W203 A/C in Oct 2004 Estate.

[Rory]

In this hot weather that we're having, my analogue (ie standard fit, with knobs) climate control is really struggling to keep the car cool.
On auto, with every vent open, and the temp set to just above the last 'stop' at 18C, it really can't cope, and the air is just not that cold.

If I click it beyond the 'stop' then the fan goes bonkers and the air is very cold.

Is this just how it is? I'm dismayed that the system doesn't work as well as in my previous Peugept 406. I didn't even have to turn the temp right down in that - setting it at 20/21 was fine for all conditions.

 

[jberks]

If the temp is close to 18, it will back off as it approaches it. If it isn't I wonder wether the interior temp sensor is off. I know my external one is 2 degrees out - shows 24 when I know it's 22 and only read 0 once when it was closer to -3.
By clicking it past 18, you are saying 'give me cold air, ignore the sensor' so it's a possibility.

 

[Rory]

Sorry, not clear from my post, but it's struggling to maintain a bearable temperature. With the dial set just above 18C the cabin temp is nowhere near 18 - more like 22/23C. I'm going out later so I'll dangle a thermometer and see what it says.

It's never worked very well - and I liked the Peugeot system where you could set the air direction manually but the fan still worked on auto.

Could be the temp sensor that's skewed. Maybe it'll have to have its first non-service trip to the dealer.

 

[Rory]

So I went on an 80 mile trip last night, and took a thermometer with me. I set the climate to 20C both sides (judging by the clicks, which seem to represent 0.5C) and auto. Opened every vent. Indicated outside temp dropped from 21C to 19C during the journey. It was dark, so no sun to affect things.

Once I'd got going, the temp in the car stayed solidly at 25C. The fans were going at a medium speed.

I'm slightly baffled, really. I would have expected that if it thought 25C was OK, then the fans would slow down to next to nothing, as they do in winter. Or do they always keep going at medium speed when the a/c is on?

On the other hand, if it realised that 25C was too high, then surely the fan should have been going bonkers trying to cool the car down to the set temp (20C)?