GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

I got really tired of the low air output of the a/c. So I removed the filter. Now getting about 2X the airflow. Much cooler. Anyone else done this or had dissatisfaction with the a/c? Other than that satisfied with the Vibe.

A/C??? Not in my car... but I do notice a difference in air speed when I remover the cabin air filter! Although sometimesit's hard to notice with all 4 windows open!!!

I was a little disappointed at the A/C not being cold enough so i'll try it without the filter.So SD, you have no A/C in your Vibe? Must get hotter than hades in Vernon....I'm in Chilliwack and anything over 25*C gets A/C.

Ok people,Yes, you do get a little more air flow but stop and think for a minute.When you pulled that air filter from behind the glove box was it clean and white?No?It was black and covered with bugs and leaves and other crap wasn't it?Yes, I thought it was.Now, have you ever seen an evaporator core or a heater core?No? Go take a look at a home AC unit from the outside. See all of those little thin aluminum fins? Imagine how easily all of those fins would clog up with the gunk you found on your air filter. It may take a year or two BUT it WILL happen.May I ask what your fix will be for this clogged unit and how much reduced air flow do you think you will experience as a result?The fix by the way, is to rip the dash apart and remove the unit or at least clean it in place if you can. A discharge of the AC system and many many many hours $$$$$ or work.My Advice?PUT THAT AIR FILTER BACK IN!!!!!!!!!!!! Engineers are NOT stupid. The manufacturer does NOT spend money building a car for no reason. You are NOT smarter than the automotive engineers unless you are that very rare person.IF you decide to leave it out, touch base in about 3 years and update us on your air flow will you?Dave

The ac on the vibe IMO SUCKS! It takes forever and a day for it to cool such a large car. Again it SUCKS... The only time it does any good is on a long drive. Your normal day to day stops here and there the car never gets cool.Yes Dave I change my filter every year.

You may want to warn friends and family with asthma and allergies that you removed your cabin filter too if you plan on going on long trips. Short trip they may not notice it, but I would guarantee that it will flair up on long trips and NOTHING about that is fun.

Really? I've got an 07 with the 1.8 engine. We've been in a record setting heat wave for the past two weeks and I've no complaint about it's operation. No a/c unit works as well as the old days when we ran R12 in them but even so, the Vibe unit works just fine. I realize that there is a lot of individual perception about ac operation and I do like a cool car and despise heat!You may have troubles if your air isn't putting out adequate cooling.On an 80 degree day with 40% humidity the center vent should put out 50 degree air.At 90 degrees, 57 degree airat 100 degrees, 64 degree air80 degrees at 80% humidity the center vent should be 57 degrees,90 degrees, 64 degrees100 degrees, 75 degree air.This is all normal operation and it won't get any better.If you don't have these temps, you've got a malfunctioning unit.Dave

Quote, originally posted by Wolfman213 »You may want to warn friends and family with asthma and allergies that you removed your cabin filter too if you plan on going on long trips. Short trip they may not notice it, but I would guarantee that it will flair up on long trips and NOTHING about that is fun.Where is the cabin filter for the windows if it's a nice day out to run with windows down?I, with severe seasonal allergies, have survived without cabin filters in my cars, as well as very often without AC at all, for 38 years. I wouldn't think it's that big of a deal. Cabin filters haven't shown up until the past few years.Quote, originally posted by djkeev »Really? I've got an 07 with the 1.8 engine. We've been in a record setting heat wave for the past two weeks and I've no complaint about it's operation. No a/c unit works as well as the old days when we ran R12 in them but even so, the Vibe unit works just fine. I realize that there is a lot of individual perception about ac operation and I do like a cool car and despise heat!You may have troubles if your air isn't putting out adequate cooling.On an 80 degree day with 40% humidity the center vent should put out 50 degree air.At 90 degrees, 57 degree airat 100 degrees, 64 degree air80 degrees at 80% humidity the center vent should be 57 degrees,90 degrees, 64 degrees100 degrees, 75 degree air.This is all normal operation and it won't get any better.If you don't have these temps, you've got a malfunctioning unit.DaveThis is the specs? They seem pretty high. I've never heard of "normal" operating AC blowing out warmer than 45. That is the number most shops shoot for when looking to diagnose AC systems in my experience.I only test drove 1 Vibe, an 04, and the AC seemed adequate to me. I was pleasantly surprised also when I turned it off, I couldn't feel any difference in the performance of the engine either (my Honda falls on it's face with the AC on.)There's a big difference between the temperature of the air blowing out and the volume of air blowing out. My Honda and my Tribute both are ice cold, but on the low setting of the Tribute the volume of air blowing is about the same as the high setting of my Honda. I freeze in the Tribute within a few miles and the cabin of the Honda is still warm at the end of my 20 mile commute home from work, no matter what the temp is outside. Both vehicles will freeze your fingers with the cold if you hold them right up to the vents.

Quote, originally posted by mrodgers »Where is the cabin filter for the windows if it's a nice day out to run with windows down?I, with severe seasonal allergies, have survived without cabin filters in my cars, as well as very often without AC at all, for 38 years. I wouldn't think it's that big of a deal. Cabin filters haven't shown up until the past few years.And that may be the difference in allergies and asthma. I've always had problems with my allergies, windows up or down, depending on the day. There are several times with the AC going and a clean filter that my allergies are still hitting me hard; take out the cabin filter and force the air out harder, well my problem just got plenty worse. It's not something that has to be done, but from my PoV, i would def appreciate it it my friend or family warns me that they removed the cabin filter.

Reading about this AC problem and, with the 2009 Vibe, there is a button that will cut off the outside air intake. You should do this to keep the cold air inside and prevent the hot outside air from being pulled in. Yes clean or replace the air filter. If these things do not help, then you have a major AC system problem.

Quote, originally posted by mrodgers »This is the specs? They seem pretty high. I've never heard of "normal" operating AC blowing out warmer than 45. That is the number most shops shoot for when looking to diagnose AC systems in my experience.I only test drove 1 Vibe, an 04, and the AC seemed adequate to me. I was pleasantly surprised also when I turned it off, I couldn't feel any difference in the performance of the engine either (my Honda falls on it's face with the AC on.)There's a big difference between the temperature of the air blowing out and the volume of air blowing out. My Honda and my Tribute both are ice cold, but on the low setting of the Tribute the volume of air blowing is about the same as the high setting of my Honda. I freeze in the Tribute within a few miles and the cabin of the Honda is still warm at the end of my 20 mile commute home from work, no matter what the temp is outside. Both vehicles will freeze your fingers with the cold if you hold them right up to the vents.Yes, these are the numbers from the official GM service manual. As stated, my AC works great, I was just out in it, 91 degrees, humid and inside, comfy!!Dave

Quote, originally posted by nerka » Must get hotter than hades in Vernon....I'm in Chilliwack and anything over 25*C gets A/C.25 means I only need the windows cracked an inch or so! Perhaps I'm just very heat tolerant....Saved over $3100 by not taking that package when I bought it!!! I run with the filter in, but I have run without it before... the filter's still close to it's original colour, I blow it out with compressed air from time to time. But it does do a good job in keeping sawdust out of the car!!!

LOL at your signature, star_deceiver. "still despise slushboxes"I'm now on this forum because I just can't take it any more. Had to prematurely sell my Tacoma back in 07, about 6 months before Toyota did the buyback thing for the rusty frame, and I inherited the wife's old car so I could buy her something new. I've been stuck in an automatic for 3 years now. I just can't stand it any more! It's driving me crazy!When I test drove the Vibe, I didn't want to go back. It was the first time I've actually driven a car (you don't "drive" an automatic, just merely guide it along ) with a 5 speed since January 2007. I am pretty sure I want to look for a Vibe, which is why I'm here, and why I'm looking is because I can't stand not being able to drive my car. I don't even know how to drive an automatic, LOL. There's no control.And 25C is only 77F. Not hot at all. All 4 windows and the sunroof wide open driving weather. In the winter though, I crack the window down as soon as it gets back up into double digits Fahrenheit. The family and I were in Disneyworld back in June and at 103F outside, we sure enjoyed the blasting cold air from the Mazda. Cooled the car off in a matter of minutes, something that Vibe I test drove definitely wouldn't do, though it did seem adequate for normal hot days (was 89 when I drove it and the air turned cool rapidly and cooled the car down within reasonable time.)

Just remember the humidity diffrence, when the sun is out here the humidity drops generally below 20%... Vancouver can get muggy...Quote, originally posted by mrodgers » I've been stuck in an automatic for 3 years now. I just can't stand it any more! It's driving me crazy!OUCH!!! That sucks!!!! You reallllllly need to get that Vibe !!!!