[Adeal3]

I’m not convinced my 2022 Duster has fully working ac (Comfort so not climate). Compared to my 2019 MX5 that following a recharge is icy cold - appreciate it’s a small cabin but I’m talking temp from the vents. Before I do battle with a dealer (selling dealer was great but 200 miles away) is the ac just weak or is mine likely to need a recharge (I’m assuming no leak). I’m pretty sure something is up but this is the only running Duster I’ve ever been in. Thanks for any input.

 

[Roger]

I’m not convinced my 2022 Duster has fully working ac (Comfort so not climate). Compared to my 2019 MX5 that following a recharge is icy cold - appreciate it’s a small cabin but I’m talking temp from the vents. Before I do battle with a dealer (selling dealer was great but 200 miles away) is the ac just weak or is mine likely to need a recharge (I’m assuming no leak). I’m pretty sure something is up but this is the only running Duster I’ve ever been in. Thanks for any input.

The aircon on my Stepway is not as other cars that I have driven, all I can say is that it's "adequate" even after a re-charge.

 

[dralexandertom]

Check w/ a temp probe stuck into the central vent. Blower max & AC dial @ Cold. Recirculation on. Raise the RPM to 2k if required. The cut off & cut in are 8/ 10°C. It's ok if u get 10/ 12°C. Note the ambient temp in the car before u start & the time it takes to reach that level. Now u have a proper baseline.

When u go to the dealer, ask him to measure the minimum central vent temp & be specific. I've added 3 photos from my Duster showing cut off @ 8°C & cut in @ 11°C (ambient 26°C, 8 am, cloudy & engine idling).

There are 4 mode settings in the computer module for fast or smooth temp regulation & climate i.e, cold, temperate & hot zones. My Duster is set for 'Hot climate - smooth temperature regulation'.

Generally the AC will be more effective for cars sold in hot climates.

 

[JLB]

A 2022 car shouldn’t need a recharge. Further to what Roger said, I would describe the aircon in my Stepway as just about adequate, but in the month-long heatwave we had here recently (temps 30-35deg), it struggled. To be fair, the car was originally destined for Poland

 

[Roger]

A 2022 car shouldn’t need a recharge. Further to what Roger said, I would describe the aircon in my Stepway as just about adequate, but in the month-long heatwave we had here recently (temps 30-35deg), it struggled. To be fair, the car was originally destined for Poland

When I went to Poland, in a summer awhile ago, it was hotter there than in the UK.

 

[sandan]

run it on recirculate with aircon on. just found this out a few days ago. i drive a Mercedes bin wagon and what a difference with air from outside as we all have done before. nice and cold.🤶

 

[skidmarks]

My 2017 Mk 2 Sandero's air con is cold, has never been re-gassed but I alway ensure it's frequently switched on, even in winter to ensure everything stays running well, the cabin filters are always changed once a year etc... My new Dacia Jogger is (feels at least) colder than the Sandero. I just think the Sandero has a weaker system all round in comparrison, but does its job. In my previous brand new cars, the air con coldness differs - I put it down to just one of those things...... I have never bothered using a thermometer to check the exact temp. For me, if it blows cold its fine, if it blows warm it's time to check for leaks and re-gas; which I have never experienced or had to do.

 

[Rusty Buck]

I’m not convinced my 2022 Duster has fully working ac (Comfort so not climate). Compared to my 2019 MX5 that following a recharge is icy cold - appreciate it’s a small cabin but I’m talking temp from the vents. Before I do battle with a dealer (selling dealer was great but 200 miles away) is the ac just weak or is mine likely to need a recharge (I’m assuming no leak). I’m pretty sure something is up but this is the only running Duster I’ve ever been in. Thanks for any input.

My 2 year old Duster also has manual air conditioning. First of all I thought it wasn’t brilliant but realised I hadn’t put the temperature select control fully anti-clockwise to full blue zone cold. Then with the fan on setting 3 it did get reasonably cold. My old Qashqai did have climate control and probably the ac was colder but used to dripping loads of water out the underneath of the car. To be fair I haven’t noticed this on the Duster.

 

[Lurker101]

Our 2018 Sandero has always had notably weak AC compared with the other cars, same goes for a 2016 Logan we also use. I assumed it had something to do with the new refrigerant they started using after 2016 being less effective but we had a 2019 Clio as a curtesy car not long ago and that was ice cold, same goes for the C3 we've test driven to replace our Sandero. The Sandero averages around 8-11*c from the vents with a 20* ambient idling - oddly enough our Sandero seems to work better on outside air rather than recirculate. The Clio we had (which I was sad enough to also test) got as low as 3*c from the vents with an ambient of around 22*c. One theory I've read online is some manufacturers slightly undercharge cars with r1234yf due to it costing more, especially earlier on when the gas was exorbitantly expensive.

 

[dralexandertom]

Hi Lurker101,
Min temp of 3°C is too low. There would be mist coming out of the AC vents & the cooling coil can ice up & block the air flow. Then one has to switch off the AC till the ice melts. This would be due to out of spec resistance of the thermistor used. For cars w/ climate control there is a thermistor mounted on the roof lining near the mic.

R1234yf was not under gassed, but less refrigerant is needed as compared to R134a.

 

[Lurker101]

Hi Lurker101,
Min temp of 3°C is too low. There would be mist coming out of the AC vents & the cooling coil can ice up & block the air flow. Then one has to switch off the AC till the ice melts. This would be due to out of spec resistance of the thermistor used. For cars w/ climate control there is a thermistor mounted on the roof lining near the mic.

R1234yf was not under gassed, but less refrigerant is needed as compared to R134a.

I said it got as low as 3*c, I never said it stayed at the temperature for long but I witnessed it probing the centre vent and the car in question did have climate control with the blower on its lowest setting. The air was constantly frigid when it came to the Clio unlike the Sandero which noticeably varies between cool and just below ambient.

I've read reports on more than one forum, and this is not Renault/Dacia specific that some owners had their new cars looked at due to under performing AC and found out that they were undercharged with r1234yf at the factory. We assumed there was something wrong with our Sandero early on until we used the Logan on a hot day and found it's AC performed exactly the same.