'15 TLX AWD, (<4K miles)

Yesterday left house and it was hot enough that the auto setting for my AC had the fans on high and the seats on the high setting for ventilation. During the first few minutes of driving I noticed that the air coming out of the vents was blowing hard but not cool. I checked the lights on the dash several times to confirm that the climate "auto" light was on (it was) and that the temperature settings for driver and passenger were correct (they were, at 70F). Without stopping the car, I toggled the Auto setting off, waited a few moments with the air now off, then toggled back on. Suddenly the air was flowing cool as it should be. It seems obvious to me that for some reason the AC compressor was not engaged initially, but I have no idea why. This is the on and only time this has happened, but it is concerning for a still brand new car.

Anyone else have this happen?

 

Wild guess here, maybe the battery didn't have enough juice to kick the compressor clutch to engage. It may be worth it to check how many volts you have on that battery at dead cold. Sadly, Honda/Acura cars are known to have battery issues as of lately, especially if you do short commutes (i.e. they don't fully charge that fast!).

 

you could have a bad A/C relay that got stuck in the off position, and restarting the car fixed it. Take your car to acura and have them replace it, it's a $10 part that def. should be covered under the warranty.

 

I have noticed that no matter how low I put the climate control, that the green a/c light doesn't come on. But it blows cold. If I select the a/c button and turn it on, it stays on a/c no matter how high I set the climate control. I'm wondering if auto just means it will adjust a/c and heat as needed but that if u touch a/c it stays on? Kinda strange and not sure if it's your problem exactly.

 

Hi,


Just wanted to say that I have the **EXACT** same issue with my TLX (V6 Advance) and I thought I was crazy. Started about a month ago whenever I would park my car in the sun for the day, rather than the parking garage.


I can cycle through all of the different climate control settings (auto, manual, a/c on, a/c auto--nothing helps. It just continues to blow hot, stale air. I turn the car and wait about five seconds before turning it on. Lately, it's been doing the same thing after the second time I restart it. After I turn it off and start it a third time, it usually starts working properly about 10 seconds of waiting.


Took it to the dealer and they want to keep it overnight so they can try and replicate the issue. I wasn't able to leave it overnight, so I'm dropping it off tomorrow afternoon, picking up a loaner, and leaving it with them all day Tuesday.


Hopefully, they can replicate and resolve the issue.


The technician said it was most likely a bad a/c relay, but didn't want to speculate.


Is yours still doing this, and if so, have you taken it to the dealer?

 

Is this just on the V6?

I have no issues with my AC in South Florida on my I4.

I have nearly 14,000 miles on the car.

 

I have posted elsewhere that in hot days with the climate control on auto the car blows hot for some time before the compressor engages. I have never had an auto climate control car do this, and it is the opposite of what should happen. The car is going in for a first service soon and I will get it checked. It's even more bonkers than how the auto climate works in winter. Once it has sorted itself out it is fine. It's just its behaviour whilst getting there. My cold weather traits are how the car isnprigrammed to be, but not sure this hot weather quirk is even how the totally loopy hvac programmers intended.

 

Same thing happens to my car. When you start the car the blower shouldn't engage until the car is prepared to introduce conditioned air into the cabin but what happens in hot weather is: the fan blows hot air, full blast, and the compressor doesn't kick in until 1-2 minutes after the car is started and moving. Another annoyance with this car.

 

The compressor's operation depends on what IDS mode you are in. ECO isn't good for Florida's summer temps as the compressor is always shutting down. Normal is adequate, but Sport seems a bit better.

 

I agree. I leave my car in Sport mode and haven't seen this issue. The AC works great for me in South Florida. Tinted windows help as well.

 

I'm in Sport all the time. The compressor should come on right away with the engine and the blower not until conditioned air is ready for the cabin. Not the case in my car so the IDS theory is no good.

 

Okay.

I am not taking it out of sport mode.

 

I've had my TLX SH-AWD for about 3 weeks now. This exact same thing happened to me when it was extremely hot outside. Compressor didn't kick on as I was driving away from my house with scorching hot air blowing from the vents. I pulled over and turned the car off then back on and the air started to immediately blow cool.

 

My loaner yesterday behaved exactly the same. After a minute of waiting for the compressor to cut in while I was fan oven roasted - I resorted to turning the system off then on again - which resulted at least in the compressor kicking in. Seemed worse in this car - probably as it is black/black as opposed to my white/espresso.

 

Uh oh, starting to sound like it's not an isolated issue. Of course when I brought it to the attention of the service department they had not heard of any similar issues and could find no trouble with the AC. Thankfully it has only happened once, but I suspect it will reoccur eventually.

 

Is there some setting that is causing the AC to not kick on? How do you know the compressor is on or off? The AC thread indicated the compressor is not noticeable.

 

If the compressor is not on then the system is not cooling the refrigerant, which is not cooling the air coming out of the vents. Easily noticeable on a hot day. Feel the air the first second or two after you start the car (before the refrigerant has adequately cooled) - if it still feels the same temp or hotter three minutes later and heat stroke is causing you to feel lightheaded, the compressor is off.

 

FWIW-just did the experiment. Live in North Carolina, sunny day, 4 cyl Tech Package, had the US software update, 87 degrees, car sitting in the sun for 2 hours, car in Sport mode, Auto green light on when I parked it, both sides set at 72. I could only count to 2 after engine start before I could feel cool air starting, and the fan did not go to a high speed. Never any "hot blast".

 

Im from South Florida and have the same issue.. it takes a good 2 minutes before cool air starts coming out. Crazy specially when your cars parked in the sun all day with tempratres reaching mid 90's and interior in the 120's ! Dropped it at the dealer last month they kept it overnight and said oh its normal for the TLX. B.SHIT as my 14 accord didnt have any such issue....
What's weird though is that right after i brought my car back, now there is a mushy smell like humidity or sometimes even like piss which comes out when i first turn the AC on after its parked in the sun all day. Not that strong after overnight parking but still there .... I will have to take back to the dealer.

 

I'm having the exact same issue and it is a ridiculous bug. My previous cars always would limit fan speed until the AC could kick in and provide cool (conditioned) air. What's the point of having hot air blowing out at full fan speed on a 100 degree day??? To me the fact that AC is never on in Auto mode until you manually turn it on is another serious bug. Luxury car my A**

 

What? That's not normal at all. My AC is always on when it's warm out when it's in Auto mode, and the ventilated seats control themselves automatically as well in accordance. Sounds like a warranty issue for you there.