Center AC vents blowing warmer air

[Flagstaff Frank]

Here's a strange problem. With the A/C running the air coming from the 2
center dash outlets is a good 10 degrees warmer than the side ducts. In most
cars the entire face-level ductwork is a one-piece affair meaning all the
air comes from one source. Does Volvo have some kind of split system where
there's a damper door or something that could be malfunctioning?

 

[Rob Guenther]

Our 960 was having this problem... Found out the pipe leading to the
evaporator was cracked, and leaking slowly... When they fixed that, the car
was able to pump cold air through all the vents - your A/C system is
probably not fully charged right now.

 

[Randy G.]

Here's a strange problem. With the A/C running the air coming from the 2
center dash outlets is a good 10 degrees warmer than the side ducts. In most
cars the entire face-level ductwork is a one-piece affair meaning all the
air comes from one source. Does Volvo have some kind of split system where
there's a damper door or something that could be malfunctioning?

I JUST had the same EXACT problem.
(See the thread: "air conditioning Q - topping off R134a at home?")
The side vents were blowing cool (not cold) air and the center vents
were blowing hot air- seemingly hotter than the air from outside. I
added a few ounces of 134a (like around three ounces) and they now
blow cold. Best to take it to an AC shop and have the system evacuated
and recharged properly.
__ __
Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
\__/olvo
'93 960 Estate

 

[Arnoud Helmantel]

Here's a strange problem. With the A/C running the air coming from the 2
center dash outlets is a good 10 degrees warmer than the side ducts. In most
cars the entire face-level ductwork is a one-piece affair meaning all the
air comes from one source. Does Volvo have some kind of split system where
there's a damper door or something that could be malfunctioning?

I don't know your car model, but my 1998 V40 has a separate control for
the two center ducts in the dashboard inbetween the ducts....

Arnoud

 

[Rob Guenther]

Those are just air pressure controls - pretty much every car on the market
has something equivilant to that... They don't actually affect temperature
at all, just the amount of cold/hot air entering the cabin.

His problem is more then likely related to a lack of refrigerant, as people
have been having this problem and the answer is inevitably - low R134.

 

[Joe landy]

Possibly not the case on all cars. My V70 has an adjustment wheel for each
vent in the centre of the dash, plus a third adjustment wheel. The third one
opens these vents up to fresh air from outside, bypassing the air con/heater
e.t.c. In hot weather, this would allow warmer air in here, than in the
other vents.
It's nice to have fresh air in your face when driving sometimes, but I
always close this third adjustment wheel when using the aircon.
The third wheel has a blue squiggle symbol above it, indicating outside
(fresh) air. If you have this, check it's closed!
Hope to help.
Joe Landy
Peterborough
Reply directly at joelandyman <at> postmaster.co.uk

 

[Jim Michaels]

Possibly not the case on all cars. My V70 has an adjustment wheel for each
vent in the centre of the dash, plus a third adjustment wheel. The third one
opens these vents up to fresh air from outside, bypassing the air con/heater
e.t.c. In hot weather, this would allow warmer air in here, than in the
other vents.
It's nice to have fresh air in your face when driving sometimes, but I
always close this third adjustment wheel when using the aircon.
The third wheel has a blue squiggle symbol above it, indicating outside
(fresh) air. If you have this, check it's closed!
Hope to help.

On my 1997 850 this fresh air control is to the left of the center
vents.

Remove SPAMX from email address

 

[Svein Tore Sølvik]

[Jim Michaels] (Fri, 25 Jun 2004 17:05:47 -0500):

On my 1997 850 this fresh air control is to the left of the center
vents.

And it's called airmix