I read where the vent temp with A/C is supposed to be 38F 3 inches inside. Mine
are nowhere near that under any condition. When it is in the 90's with sun the temps
are about the same as rolling down the windows if you are bumper to bumper.
On the open road they reach about 50F which keeps passengers on the edge of sweat
in front and much worse in back. Dealer "did what they could" during warranty (everything
checks out; it's just not real decent).
I was going to go to an independent shop and have them run some diagnostics, but without
knowing if these temps I'm testing are "normal" I could be running into expensive non-solutions,
or simply "that's as cool as these 2015 Fits get". I'm measuring the center vent...FYI, the passenger vent
is 10F colder and the driver's is 10F hotter...the optimal fan speed seems to be 3 which really doesn't
get to the back effectively. Car's clean with 50K miles on it and my wife is demanding I sell it over
this A/C issue.

 

A lot of things affect vent temperatures. A drop of 40 degrees that you have stated is great. Vent temps of 38 degrees is a little low and should only achievable while running down the road in recirculate with the cabin temps in the 70s. 38 at the vent is very close to evaporator freeze problems. Most vehicles cut off at around 42-44 to prevent freeze up.

So go for a 40 degree drop between the air intake and vent. After that start looking for ways to reduce sun load. Running on recirculate will also help cool the vehicle due ti the lower intake temperature. Do not expect freezing temperatures at slow engine speeds like stop and go driving.

 

There are numerous threads and posts and I think it fair to say, it's generally just accepted that the Honda Fit AC is simply not the most robust.

As I always say, it's good enough for me, and the climate I'm living in.

All the usual "tricks" can be employed. From window tinting, to sunshields, to leaving windows cracked. Basically striving to keep the vehicle as cool as possible before turning on the AC.

There also are a world of tips (although sometimes conflicting) on how to best use your AC on any vehicle.

But in general? I think the AC you have with the Honda Fit, is the AC you have.

As owners, and consumers, if you just aren't happy enough with it? Then you can make the choice to seek change.

If I was otherwise happy with the vehicle, that's a big sacrifice just to get possibly a stronger air conditioning system.
But it's personal preference and what you can afford.
I think other vehicles do have stronger AC systems.

 

Thanks for these responses...they are somewhat what I feared. I drive
from South Texas to Tuscon every year and a desert breakdown with
A/C making essentially no difference might be a challenging when the nearest
service is close to a couple hundred miles off. On the positive side it could
happen at night.

 

Well, I think the Fit AC...is robust enough as far as mechanical reliability.
It's just not the strongest system as a whole.

But come on?
The Fit is sub-compact...it's not designed from the ground up to be luxury car insulated, and I just wouldn't expect "Ice Cold" AC environment to happen.

Everyone drives in their own environment, and has their own standards of comfort.
It either works for you or doesn't.

But if you feel the AC is " making essentially no difference "...what difference does it make if it's working or not?

If the AC isn't good enough for your repeated driving environment, and/or your own standards of comfort, then you may indeed want to make a change.

 

You won't find a vent temp of 40* in your home AC system, at least not in any home I've ever owned. The Fit's AC is "adequate" given the parameters of the car itself. Tint windows, use a windshield "screen/shield? whatever they call 'em, drive a few miles with the windows down to vent the hotter air (air inside the car will be much hotter than ambient outside air), then set to recirculate with windows closed (or cracked for a bit for more ventilation if desired), and I find that if I keep the fan on 2, it works the best in terms of cooling....once the car is cool enough, higher fan speeds are probably OK, but when it's trying hard to cool the cabin air, speeds 3 and 4 seem to blow more air than it seems to be able to cool. Most cars I've owned seem to be this way, although my wife's Kia Forte SX AC is kick-arse I live in east TN, I can live with the Fit's "marginal" AC.....YMMV

 

I was out for hours yesterday making several stops and drove over 150 miles. The OAT was 97 all day and 93 when I returned in the evening. The Fit performed just great. So it can be done. I have run it in temps as high as 107.

The solutions are to :

1: Keep as much heat out as possible both driving and when parked. Use window tints, color selection, window reflective screen when parked, light covered dash cover, and added insulation.

2. Then deal with what is left with the AC system. You need to tune up the charge for peak cooling. Run on recirculate after the inside starts to cool.

You could ask Honda to go to a larger capacity AC system. Keep in mind they will also need a larger engine to drive it and your fuel mileage will suffer 12 months out of the year. You could switch refrigerants to a more efficient one. You can do it but they will not do it because of the US EPA. (I will not go into that here.)

So if you if you have done most of the above then that is about all you can do.

 

I live in east TN, we live in the mid to upper 90's, sometimes higher, in the summer, it's adequate if you employ those few suggestions. My biggest gripe with the AC is the hit you take in MPG, but, hey, a small displacement engine, a big drag on said engine, gots to pay the piper. But, of course, other than at work (and I work nights), and if I'm not driving, the car is garaged, which am sure helps a lot initially. Good thing, too, because everything about my car is black

 

This car is basically a greenhouse and everything inside is black, including the enormous dash behind which hvac ducting is.
It is a miracle that a tiny motor can run the tiny compressor and cool the huge volume of this car's interior to any degree at all.
And this is while striving to keep a decent fuel economy.
I mean, let's all get real here...

 

Thanks again for all the advice...yes, houses are quite different. I am at the age now
where heat doesn't bother me too much...skin getting thinner. I drove North 2 hours to
Houston Friday with air temps mid-90's in partial sun. Stopped for gas at Buccees and
discovered my BACK had sweated through my shirt in full A/C. I would hate to have
to drive to work in a business shirt.