinted in a "clear" ceramic film to see if that helps. Our Pacifica sits outside and it typically never really fully cools off.

 

[SciTchr]

The A/C on my 2020 isn't great either. I wonder if its the huge windshield and the black dashboard that absorb a lot of solar load and make it hard to keep the van cool?

I'm considering having the windshield tinted in a "clear" ceramic film to see if that helps. Our Pacifica sits outside and it typically never really fully cools off.

My personal experience from living in a hot climate is that opening the windows (a few inches) for a few minutes lets some of the hot air out and makes it easier for the ac to cool down the van (when it has been parked outside on a really hot day).

A sun shade is also useful. I haven't tried ceramic film.

 

[SWPacLim]

We do that, but it still stays hot in there. We have a sunshade too but my wife never uses it. The sunshade helps which has me thinking ceramic tint would help.

 

[Lscman]

I agree with the “still stays hot” comment. When set to automatic cooling and 70 degree setting, my Pacifica interior fan runs at max for about 5-10 minutes which cool the cabin nicely, but then it decides to go into a silly battery saving mode where the fan speed drops to 1 or 2. This will not keep the interior under 80 degrees on a hot summer day. The auto temp sensing system is a piece of garbage.

 

[peterweb]

Anyone have a hand held thermometer they can use to check different areas inside the vehicle cabin to see how accurate the HVAC settings are? The location of the interior temp sensor for the vehicle may also make a difference in how soon the fan speed gets adjusted.

 

[Waldo]

I agree with the “still stays hot” comment. When set to automatic cooling and 70 degree setting, my Pacifica interior fan runs at max for about 5-10 minutes which cool the cabin nicely, but then it decides to go into a silly battery saving mode where the fan speed drops to 1 or 2. This will not keep the interior under 80 degrees on a hot summer day. The auto temp sensing system is a piece of garbage.

Unless you have the PHEV, that is not a battery saving mode. Most people want the noisy fan to slow down as the interior nears it's set point. If you want to fan to remain on, manually set it, overriding the AUTO setting. Set the interior to a more reasonable 73-75. 70 is pretty chilly, and asking a lot of the system on a hot day.

 

[Lscman]

Unless you have the PHEV, that is not a battery saving mode. Most people want the noisy fan to slow down as the interior nears it's set point. If you want to fan to remain on, manually set it, overriding the AUTO setting. Set the interior to a more reasonable 73-75. 70 is pretty chilly, and asking a lot of the system on a hot day.

Battery saving comment was a joke... auto feature is a joke.

What I am saying is when it's over 90 degrees out, a 70 setting in my Pacifica results in 80 degrees interior temps because the auto fan speed is too low. Increasing the setting from 70 to 75 sure as heck won't help to lower the ACTUAL interior temperature lol. A setting of 68 helps keep the fan running at the necessary speed, but then the interior gets too cold when outside temps drop under 85 degrees. That isn't my idea of auto climate control.

My other vehicles feel perfectly comfortable in the Summer or Winter when set to 72, not this one.

We prefer an interior temperature that does not involve sweat pouring off occupants. Fan noise is strictly a function of fan, blade, ducting and sound suppression. The auto climate system should not excessively lower the fan speed. It should instead set a fan speed which is "just high enough" to hold the temperature which has been set by the driver, front passenger and rear passengers. This goes for Summer or Winter.

 

[Waldo]

Then your van has a broken sensor. Mine cools fine at the temperatures you describe. I do keep the rear a/c on, set all to 74, and on the rare occasions when I feel the fan has slowed down too soon. A quick flip of the knob sets it to manual.

You probably will not get it to reach 68 when it is over 90 outside.

 

[Lscman]

....I’m trying to achieve 72 degree cabin temp. A cabin temp of 68 is way too cold for me.

 

[SWPacLim]

Having had two Pacificas now that both cool the same way, I'm confident this is an issue with the design of the Pacifica vs an issue with ones personal unit.

As an example, I test drove my 2020 Brand new. It was parked outside, and hot inside. I drove home to show it to my wife and kids, 12 miles through stoplights, etc, it took me about 25 minutes. The van was still not comfortably cool nor had the fan speed slowed down by the time I got home. If I were in my Lexus, it would have been fully cooled off and in low fan mode in maybe 7-10 minutes, and it has a black interior.

Its also not the first targe interior capacity vehicle I have ever had. My Lexus IS a 206 inch long long wheelbase sedan (6 inches longer than the Pacifica). I also had a 2015 Kia Sedona minivan, two Jeep Grand Cherokees, a Ford Explorer...all of which cooled better than either of my Pacificas.

The HVAC just doesnt seem to have enough cooling power or evacuation power to get all of the hot air inside pumped through the system and cooled.

 

[Lscman]

My Pacifica practically throws ice cubes when the fan is max. It has no trouble chilling passengers to an uncomfortable level when it’s 98 degrees and fan is on max. You state your fan runs on high and cabin fails to cool. That is opposite of my issue. My A/c System capacity is fine, temp control Is poor.