[Kc5]

Two weeks ago I bought a new F-250 Lariat 6.7. Not being a Ford guy this was a stretch for me and now I'm wondering if I made a big mistake.


Living in Texas and working in Louisiana, AC is a 9 or 10 month a year requirement for me. A few local people told me their air didn't work so well at an idle, which I also noticed during the test drive, but did fine while moving.


I have a 2 hour drive home from work and if I get in the truck on a 98 degree day and run Max cool, I can drive for more than 1-1/2 hours, straight highway, before I ever feel the need to turn the AC down.


I took it to a dealer and they evacuated the system and recharged it and said it was about 1/2 lb low. Within a few minutes of my trip home, I had vent temperatures in the low 40s and it was great. In this case the truck had not been sitting in 100 deg temps all day.


The next day the truck sit in 100 degree heat all day with a shade in the windshield. Started up on max cool with sunroof open and windows open for 5 minutes at highway speeds. Closed everything up and drove 75 mph for 20 minutes and the coolest air that I get out of the center vents was 52 degrees and it took a long time to get there. It had clouded up and the outside temp had dropped to 88 deg about an hour before getting in the truck. Never got cool in the truck.


Later in the evening, while raining, I went back out and started the truck and had low 40s at the vent at idle, but I was not starting with 125 degree cab temps.
On the next trip to the dealer, I'm expecting to hear that it's doing all that it can do and that is just the nature of these trucks.
I did lots of research with the big 3 before choosing this one and I have no brand loyalty anymore, so I hope that there is a problem that can be fixed. The tuck really suits my "needs".


If it is doing all it can do then I know I made a mistake and will pay dearly and lose lots of money on a truck with 1200 miles on it with paper tags still on it.


Does anybody else in the South have this complaint?

 

[skypilot]

I have a 2015 F450 which is also slow to cool - my dealer has checked A/C for charge, etc., and all was found to be correct. The last answer I got, which I accept reluctantly is that the A/C has a lot of cabin that it has to cool. On max air it is pulling the air from under the dash and cooling it, only to pull more very hot air into the cycle. Once it gets all that air cool it is nice but I've also noticed that if I change it to outside air it struggles to get it anywhere near cool. Kansas summer temps this year have been over 100 degrees many times, heat index over 105 which means there has been a lot of humidity - the same conditions you have been experiencing down your way.

As an aside, I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee, Red with black seats, and I have a similar issue with it. In this case I don't have enough of a drive to let the inside air get cooled down before I get home. On the road, I think I could freeze water.

 

[larrgh]

I wish that the Recirculate On setting would be the default but it isn't or at least stay on until deselected. You have to select it each time you do an engine start. My 2016 Fusion keeps the Recirculate activated even after sitting for a few weeks with no starts. This would help the cooling some speed.

 

[JESSE 1]

I don't have a problem getting the temp down in my truck. You might consider getting the windows tinted. It's surprising how much heat transfers through the windows without a good tint. Take it to a good shop where they sell the quality film and get the front windows done. They will only do what's legal but it will really make a difference.

 

[Drewd]

Tint has helped my vehicle remain cooler. I can't complain much as my a/c is still much better than on her diesel Grand Cherokee.

 

[Kc5]

Thanks for the input. I failed to mention that I did have the windows tinted.

I have discovered that there is a problem with the truck. I rarely take the system out of recirc mode. Several times when starting up in the morning, system in recirc, the air was not cool at all. I turned the recirc off and back on and the vent temps dropped 10 degrees immediately. It appears that there is an actuator problem. A few times I've had to switch recirc off and on several times to get it to fully switch.

 

[MRH2008]

+1 BAD AC ON 2016

Have had my 16 f350 KR 2 or 3 weeks and I am having the exact same AC problem. Had my windows tinted with max legal ceramic tint on front and limo on roof sides and rear, over the weekend and doesn't seem to be much better, though it is not nearly as hot on re-entry. I have not put a thermometer to it to read temp, but I know it is not right. I have turned the truck off at a light and started it back up and it blows cold as it should. Truck is going back to the dealer next week to look into it along with some other things. Another ac problem I am having is, AC on automatic when truck is turned off, remote start vehicle on re-entry and ac blows on lowest setting. Have to power ac off then back on to get it to blow full blast.

 

[Kc5]

Please let me know what you find out. It will be a while before I can mine back to the dealer.

 

[4X4_LARIAT]

Have had my 16 f350 KR 2 or 3 weeks and I am having the exact same AC problem. Had my windows tinted with max legal ceramic tint on front and limo on roof sides and rear, over the weekend and doesn't seem to be much better, though it is not nearly as hot on re-entry. I have not put a thermometer to it to read temp, but I know it is not right. I have turned the truck off at a light and started it back up and it blows cold as it should. Truck is going back to the dealer next week to look into it along with some other things. Another ac problem I am having is, AC on automatic when truck is turned off, remote start vehicle on re-entry and ac blows on lowest setting. Have to power ac off then back on to get it to blow full blast.

I am having the same remote start issue. I've only had mine a week and mine didn't come from the factory with remote start, I had the dealer add it so I have the little 1 way transmitter but when I remote start and hop in the truck, the air is blowing cold however it is on the slowest fan speed. I'll be interested to hear what the dealer has to say about yours...

 

[NickKent]

No problems with cooling on my 16 f350 xlt gas truck. When I hit the remote start and get in the truck the fan is blowing harder than what it's set at. Almost like it is trying to reach s target temp.

 

[larrgh]

From the 2016 Ford Workshop DVD

Climate Control Section

Remote Start System Behavior

Remote start is an available feature on this vehicle. In addition to being able to start the vehicle remotely, the remote start feature also utilizes other vehicle systems to increase the level of comfort to the vehicle occupants upon entering the vehicle. For additional information on the remote start feature and the other vehicle systems it utilizes, refer to Section 303-06A for gas engines or, Section 303-06B for diesel engines.

When the remote start feature is used, the climate control system automatically sets certain parameters in an attempt to achieve a comfortable cabin temperature. These parameters are set based on outside air temperature. During remote start, the outside air temperature is continually evaluated and HVAC system behavior can change if the outside air changes between cold, moderate and warm temperatures.

For cold ambient air temperatures (below 4.4°C (40°F)):

the airflow mode is set to FLOOR/DEFROST.
the temperature is set to full HOT.
the blower speed is set to HIGH.
the air inlet mode is set to fresh air.
the auxiliary electric heater is enabled if needed (diesel engines only, if equipped).
For moderate ambient air temperatures (between 4.4°C (40°F) and 23.9°C (75°F)):

the airflow mode is set to the last user setting.
the temperature is set to the last user setting.
the blower speed is set to the last user setting.
the air inlet mode is set to the last user setting.
the auxiliary electric heater is enabled if needed (diesel engines only, if equipped).
For warm ambient air temperatures (above 23.9°C (75°F)):

the airflow mode is set to MAX A/C.
the temperature is set to full COOL.
the blower speed is set to HIGH.
the air inlet mode is set to RECIRC.
the auxiliary electric heater is enabled if needed (diesel engines only, if equipped).