Air conditioner

[RoddyBaker]

AC is erratic. If I leave it at 72 deg sometimes it is OK
IE. Sometimes we have to adjust it down to 65 to get it to blow cold

we are accustomed to being able to leave setting at 72 & not touh it in other cars

$95000 car and we have to constantly adjust temp setting as outside temp varies..

anyone have issue or suggestion??

 

[SSedan]

I have noticed a similar thing and largely chalk it up to solar load and such. I just set the right thumb wheel to temp and it is really easy to change based on what I feel is comfortable that drive.

 

[Ostrichsak]

AC is erratic. If I leave it at 72 deg sometimes it is OK
IE. Sometimes we have to adjust it down to 65 to get it to blow cold

we are accustomed to being able to leave setting at 72 & not touh it in other cars

$95000 car and we have to constantly adjust temp setting as outside temp varies..

anyone have issue or suggestion??

I agree. We've had 5 different Model S now and they're all the same way. In other cars we've owned you can set the temp to your liking (even if it's off from one car to another by a degree or two... relativity remains the same) and never touch it again knowing the car will do whatever adjustments needed to keep it close to that figure. I feel like the Tesla temps swing wildly and you're forced to toggle between 65 degrees on warmer days and 75 on colder days just to get the system to "wake up" and actually adjust the settings to achieve the desired temperature... even if that's right in the middle at 70.

It's like other cars work to keep it +/-1 degree of your set temp and Tesla says +/-5 (or probably even more) is good enough.... deal with it. Most thermostats (even cheap ones) these days give you the ability to adjust this offset as a basic function. I wish we had this ability in a Tesla as I'm sure they favor a wider range for better economy but I'm not trying to run the bleeding edge of range every time I drive the car. That's a rare occurrence and even if I do that's what the "range mode" option is for. I don't even need a separate setting... to simplify things just tighten up that offset by default and then increase it (along with all of the other nerfs) in range mode.

The older Model S the lower the insulation value and the more of a problem this is if you live in an area with wide temperature swings throughout the year. I'm sure these are issues that the bulk of the the brass in Southern California doesn't have to deal with daily though. I feel like they've lost touch with the rest of the country with a lot of these sorts of settings.

 

[kindred7]

There are two insulation seals in the front wheel wells (closest to the cabin). To get to them you need to remove the front tires and the liner as well. Make sure that the insulation foam is set properly.

If they are not you could see erratic HVAC performance when driving. This was a concern for me in colder climates. I suppose it might be for warmer as well... maybe.

Edit: I recall reading about the temperature sensor too which can have problems, it's located in the center console if I recall. Try and see if you can find it on the forum.

 

[David29]

One other tip: Be sure nothing is blocking the temp sensor. Early on, I found that something like a hat or a pair of gloves (or these days, maybe a mask) could be placed on the console and end up blocking some of the air flow to the sensor. Removing whatever it was, i was amazed at the sudden change in temperature.
I do not have a handy photo, but the sensor is behind a circular area on the low, front face of the rear part of the console (the part just below the arm rest and the cup holders) that has about a dozen holes. I believe this is true with both the new style and the old style center consoles. So try not to place any objects, especially soft ones (fabric) on top of the console where it can block those air holes.

 

[Ostrichsak]

One other tip: Be sure nothing is blocking the temp sensor. Early on, I found that something like a hat or a pair of gloves (or these days, maybe a mask) could be placed on the console and end up blocking some of the air flow to the sensor. Removing whatever it was, i was amazed at the sudden change in temperature.
I do not have a handy photo, but the sensor is behind a circular area on the low, front face of the rear part of the console (the part just below the arm rest and the cup holders) that has about a dozen holes. I believe this is true with both the new style and the old style center consoles. So try not to place any objects, especially soft ones (fabric) on top of the console where it can block those air holes.

I can't speak on behalf of the OP but in my case in all of my Model S's I've been aware of this sensor and kept it well clear of any objects that may affect airflow or temperature. I don't even place my phone in that area so that the slight warmth it gives off can't be blamed since those sensors can be quite sensitive to temp changes that are concentrated and nearby. Same lackluster performance of HVAC across all cars.

 

[BigNick]

I can't speak on behalf of the OP but in my case in all of my Model S's I've been aware of this sensor and kept it well clear of any objects that may affect airflow or temperature. I don't even place my phone in that area so that the slight warmth it gives off can't be blamed since those sensors can be quite sensitive to temp changes that are concentrated and nearby. Same lackluster performance of HVAC across all cars.

I think it started when V9's neutered HVAC controls were introduced.

 

[random155]

I just set it to high in the winter and low in the summer and adjust fan speed. I gave up on a specific degree.

 

[Ostrichsak]

I just set it to high in the winter and low in the summer and adjust fan speed. I gave up on a specific degree.

Kind of negates Automatic Climate Control as a feature. I get the band-aid workaround but Tesla just needs to make this work better. What amazes me is some of the hurdles they've overcome through technological marvels and yet the basics like HVAC temperature control, Bluetooth phone connectivity/control and auto rain sensing wipers still leave them dumbfounded a decade later.

 

[ladysbff]

Kind of negates Automatic Climate Control as a feature. I get the band-aid workaround but Tesla just needs to make this work better. What amazes me is some of the hurdles they've overcome through technological marvels and yet the basics like HVAC temperature control, Bluetooth phone connectivity/control and auto rain sensing wipers still leave them dumbfounded a decade later.

Different model but my 2018 3 has gotten much worse in regards to temperature control lately. I wasn't aware of the sensor or its location in the cabin but nothing has changed about my interior set up. It really doesn't make sense for Tesla.

I find myself playing around with manual settings more often lately. This wasn't an issue the last two winters. Also the lag time between unlocking/opening the driver's door and the HVAC kicking in has gotten longer and more sporadic recently.

 

[dannycamps]

Also keep in mind that setting Range Mode to 'on' will impact the interior temp heating/cooling ability to a degree (pun intended).

 

[random155]

Kind of negates Automatic Climate Control as a feature. I get the band-aid workaround but Tesla just needs to make this work better. What amazes me is some of the hurdles they've overcome through technological marvels and yet the basics like HVAC temperature control, Bluetooth phone connectivity/control and auto rain sensing wipers still leave them dumbfounded a decade later.

And how about closing the frunk... RIDICULOUS!

 

[mymagiccarpet]

I just started another similar thread b/c this one or any other relevant didn't come up in search...
Have a similar issue:
All of this happens on auto mode, in single temp operation. All windows are tinted including the roof, and I have the mesh roof cover.
When outside is 75-85F, setting AC to 70 makes me freezing in the car. However, if outside is 90F+ and car has been driven or was sitting outside for some time, setting AC to 70F, does not cool the cabin. Cold air is coming through, but at a very reduced rate - just feels very stingy. On the top of that, at one time when it was 95ish outside, since I couldn't get any cold air, I used manual mode and set it to 11. The car actually reduced the fan on its own to 7 or 8. So essentially, to get proper cooling, you have to either change fan speed or set temp really low, but even that sometimes may not work b/c car will override it.
When using heat, it warms the car fine, but eventually it will start to blow cold air to the point where you are freezing. The only way to get warm air is to increase the HVAC temperature, and you can keep doing that until you hit HI. Interestingly, often the front right vents will blow cold air while the left will blow warm. Eventually, both will blow cold air - not particularly useful when outside is 40F.
SC cannot find anything wrong. They say they run the test, but it seems more like they turn it on once and check. Or don't. This is such consistent behavior that it's impossible to not see/feel.
It's important to note, that I had no such problems with AC prior to infamous "out of abundance of caution" sw update in May of 2019. Back then, I kept my AC at 74 and was fine at all times no matter the outside temp, and the car wasn't even tinted then. As for heater issues, I cannot say.
Anyone has this problem?

 

[David29]

The cold weather side of it is something I have experienced, and the explanation I have read is that the car prioritizes maintaining the battery temperature if the battery gets cold enough. I could imagine a similar scenario for cooling the battery under the conditions you describe. I certainly have experienced hot days when it seemed as if the HVAC took a long time to cool the car, under conditions you describe -- car sitting in the sun for a prolonged period before use and high ambient temperature. The only times I have felt the AC was actually not cold, it turned out that one of the air inlet doors for the outside cooling air was defective. Replacing that door (not sure that is the correct word) fixed that very nicely.

 

[mymagiccarpet]

AC is erratic. If I leave it at 72 deg sometimes it is OK
IE. Sometimes we have to adjust it down to 65 to get it to blow cold

we are accustomed to being able to leave setting at 72 & not touh it in other cars

$95000 car and we have to constantly adjust temp setting as outside temp varies..

anyone have issue or suggestion??

and erratic is the best way to describe it...if you stick around, you never know what you're gonna get, might work, might not, might cool, might heat, who knows...oh and which side (vent) is gonna get you

 

[mymagiccarpet]

and erratic is the best way to describe it...if you stick around, you never know what you're gonna get, might work, might not, might cool, might heat, who knows...oh and which side (vent) is gonna get you

something else I've figured out is that passenger side vents typically blow less air, and blow warmer air when AC is on, and cold/er air when heater is on.
I keep HVAC in single climate mode. Anyone has any ideas?

 

[Candleflame]

AC is erratic. If I leave it at 72 deg sometimes it is OK
IE. Sometimes we have to adjust it down to 65 to get it to blow cold

we are accustomed to being able to leave setting at 72 & not touh it in other cars

$95000 car and we have to constantly adjust temp setting as outside temp varies..

anyone have issue or suggestion??

depends on how much hot air the car has to mix with the cold air to get the desired temp (which is mainly determined by the humidity i think).
And then the radiant temperature of the windows also matters.

 

[Vida]

A/c fan in my X will barely blow at times even though it is set on 11 and 61. Yesterday in a fairly long trip It was very warm. Other times it works fine.

 

[Candleflame]

A/c fan in my X will barely blow at times even though it is set on 11 and 61. Yesterday in a fairly long trip It was very warm. Other times it works fine.

The AC fan is seperate to the cabin fan. there is no control for the AC fan it will automatically control how much cold air (i think cold air is 9 or 10C) it adds together with the warm air to create the desired cabin temperature

 

[mymagiccarpet]

A/c fan in my X will barely blow at times even though it is set on 11 and 61. Yesterday in a fairly long trip It was very warm. Other times it works fine.

same or similar here. Mine starts of great, but as the car warms up in the sun, it just simply gets very stingy. I set it to 11, it'll change it to 8. And auto will keep it on 6 max. Basically, setting it to 65 and auto, I'll still be sweating with 85-90 outside.