Merc CL203 or W203 coupe 2003

[toze50]

I got this car for several years and very happy with it. In winter time The car air conditioning only starts heating when the engine gets hot. Someone told me that should start heating straight away even before the engine gets hot. Anyone knows how it works the air conditioning?
Thanks
Tony

 

[JBell]

Have you had it re-gassed and tested for leaks?

 

[LostKiwi]

Have you had it re-gassed and tested for leaks?

That will only affect cooling not warming.

OP, the heater will start generating a small amount of heat before the engine is up to temperature. It should gradually warm up after a cold start. It can't heat the car if there is no heat in the cooling system (that's where it gets the heat for the heater system).

 

[harrye500]

As Lostwiki says, heat is via the car cooling system. There's no Heat Exchanger on car AC systems to heat the refrigerant like in offices, for example. Any heat in the AC system is expelled via the evaporater / Condenser coils. I guess to make a car AC system work like a building system would take too much engine bay space, seems a shame really! OK I won't bore you anymore on AC workings!!