DMan

Almost every hot summer day my co-workers complain on how long it takes my air conditioner to cool down the car. My car has both black interior and exterior.

What I notice is the air coming out of the vent seems warm at first, but takes a couple of minutes before it gets cold. It gets extremely cold after driving 10+ minutes, but just takes awhile to get over that initial blistering heat wave.

Is this normal for Black/Black car, or does my air need looked at?

Anyone with a Black TL notice this? How long does a White TL take to blow cold air on a hot summer day?

Thanks
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thephantom

What is the temp degree when you first turn the car on? I'd bring it down to 62 and it should cool off faster. I have blk/ blk also.

DMan

I usually put in on the lowest setting, and have the air on recirculation with it set to blow air from the top vents only not floor. I’ve also tried outside air, and it doesn’t seem to make any difference.
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The days this is an issue are usually 85+ with direct sunlight.

thephantom

We have been up in the 90's lately and my car cools down just fine. TL suppose to have the fastest cool down time/ rate in its class so I think you may have to visit the dealer.

NighthawkBlack

I have black on black and reflective tint and shade in front window and have the same FN problem. Im goinng to the dealer to see if I need a recharge or have a leak or maybe something is cloged.

Yaron2

I have a 2003 Anthracite Metallic and have been having the exact same problem as you. Two dealers have advised me that its normal and since it does eventually get friggin freezing (after 10 minutes) there is nothing wrong with the system. oh well .... it should be the worst problem that you have with this car!!

paxus

I would have your AC looked at. Every car is different, and quite often there is a simple fix for your AC unit. I won't go through the many different problems it could be, but I think having the dealer look at it is worth it. Plus your car is under warranty I assume.

My car is silver with the black interior, and I've been leaving my car in the 90+ degree sun everyday at work (damn the parking garage that is always full). I don't have the sunshade or tint yet, and my car is HOT when I first open her up. 3 minutes later i'm blowing cool air. I seriously doubt that the color of your car matters that much. My car is untouchable when it's been in the sun for a few hours. Metal gets hot. I ramble. Get your car checked out.

TypeSDragon

It is normal. I wouldn't consider this as a problem since black colored absorb more heat. I even tint my windows and it is still HOT!

paxus

Well, I was just offering my opinion. If you don't think something is wrong, just live with the lengthy cool down period. Or find more shade to park in.

I don't know how much I belive about the darker colors exterior having that much effect on interior heat. I mean I could see it having a slight impact, but not that much. I used to have a maroon accord with frost cloth interior. Leave it out in the sun and got hot as heck too. My TLS with black leather is screaming hot too. Cars just get hot in the sun. period.

Black TL

You know its funny that you mentioned this. I have a Black TL as you probably already knew and I always thought the AC was weak. Its because black cars get hotter than white or silver. When I had a white TL loaner, I noticed I could park it in direct sunlight and come back in an hour and not have my ass catch fire. With my car, if I turn the AC off for two minutes, it gets hot as hell again. I had it recharged but it didn't do anything.

Rosh

Nate579

I have black on black...It's not the air conditioner it's the freon used in the unit. Unlike the old freon (R-12) that was used in older vehicles back in the day. R-132 (if I am correct) freon, takes awhile to get cool vehicles. If you take the same vehicles one with R-12 and one with R- 132. You noticed that the one with r-12 freon cools alot sooner. But unfortunately, r-12 if not properly sealed releases floracarbons into the atmosphere that damages the ozone layer and greatly contributes to the greenhouse effects and global warming. (theory or fact?) R-132 is does not harm the ozone layer but has a slight diminihing performance curve. In which, it takes a little longer for the vehicle to cool down. But once there, Oh BABY you can chill some serious brewski's at the vents.

Then again I could be wrong and you AC unit is broke. How does that sound some of you car buffs out there. I read up on the subject in several car magazines.

Yea Yea, Sound like BS. But you have to admit it sounds good.

paxus

I've never owned a black car. Ever. And it seems that people with dark colored cars are speaking up for the it's-hot-because-it's-black theory. I would concede that people with dark cars have more authority on this subject than I simply based on experience alone.

FTM-1

It is a fact that dark color car & interiors get alot hotter than other color cars. But as stated the TL has one of the best A/C unitsin its class. The 1999 & 2000 models even stated in the catalog that the A/C had enough capacity to cool a midsize house. It also stated that it is specifically designed to cool down rapidly from high interior temperatures. Thats why the car is also equipped with the special heat rejecting green solar glass in the windshield, doors & rear window. I have the 2003 catalog also & it still says the TL models have a powerful A/C & heating system.
My car is Black/Ebony combo & I have only 45% tint on the side windows & 51% rear. I also had the roll-up sunshade for the past few years. I just got the CoverCraft UV heat shield this week from this site. It is coustom fit for our cars I strongly suggest getting one. My car sits in direct sun most of the time no shade & the temps here in Washington D.C. have been mid to upper 90s this week. I have not been using my car cover this month because the car has been kinda dirty that helps with the heat. But our A/C systems are powerful as ACURA states in the catalogs. Are you sure you guys are using the A/C correctly?
If your car is not cooling down fast you may not be using the A/C correctly or as you say something is wrong with it. Read your owners manuals for Max cooling & how to cool down quick.

BlackShadow

I have a black TL with tan interior and it still gets hot (and I even have 20% tints all around). But I am assuming that with a black interior that it gets hotter than mine. But my AC works just fine and in a few minutes I actually have to turn it off cause it gets really cold!

scandal37

I think the A/C on the car is pretty damn good. . . I have a WDP TL-S so even if it's been in the sun all day after about 10 mins the system is blowing cool air. It's been 108 here and if it can handle 108+ temps it should work flawlessly down in the 90s. . .

oracion

I bought the "CoverCraft Heat Shields UVS100" (http://www.acura-tl.com/search/itemv...emID=712&make=) from Tim when I bought the car. It's been over a year now and it's been a very good investment. It helps a lot in the summer.

T Ho

Let me put it this way-

I have a WDP, parchment interior, windows are tinted with metal tint 35%(no dye), and I use a reflective sunshade cut to fit (I forget who makes it).
The interior temp is never more than about 10deg over outside temp, even when sitting in the direct sun for hours on end. I start the car, and within 5 minutes interior temp is in the 70s.

So, yeah, car color has a lot to do with it. Black absorbs heat, and white reflects it. It's the reason I bought the white car. Living in FL, you learn these things.

Todd

AK_MOBBER

GET YOUR AC RECHARGED!!! Mine was wimpy after a california to arizona drive and I recharged it myself with a kit from autozone, only like $12 and you can tell the dealer to &*$# off

kcroberge

Just to see how mine compared I timed the cool down yesterday in my car. I have a 2003 Noble Green TL-S with parchment interior. I just got the windows tinted this week, 35% Johnson tint all around, so I can't roll them down yet. I also have the Covercraft Heatshield made to fit the windshield.

I got in the car and the outside temp read 105. I set the AC to 65 and opened the sunroof. The AC was blowing cool air in less than 2 minutes, at which time I closed the sunroof. After 3 minutes the car interior was cool. After 13 minutes the fans turned down to a lower setting, had the AC on auto.

Someone do the same experiment on a black/black TL and let's see if car color makes a difference.

LiQiCE

I dont know if this is obvious or dumb, but I've noticed that when I park my car in the garage or out of the sun ... my A/C gets cold VERY quickly ... like in a matter of seconds. But when I park outside in the direct sunlight, it takes a few minutes for my A/C to get cold ... I have NBP with Parchment Interior.

MD'sTL-s

I think that you shuold take it to the dealer if its still under warranty, because I have a blk/blk tl-s, and my last car was blk/blk, and I have/had no problems of having hot air come out with A/c on. better to just check it out the dealer, just in case later problems may occur.

DMan

Thank you everyone for the great information. I have decided to have the dealer check it out on my next scheduled visit. I’m also going to fix my center console that keeps popping up on me. I hate that thing.