American car a/c vs Japanese a/c system

[truedef]

I grew up with a family having Dodge vehicles, my dad had two Dakotas, a Durango, 2 Dodge Caravans, I bought a dodge ram, and then a dodge challenger srt8.

All of these vehicles, including all of my friends, some Chinese makes even, all blow hot air from the a/c ducts for upwards of 20-30seconds sometimes much more.

I had to sell my challenger due to the oil field crash, and bought a 1997 4runner. I love this thing to death, but the number one thing that really impressed me is instant cold A/C as soon as you turn on the car. INSTANTLY!

My younger brother whom is only 16, noticed this as well and mentioned it as well. Anyone else notice this?

 

[Yukon4Runner]

It's a requirement placed on Japanese car makers by their equivalent of the US Food & Drug Administration.

The Japanese eat a lot of sushi and most of it is take-out.

If their cars took too long to cool down, the higher chance of the raw fish going bad would present a public health risk.

 

[karmatp]

I have noticed that every single thing is better in my 4runner compared to my past GM vehicles except the ac you speak of.

 

[99SR5rva]

My 99' has terrible ac but that's fine because I love rolling down all my windows and sunroof. Once had a jeep driver lol at the back window.


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[Ezlife45]

OP if you better understood the basics of an AC system you wouldn't have the same comments.

First the car must start, then there may be some delay before the ECU lets the compressor clutch engage. Once the compressor is building pressure it can then have a dp across an orifice, control valve or whatever gives the J/T effect which produces cool gas inside the evaporator coil.

If the air side of the evaporator coil is on max air setting, you're circulating HOT air across an exchanger that you are just starting to cool down. Once the gases start to cool the gas side of the coil then the air can begin to get cooled down.

Depending on how hot the inside of the vehicle is, all the internal ducting etc has to be cooled down as well before you start noticing cool air blowing through the ducts. Additionally, if your AC is set to recirculate air you are taking hotter than ambient air and trying to cool the inside of your vehicle.

There are several things you can do to improve the situation: Roll windows down and let some hot air escape, window tint, switch your AC to outside air for a few minutes until your vehicle starts cooling a little bit.

Newer vehicles with automatic climate control sometimes don't start circulating air until AFTER the compressor has started building pressure and the coil has already had been cooled down. Some other vehicles may engage the compressor clutch sooner than others.

 

[PWD4R]

OP if you better understood the basics of an AC system you wouldn't have the same comments.



First the car must start, then there may be some delay before the ECU lets the compressor clutch engage. Once the compressor is building pressure it can then have a dp across an orifice, control valve or whatever gives the J/T effect which produces cool gas inside the evaporator coil.



If the air side of the evaporator coil is on max air setting, you're circulating HOT air across an exchanger that you are just starting to cool down. Once the gases start to cool the gas side of the coil then the air can begin to get cooled down.



Depending on how hot the inside of the vehicle is, all the internal ducting etc has to be cooled down as well before you start noticing cool air blowing through the ducts. Additionally, if your AC is set to recirculate air you are taking hotter than ambient air and trying to cool the inside of your vehicle.



There are several things you can do to improve the situation: Roll windows down and let some hot air escape, window tint, switch your AC to outside air for a few minutes until your vehicle starts cooling a little bit.



Newer vehicles with automatic climate control sometimes don't start circulating air until AFTER the compressor has started building pressure and the coil has already had been cooled down. Some other vehicles may engage the compressor clutch sooner than others.

My 99 4Runner blows cold air sooner than my 2015 Corolla every time. Even when the inside of 4Runner is hotter because of just factory tint vs the huper optic tint in the Corolla. The Corolla takes about 20 seconds to blow all the way cold whereas the 4Runner is about 3-4 seconds.


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[Lester Lugnut]

My '06 Toyota Avalon blows colder air than my '14 4Runner or '15 Tacoma.

My stepsons '10 Dodge Charger has a better a/c than any of my Toyota's.

 

[Unner]

AC in my 01 makes my fingers numb. I love it.