1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Is the AC compressor programmable at all?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by Higgins909, Jul 14, 2023.

  1. Higgins909

    Higgins909 Member

    Joined:
    Apr 15, 2018
    257
    58
    2
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I'm wondering if the AC compressor is programmable or something. Maybe techstream. My AC doesn't make sense. Making me think it's some kind of programming.

    I have to do this trick to get my AC to cool fast in the Texas summers. I manually go Low and 3 bars fan, fresh or recirc don't seem to matter and face vents. Then wait about 2 minutes and the AC gets pretty cold and then I go full blast and it holds that cold pretty well. But if I Auto Low or Manual Low and max fan instantly, its like it just blows cool forever and never cold.

    2-3 years ago I tried to top it off myself thinking it was low and then had to have the Toyota dealer fix it and they said it was fine. My condenser isn't in the best shape but I don't think that would make sense as it's a electric, variable compressor.

    I was just testing it after trying to clean my condenser and radiator. Its about 89F out, just went max AC instantly and it's blowing about 59. I drop it down to fan speed 3 and wait and the temp drops to about 39F and then I crank it back up. It starts to rise fast but then the compressor catches it and starts to bring it back down. Think about 45F. These are all approximate numbers.

    Sometimes I'll just be driving and it's like a switch went off and it's super cold.

    Is it programmable at the dealer? Maybe some kind of temperature sensor is bad?

    Seems like a weird problem and I don't exactally want to take it to the dealer.
     
    #1 Higgins909, Jul 14, 2023
  2. rjparker

    rjparker Tu Humilde Sirviente

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2008
    8,028
    4,758
    7
    Location:
    Texas Hill Country
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Three
    Have the unit vacuumed and recharged by weight. Verify txv operation. Problem solved.
     
    #2 rjparker, Jul 15, 2023
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2023
    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller likes this.
  3. Leadfoot J. McCoalroller

    Leadfoot J. McCoalroller Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2018
    7,201
    6,746
    1
    Location:
    Pennsylvania
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius c
    Model:
    Two
    Not programmable but I'm with @rjparker above... after 13 years there's a darn good chance it could use a real inspection/eval and quite possibly an evac/recharge.

    Not much need for a big expensive science project when (chances are good that) a routine $250 service will cover it.

    Remember: lots of auto A/C shops now know how to deal with hybrids. You need a pro, but you don't need that pro to be wearing a Toyota shirt.
     
    #3 Leadfoot J. McCoalroller, Jul 15, 2023
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    9,286
    1,626
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    I have a 13 persona and a 2010 solar roof car here both cars I have topped up actually the 13 I removed the gas and put enviro temp in but that's another story No problems with either their ice cold run you out of the car I'm not sure how the 2010 is run by the old lady but in the persona in the southeast I never use auto air or like set a number like 73 no I only run the air conditioner in low generally on recirculate but it doesn't have to be and the fan anywhere between is generally under half usually it's on two or three and it's so cold in the car can make you sick If I had a crotch vent it would burn the inner part of my leg it's so cold. But anytime I try to operate the 13 in like set a temperature or something along those lines it doesn't get near as cold in the car and the fan is in and out all over the place and I guess it's cycling the compressor or running it up and down a lot trying to maintain some static set temperature whereas when I have it on low l o fan whatever and the compressor on and they can be coming out of anywhere but face you feel the cold the fastest and that's the way it gets the coldest any other way it's not nearly as cold and I feel like heat or hot water is being drug into the mix somewhere and that's the last thing I need in the southeast.
     
    #4 Tombukt2, Jul 15, 2023
(You must log in or sign up to post here.)