Is your A/C failing?

[IMSMRT 0]

It was 37* on the temp read out this afternoon so I buttoned up the roof and windows and hit the magic snowflake button. I was greeted by icy cold air for the 4 summer in a row.

[Captain No Beard 0]

It was 37* on the temp read out this afternoon so I buttoned up the roof and windows and hit the magic snowflake button. I was greeted by icy cold air for the 4 summer in a row.

Interesting, mild location. Somewhere the AC gets to run a few times during the winter, and no problems.You've got Grandstyle too, so our cars were built very close together.Seems like the problem out where we don't get above freezing for long months of the year could be solved by changing the programming which blocks the AC start at low air temps. Why can't MB figure that out?

[Francesco 71]

Took delivery two years ago this week, at 41000 Km now. Still blows as cold as that first day. On recirc, it gets cold enough to make me shut it off.

[minifreak 2]

The wife and I saw the recharge kit while we were down in WA so we bought it and put it in her 06 smartie. Now her smartie has nice and cold A/C. She has a complaint on the car shaking when the A/C is on. Anyone else feel the extra vibration when the A/C is on??

[MikeT 745]

Could be the radiator fan, out of balance. Mine went wonky under warranty and a new one was installed. It led to a high frequency vibration in the floor. Of course the fan is always on when the A/C is.

[bilgladstone 13]

She has a complaint on the car shaking when the A/C is on

She's shivering. Don't turn the temperature down so cold. :cold:Bil

[calgarysmart 0]

Boughtt he duracool kit. removed grill and light. did youguys use 1 can or 2? my kit has 2 cans in it

[smart142 605]

1 can is the right amount.

[calgarysmart 0]

hmmm thanks for that. I did it but it doesnt seem cold... cool yes but not cold like my other vehicle.

[ianjay 6]

If you're not sure about the amount, you should find someone with gauges willing to check your system out. This may be more difficult now that you've decided to use the Duracool.Ian

[dklein 0]

Just chiming in, I bought the RedTek kit at Canadian Tire for $50. It is definitely a problem to reach the fitting and the issue is the right angle connector on the hose/gauge assembly. I had too sharp a bend in the hose and the first can just leaked out of the side of the hose fitting. I could not see a way to drop it in from above (as mentioned by a previous poster) but after some playing around, did actually pass the gauge through the turn signal hole. I really didn't think it would fit but it is possible if you get the brass fitting in first and have the gauge follow. The right angle connector is still not optimal - it would be so much easier without it but it is possible and you can still read the gauge by looking into the turn signal cavity.

I'd recommend another hose/gauge to avoid the hassle. I saw this but it's basically the same hose/gauge as the RedTek kit. Looks like much better pricing on the refrigerant though.

Does anyone know where to just pick up a hose/gauge with the tap or do you actually need to buy the Duracool kit to get a straight connector (with the can tap on the other side)

Edited July 15, 2009 by dklein

[Francesco 71]

hmmm thanks for that. I did it but it doesnt seem cold... cool yes but not cold like my other vehicle.

I find in the smart it's very important to set the recirc control to full recirc when running the AC. Give it a try; it gets the car right cold in a hurry.

[Captain No Beard 0]

So it's been a year since I Duracooled...turned on the AC yesteday...no problemo, cool customer again.That'll be the first spring without a need to get it serviced.Duracool is way cool in more than one way.NB

[SMRTENUF 1]

ditto

So it's been a year since I Duracooled...turned on the AC yesteday...no problemo, cool customer again.That'll be the first spring without a need to get it serviced.Duracool is way cool in more than one way.NB

[frankie5string 0]

Yay, in again it goes... to have its aircon fixed again along with a B service... I'm curious though...wouldn't switching to flexible AC piping solve all this? Why does MB insist on rigid copper pipe going to from the exchanger to the pump?

[Huronlad 186]

Cost would be why M-B uses the rigid pipe. Flexible line would solve some or most of the problems.

Edited May 27, 2010 by Huronlad

[MightyMouseTech 0]

Another year later, and my 2006 A/C is still going strong! [shrug]I did add Wurth A/C dye and leak stop when the car was new. Maybe all the system needs is a little extra oil in it to keep the seals lubricated. O-Rings require a thin film of oil on them to seal properly.

[bilgladstone 13]

Another year later, and my 2006 A/C is still going strong! [shrug]

I did add Wurth A/C dye and leak stop when the car was new. Maybe all the system needs is a little extra oil in it to keep the seals lubricated. O-Rings require a thin film of oil on them to seal properly.

I have been super impressed with the Wurth HHS2000 spray lube! Can you please tell me more about the "Wurth A/C dye and leak stop" - how it is used and where to get it?

Really appreciate your trade expertise, Chris!

B

[MightyMouseTech 0]

I have been super impressed with the Wurth HHS2000 spray lube! Can you please tell me more about the "Wurth A/C dye and leak stop" - how it is used and where to get it?

Really appreciate your trade expertise, Chris!

B

I just got a can of it from my parts dept.

Kidding aside.......it is available from Wurth, and is installed similar to the way you would install Redtek or Duracool products. The can is 120 ml. You install an adapter hose on the can and then attach that to the low side of the A/C system with the system running at full, and it will get pulled into the system. It will plug very tiny pinhole or seal leaks, and has a dye so that if there is a leak, a tech with a blacklight can find the leak easier. The standard practice at our shop is to use this product first when trying to find leaks in an A/C system.

Here is a pic:

Edited May 27, 2010 by MightyMouseTech

[Duck 16]

My A/C's dead again (totally). I smiled at the empty shelf of Duracool cans in the store. Popular product this week, I guess!Does anyone know off hand what other stores carry it? (I hate going to Wal Mart)-Iain

[kneelh 0]

It's spring, like clockwork, I take my car back to the dealer for air con work.. this is number 3.. I'm worried that next year my warranty is gone and they'll ding me for a design fault.

[PrairieBoy 1]

Mercedes should have had a re-design of this known problem,and all smarts should have been retro-fitted to repair this. The same goes for the door latch failure/door failing to open /close problem.This is also a SAFETY issue!!

[darren 192]

I got through last year with no A/C, but i'm going to get it repaired (again!) this year... unless someone wants to help me DuraCool my car.

[The Rog Man 1]

I just got a phone survey as i recently had my car in for it's annual AC recharge and the lady calling from MB acted as though this was the first time she had ever heard of the smart having AC issues.I politely informed her that she was ill informed about the smart car and that MB should have had a bulletin with a proper fix by now but it sounded too me like they didn't care and just keeping recharging it till it's off warranty. She said she would advise MB and could she give them my name as the complainant. I said sure.Pfffftttt like anything will come out of that ????

Edited May 28, 2010 by The Rog Man

[dennisc72 0]

My A/C's dead again (totally). I smiled at the empty shelf of Duracool cans in the store. Popular product this week, I guess!Does anyone know off hand what other stores carry it? (I hate going to Wal Mart)-Iain

You can get Red Tek at Canuck Tire and Duracool at Princess Auto.Can someone tell me if running AC at Max for too long can damage it or anything else? Mine works but it's kind of weak so twice already I've started out with it on Max then noticed it was still on Max half an hour later because I happened to look at the pushbutton. I don't notice any difference between it Max or not but I figured Max would make the car cool faster.