Air Conditioning System Question

hd_harry · 01-22-2013, 12:33 PM

Hi All,

I'm in the market for a new car and the 2013 Chrysler 300 is on my short list. I'd get the 300C with the V-6 engine and with the Light Group and SafetyTec packages. I drove a base V-6 model a couple of weeks ago; the dealer's 300Cs all had V-8s. Last week I revisited the dealer and spent some time in a 300C, which had the V-8, and with the help of a salesman, I checked out some of the UConnect features. We stayed in the dealer's lot, but we started the engine and had the air conditioning on while I was trying out the UConnect.

I'm in Southern California, and on the day of this check the outside air temperature was probably a little under 80 degrees. I think the A/C was in the Auto mode and initially the temperature was set for somewhere in the mid-70's. This is a comfortable temperature setting for me in my 1991 Lexus LS 400. However, in the Chrysler I was starting to get warm, and I was sitting in the shady side of the car. I mentioned this to the salesman and he dropped the temperature to the "Lo" position, which I think is around 60 degrees. If I had set the temperature that low in my Lexus, I would have been shivering, but in the Chrysler I was still warm.

As a result of this experience, I have two related questions that you owners may be able to answer for me:

* Does the displayed temperature result in a cabin temperature of approximately that value? In several Chrysler 300 review videos I've watched on YouTube I've noticed that the reviewer had the temperature set somewhere in the 60s, which seems to me to be pretty low if that is the actual temperature inside the car.

* Does the A/C provide enough cooling in the summer to keep the interior comfortable? I go over to Phoenix several times a year and the temperatures there in the summer can get over 115 degrees. I want to be sure that the Chrysler's air conditioning system can adequately handle that environment.

Any feedback will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Harry

hainesm · 01-22-2013, 02:48 PM

Wish I could help. I've only had the 300 for a few weeks and its crazy cold. I can tell you the heat works great and gets warm hotter then any of my other vehicles. I set it on 68 or so and it seems to keep me much hotter then that... this might serve to your ppoint tho

Zakira · 01-22-2013, 02:49 PM

I'm in Socal, too, and I do feel that the AC is on the weak side, too. Last summer went over fine. But yeah, I was surprised when I first got the car because I was expecting a much stronger AC.

toasteroven · 01-22-2013, 05:29 PM

We had temps well into the mid-to-high 90s, tickling 100 here this past summer, and I found that to be comfortable, I had to set the AC a little cooler than intended for summer, and the heat a little warmer than intended for winter. A few degrees down and up, respectively. But once the car is cooled down, it stayed there both idling in traffic as well as road driving. We also used remote start with the cooled seats on quite a bit.

Our rear windows are also darkly tinted.

phunter1 · 01-22-2013, 06:49 PM

I am also in SoCal in Temecula where 100 is not uncommon in summer. I haven't noticed the A/C being weak. I do use the remote start feature in the summer to get the A/C going before I get to the car. Seems to work as well as other cars I have owned. I guess its what you are used too.

Phil

panaguy · 01-22-2013, 07:18 PM

Folks I find the climate control on my 2011 300C (HEMI) to be on par with my former 2010 Lexus GS350 AWD if not better. I've already lived through one sticky hot NJ summer last year and when set to AUTO I find the A/C to be on the cold side and conversely now that I am living through my first cold Northeast winter I find the heat to be on the warmer side. Another words the Climate Control system is more than adequate (at least on my car). Usually I have to turn the fan down a notch to compensate when it gets too hot (winter) or too cold (summer) or just adjust temperature setting up or down a degree or two :-)

I did notice however last summer that occasionally when using the climate control on a "somewhat" hot day (not 90's or 100's) and set to AUTO that sometimes the A/C compressor would not engage and the car felt a little warm. I think this is purposely programmed for fuel saving measures but was easily solved by MANUALLY switching on the "A/C" button and then the car would cool down immediately. The first time this happened to me I thought something was wrong with the A/C. I think perhaps this is what you are experiencing...so just switchover to manual A/C!

hd_harry · 01-23-2013, 03:45 PM

To all of you, thanks much for your input.

I think I'll stop in at the dealer again and see if I can talk to a service writer about what I experienced with the test vehicle. He or she may be able to tell me if my perception about the lack of cooling was correct as well as what kind of performance I should expect from the A/C.

Harry

bo3adsa · 01-24-2013, 03:31 AM

I live in a county where temperatures reaches +122F.
when I bout the car I felt the A/C is not as cold as my other 7+ years old CTS so I decided to treat my windows and the panorama to cut down the heat. I set the A/C to auto and temp ~68 and the vented seat are on low. Let me tell you the inside of the car is cold and comfortable even during the hot summer. Treating the window was the best investment I can do to my car in our steamy hot climate.

hainesm · 01-24-2013, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bo3adsa

I live in a county where temperatures reaches +122F.
when I bout the car I felt the A/C is not as cold as my other 7+ years old CTS so I decided to treat my windows and the panorama to cut down the heat. I set the A/C to auto and temp ~68 and the vented seat are on low. Let me tell you the inside of the car is cold and comfortable even during the hot summer. Treating the window was the best investment I can do to my car in our steamy hot climate.

I assume you mean putting tent on the windows? What % did you choose?