warning dont buy mega cab if you need airconditioning

[blacksmoke10]

Don't buy a mega cab if you live where it gets hot. The new mega cabs A/C unit will not cool down the huge cab. If you live in a area where it does not get hot or you will not drive the vehicle to a hot place the truck is fine. The A/C unit that dodge installs in the new mega cab is about half as effective as a unit in a ford or chevy truck. The dash outlet put out less than half the air volume as a ford or chevy. In Arizona we have to pre start our new mega cab and let it run with the airconditioning running for about 45 minutes to cool the truck down so you can drive it. At that point front passengers are ok but rear passengers still complain that it is hot in the back with no air movement. In a comparable ford or chevy vehicle here in arizona you will have to run down the highway for about 15 minutes to completely cool down the vehicle. With the dodge mega cab this does not happen. No air volume out of the dash. As with other owner we have already had truck in for service to see if there was a problem with the door inside the unit and dodge says our truck is cooling to there specifications. That was the second day we had the truck. We asked dodge if we could return the truck as per there commercial not happy bring it back. They said you could not have traded a vehicle in on your purchase, So no you can not return the vehicle. We trades our 2000 do which had really good A/C. Never thought to even check the A/C unit on the new truck kinda figured a $55,000. 00 dollar truck would have a ok A/c unit.

 

[KLockliear]

Put a thermometer in the vent. My 01 with R134a will blow 45* or less, with 90+ ambient temps.

 

[COBRAJET]

The 06 trucks in general have a crappy AC system. Here in Texas on MAX AC in traffic the temps climb to close to 60 out the registers. My windows are heavily tinted and the temps will not fall to 45 out of the registers until at least 20 minutes of freeway driving has been completed. On the freeway at speed it is acceptable. In the city it just keeps heating up inside regardless of what fan speed of whether it is on recirc or not. It is well documented by many 06 owners... especially the MEGACAB bunch that the AC units leave a lot to be desired. My 04 Ford would flat freeze me out at any outside air temp as will the wifes Exped, my sons F150 or the play vehicle a BMW M3. The AC is crap on these trucks plain and simple.

 

[Alphacowboy]

um, no offence, but this is not a 911 thread. It should and most likely will be moved.



I know your not happy about the AC, but keep it in the correct areas.

 

[Matt400]

In Arizona we have to pre start our new mega cab and let it run with the airconditioning running for about 45 minutes to cool the truck down so you can drive it.

I don't think its the cab, mine is just a QC but last summer at over 100 deg you would need a sweater if let run on high for that long in recirc mode.

No air volume out of the dash. dodge says our truck is cooling to there specifications.

I would find another dealer.

 

[DPKetchum]

03 and up have this issue not just 06. All with this issue need to call D. C. and get a file opened. 1-800-992-1997. Tell them its not a dealeer issue but a design issue and higher ups NEED to be involved. Big thread 21 or so pages on www.dieseltruckresource.com

 

[sonorakitch]

Funny... I have a new '06 MC here in Phoenix and I survived the whole summer; in fact I thought it worked pretty well considering all the problems I have read on here.



I think it is a problem specific to some trucks.



~Chris

 

[CDonaldson]

I am also in the the desert SW where is is very hot, and my AC works just fine. It takes about 5 mins to cool the cab down when sitting in the hot sun. It must be specific to some trucks. After about 10 mins we switch the fan down as it gets too cool.



CD

 

[BigEasy]

I'm betting on a cab that's sealed too tightly... try cracking a window about an inch and see if it gets better.

 

[JMoberly]

Might just be me but seems like if I can keep the rpms around 2k then the AC works much better.

 

[Edgemann55]

My 05 is like JMoberly's as the air pumps much cooler at 2000rpm. Just a lot of glass on these 3rd gen's to build up a lot of cab heat. Some on here had there dealer find the systems low from the factory-try another dealer in your area.

 

[driverno8]

My '06 works great. In Souther Califonia where I live in the desert it's well over a 100* all summer. And not one complaint. We're out in Lake Havasu, AZ every weekend where it's 110*-120* and it cools down great. In fact actually have to turn it down a bit. When it's turned up we put a blanket over my 19 month old sons feet because it gets cold in there. I think you need to have your truck looked at.

 

[BHaner]

I would say up the RPM's a little, and crack open the rear windows to allow the heat to exit.



Never had a problem with my 03... In fact. . I open the rear slider, stuff a few pillows around the glass, and cool my 11' camper! On a 100° day I can get the temp inside the camper down to 70 in about 45 minutes.

 

[Mhannink]

yeah i would try opening the windows to get some air flow. the cab being sealed to tight could be a problem as the air cannot escape. this bogs the fan down and you'll see a difference in air flow. also definatly should have it looked at by some one who knows what they are doing. find an ac expert at an independant shop they tend to listen to you the costumer better then the dealerships. have them recharage the system to make sure it does have the proper amount of refrigerant.

 

[jelag]

I have an 04, 04. 5 and 05, all quad cabs... I drive the 04 the most, it now has 213K miles and it runs at 40*F. at the duct all the time... the only problem I have is across the desert at 112*F. or higher running into the sun... . and at that temp it won't stay cool..... as soon as the sun is overhead or behind you... there is no problem.....



I did have a problem where the temp crept up to 60*F at the duct... and I took it in and had it recharged and it now functions fine... .



BTW - I run with a temp gauge stuck in the duct work to check it all the time... . But I can see that if the same AC unit is in the Mega Cab it wouldn't be enough... but to extend that to all the other trucks is not right as far as I'm concerned...

 

[COBRAJET]

All vehicles have had vents in the doors or behind the cabs for at least 40 years to prevent the glass from blowing out when you slam the door. They are also there so the vehicle can breathe when parked for an extended period of time with the windows are up The airflow out of the grilles does not change one bit in recirc mode. All of the air comes from the inside of the truck and stays there... nothing from outside as would be the case in non recirc. At this time there is less air because the fan slows down by design so the system does not have to cool the same amount of air as it did in recirc. The outside air is hotter than the recirc air so less of it is brought across the evap coil in this mode so the temp drop across the coil is the same... after a while.



Cracking the windows is a good idea when the truck is first started up after sitting for a while in the sun. It lets the 130+ degree air out so the coil can see a cooler inlet condition. The windows should be shut as soon as the interior is cooler than the outside. The system should be left on recirc until it cools down than placed on non recirc to let fresh air into the cab.



I have had an 01 and 03 QC. . one dark green the other black. This 06 is dark blue. I never had a problem with the 01 or 03. I have had this system checked by the dealer twice... evacuated and recharged. It still sucks and they acknowledge a problem. It works just fine at highway speed, but in stop and go traffic the air gets to 55-60 real quick no matter if the truck is in recirc or outside air mode.



The system holds 30 OZ of freon. My sons F150 EXT CAB holds 34, my 2004 Ford F350 Crewcab held 40 0Z's. Our BMW M3 holds 30... . the same as a big *** truck. All three of those vehicles will maintain low 40's out of the grilles no matter what the conditions are outside. Stop and go traffic for an hour in 100+ degree heat still has 42-46 degree air blowing out of any of them. It is unbelievable how much harder the fans blow in those vehicle versus my 06. The F150 matches my 06 halfway up the dial. The system is not big enough in the 06... there are WAY TOO MANY complaints on this board as well as at my dealer. For those who have great working 06 systems... GREAT. Mine sucks trying to cool HUMID Texas air versus dry AZ or NM air. There is no way the capacity on this truck should be the same as a 2 door sports car, or 33% smaller than a CREWCAB Ford. I have never heard or seen anyone complain about a Ford SD AC system. I would think that Dodge would know how to charge one as well.

 

[MBergman]

We have been seeing many failures of the recirc door breaking on the trucks, causing poor airflow from the vents. There is a service repair tip in the parts catalogs that explains that a stop has been added to the revised recirc housing that prevents the door from breaking. The part number is 68004226AB. I've sold about 10 in the last 3 weeks.

Marc

 

[FATCAT]

Have the A/C recharged to full capacity. It may not have been filled correctly at the factory. You may be a few pounds low on R134.



This may be the problem.

 

[raychem]

Have the A/C recharged to full capacity. It may not have been filled correctly at the factory. You may be a few pounds low on R134.



This may be the problem.

Like FATCAT said... I filled my system to the max. . let me say that the a/c charge was not low just just not at max. Here in florida where it is 90 plus with 90% humidity this little remedy did the trick and I need to raise the temp on low some times. I don't have a mega cab just a QC. Ooohh and one more thing. . TINT all the way around including front window.





Richard

 

[Mhannink]

what does the a/c sticker say about how much freeon is supposed to be in there?