07.5 Air Conditioning Issues

[Sasquatch]

Is anyone else experiencing less than fantastic cooling in their rigs?



My '97 cools much better than this truck, and there's much better air-flow (both volume and velocity) coming out of the vents of the old truck.



I've also noticed:



1) The delivery of air -- even when the "recirc door" is open and outside air is being blown into the cab -- is being tempered by warmth from the heat-exchanger. It's almost like the interior vent door which partitions the heating side from the cooling side isn't shutting completely. If it's 45 degrees outside (which it is on an average May morning in the mountains) the air that I'm feeling from my vents is near or very slightly cooler than body temperature.



If, however, it's in the upper 60s outside, then the air I'm feeling from the vents is very distinctly warm. Id guess it's pretty close to 100 degrees, because it's warm to the touch -- warmer than body temperature, so even with the evaporative effects of the moving air in these dry climes, it feels very warm.



My dealership has a brand, spanking new "service manager," and he's coming from another dealership, and I think he's somewhat jaded from dealing with unsatisfied customers and petty problems. He seems to be "hard-wired" into the, "That's normal for this truck, " mode, which is starting to **** me off.



Everything I mentioned to him engendered that same pat response, "Yeah, well these trucks don't cool nearly as well as the older models, and that's (cue drumroll) 'normal' for these trucks. "



I told him, "I don't think it's 'normal' for my truck to be blowing hot air in my face, when it's in the 40s outside, and I've got the AC compressor set to 'off,' and the outside air door open, and the fan blowing at full tilt. " "Similarly, I don't think it's 'normal' for my AC to be cooling as poorly as it is, even though the compressor seems to be working optimally, and the system seems to be fully charged with freon. (we popped the hood and checked the refrigerant return lines -- they were warm -- and the other side was "frosty" to the touch)



I think it's an interior door adjustment -- someplace back of the dash -- and that, once we get the heat-bleed issues resolved, the AC will cool properly.



2) The other thing i've noticed -- which may be part and parcel of the same "issue" -- is that the area around the pedals/firewall seems very warm to my feet. Even uncomfortably so, especially if I'm working the truck hard in the mountains on a warm day.



So, if anybody's noticed similar issues, please fire away.



Thanks... .

 

[Caveman]

I agree that these trucks do not cool as well as the older models, even my 04. 5. I haven't experienced the heat around the pedals, but even cool air seems to be warmed by something. I seem to be running the A/C more than normal which doesn't exactly help my mileage. I need good A/C for Texas.

 

[DPKetchum]

Same complaint more or less since 03! 06 model year brought a differant line/orfice and supposly condenser changes. I have the updated line/orfice and it helped some. I have run dual thermometers since the first year with mine and in the heat the differance of left to right is very noticeable as well as seeing the temp differance when stoping and starting off from right side vents as if hot ambient air is bleeding through right side.

 

[superdave]

My 04. 5 definitely cooled as well as my 99. My wifes 95 4X4 does not seem to cool as quickly as the 04. 5, but the 04. 5 was a Laramie with the dual zone cool/heat. The 95 is an SLT. Could be some difference.

 

[LesStallings]

Same complaint more or less since 03!

I've been fighting this issue for a year now on my 04. First the recirc door unit was replaced (~$1,000) and then now the truck is back in the shop for a blend door unit replacement ($750). Each time the dash has to come out. That poses a bit of a problem with my gauges, CB, add-on satellite radio, trailer camera monitor, etc...



The only reason I am waiting until the "new generation" 2009 is to get a totally new design HVAC system. I'd like the new 6. 7 and 6 speed auto right now, but I will not accept the current design AC.



Oh, I forgot to mention the freeze up of the evaporator requiring fin temp sensor relocation (with marginal improvement)...



Anyway - I'm not too wild about our truck's HVAC. .

 

[aggieLR]

My A/C doesn't seem to cool as well as the '04 I had nor as well as the '99 I traded in on this one. Seems like it takes a long time to get cold. Once it has been running for 10-15 min. it gets cold, but that seems like a long time to have warm air blowing through the vents. I get plenty of volume through the vents. Just another piece of crap Chrysler screwup. Cummins does so well with the motor and then Chrysler comes along to throw it's crap around the motor and we end up with what we have.

 

[jelag]

I own 3 trucks... . and we have a thermometer that we move around to check the air temperature... . The AC should bring the air temperature at the vents down to 35-45 degrees without a problem... I'd check it with a thermometer first so that I knew where I stood... . I'm sure there is a standard in the manual and it would have to be that low to make it function... .

I'd like to know what you find before I order a couple of replacement trucks next month...