Two things I noticed in our new FIT. Window tint helped some, but with it parked side-by-side with our small Hyundai, the inside of the FIT heats up much faster and gets much hotter. It certainly is a larger cabin and glass area, but I have a feeling that there is very little insulation behind the headliner and that large metal roof is just bringing that heat into the cabin.

Joe

 

pbanders,

what was the results of your tests? I am having the same issue and I want to know what to tell my dealer if they start pushing back... My Fit is for my wife, and she is just coming over from Russia. She is dreading the hot summers here in Texas, and I have to get the A/C on her Fit VERY cold for her... so far I have been very unimpressed with the A/C.

 

BAT, haven't had time yet, busy with all kinds of things, I'll try to get to it in the next couple of weeks as it really heats up around here. Nothing has changed from my earlier observations. While the Fit A/C may be adequate for other people, for me, here in the desert southwest, it's only good once it's been running 5-10 minutes and you're driving at constant speed (either on city streets or freeway). If you're in traffic or have to accelerate, the compressor cycles and you get vent temperatures that go up to over 70 degrees. It also appears to me that any fan-based cooling of the evaporator (like when you're stopped at a light) is inadequate, causing rising vent temperatures.

I'm going to get mine checked out, but I suspect I'll be told it's "normal" (read: poorly designed and we can't fix it). While I really like my Fit, the poor A/C, high sensitivity to crosswinds, and lack of power in mountain driving are getting me interested in finding something else.

 

Add me to the club... have had the Fit for exactly 1 day, and the first thing that strikes me is, this A/C is WEAK. I've owned 5 cars, 3 of them Honda's, and this is definitely the weakest A/C of the lot.

One thing I notice is that with the A/C vents in the full 'up' setting (i.e., all air coming out of the top vents), it is quite strong and acceptable. However, when I set it to split up/down (half upper vents, half lower vents), the upper-central vents get very weak. Much more than I'd expect... not a 50% drop, but rather a 80% drop or so in force. The side upper vents do feel like a 50% drop, consistent with my other 2 Honda's.

Oh well... the A/C I do not like in this car!

 

Hrm. Here I thought the AC of my fit was awesome. The only issue I have with it is the cycling problem.

 

If the AC is like the 07 08s the rifridge line going into the fire wall is bare aluminum. Go to your hardware store and buy some foam insulation for it. It helps a lot for me here in Hawaii.

 

This is a good tip... but I *really* trust Honda would have put some insulation in the first place if it was the smart thing to do... oh well. I'll take a lookie and see!

 

I looked at my wife Nissan Murano and her old Maxima and it had built on insulation and I noticed the Mugen header gave you an small insulation to go near the header that tipped me off.

Any ways try it leave a drain area so it don't drip on to the fire wall and enjoy the cool air.

 

I have the same problem. Yuma Az and Holland Mi dealers both say the a/c is with-in spec, temp between cycles is +- 5 degrees. (35/40) I'll wait for warmer weather and try again.

 

The A/C on my 09 is just OK. I have also noticed the cycling, but I'm a hypermiler so I really only use it when my girlfriend is in the car, or I'm driving on the highway. I almost never use it in the city, so I've only noticed the cycling once or twice. I'm in Ohio, so I'll be having a sweltering, humid summer coming to give it a real test. A/C isn't a deal-breaker for me though, most small cars I've been in have crummy A/C, especially my friends Aveo.

 

Hey, I'll give you one on the A/C, that's bothering me a little too. But come on man, you knew the Fit was a tall, really light car with 117hp and even less torque. You really shouldn't be surprised about the car getting blown around when its windy or having trouble getting up steep inclines. Any other micro car is going to have the same problems under the same conditions, probably even worse. As bad as it is just picture driving the 5-door Yaris under the same conditions, you would need someone to get behind and start pushing to get the thing up a steep road.

I live in Texas and and like all plains states it's flat as a board. The wind is pretty calm for most of the year too. If I lived in a mountainous region that had lots of crosswinds I would not have purchased a Fit.

 

I'll put mine to the first real test today, 95 degrees outside.

So far though it has handled high 80 degree weather fine here. Humidity is a bitch here though, so just getting rid of that makes you feel cooler ever if you don't lower the temp much.

 

Today it was 93*F here in Chattanooga. My Fit's A/C vent temperature was 43*F without recirculation on, 52*F when stopped. That's 50*F temperature drop across the evaporator cool (40*F when stopped), pretty damn good if you ask me.

 

how do y'all know the temp of your a/c? is it digital on the Sport? i have a Base and live in Dallas and haven't had any problem with the a/c (yet, errrkkkk).

i always keep my reflective windshield things up anytime i park, and i have really dark tint around the back. hrmm i dunno.

 

we manually check it.
the sport has nothing that tells you.
just get yourself a automobile temp gauge and you will know yours.

 

That is a 50° F temperature delta, impressive, or at least better than most A/C's, but I know 60-70° F temperature delta is possible with cars that have high end A/C's with climate zones and digital temperature management etc. Adding something that sophisticated to the Fit would have also added at least $500 maybe $1k to the MSRP...it would just be out of place for a car in this price range.

For the people dissatisfied with A/C...something that I think will really help is windshield tint...I've been advised against it since it's illegal but it would improve things drastically--70%, maybe just 50% VLT w/ metallic for more heat deflection. I'm sure the cabin temperatures would have a definite drop, the windshield is HUGE!

 

Windhsiled being huge is not an understatmenent! Windshield is ginourmous! omg

 

Engine hp not the issue its the hp of the A/C compressor.
Like most manufacturers they use the least powerful compressor they can to not affect mpg too much. But then of course it isn't designed for Phoenix in July and August, or Myrtl Beach then either as the humidity also affects the vent echaust temperature.

 

This would have to be in the 100*F+ ambient temperature range. A car's A/C evaporator coil cannot operate below 32*F without icing over and plugging up which would stop all cooling.

 

Apparently you haven't been in 100-110F+ weather. What also has to be taken into account is that the delta has some overhead from the engine bay which is smokin' hot in that kind of heat anyway.

The A/C clutch would disengage the compressor way before it ever froze up though, haha.