2018 Tundra - Air Conditioning

Hello All. I've owned my 2018 Tundra (Crewmax Platinum 4WD) since December. Given this, I'm just now beginning to notice the AC seems a bit weak (not fan speed weak, but like not impressed with how cold, "LO" feels).

Some research on here seems to point to the transition to R1234-yf, whilst maintaining the existing AC condenser that doubles as a transmission cooler, as the reason for not all that cold of Air Conditioning. Correct me if I'm wrong on that.

So my primary question is for suggestions on what to do about it. I live in the mountains of Northern AZ, and it'll hit 100°F probably a handful of times per year, but we'll regularly get highs of 85-95°F from June-September. I bought this truck to be my comfortable commuter and kid hauler, so I need the AC to be decent for occasional trips to Phoenix aka hell on Earth (in the summer).

Options I'm researching:
1) Having an AC shop drain all the R1234-yf and recharge the system with R134a.
*No one seems to complain about their AC in pre-2018 trucks with the same AC/transmission cooler system with R134a in it.*
**Risk with this is PAG oils remaining behind in parts of the AC system and them being incompatible with R134a.**

2) Water mister system to spray water on the AC condenser.
*I feel like this may be a bit of a nuisance to keep filled with water and run a switch for into the cabin, but perhaps it's my best option, and it may offer ancillary benefits to transmission and engine cooling.*

Here's the truck I'm referring to, that I absolutely love everything else about (but the AC performance):



P.S. - Yesterday it was 67°F and it took literally full fan speed on the lowest temperature setting (with cooled seats on max) to be comfortable in the truck, hence my concerns and looking for a solution before summer. And I'm one of those people that always runs hot.

 

Try the CARISTA app and there is an HVAC setting I believe -2 or -3 under the standard temp. That blows colder air than usual.
On my 2013 Tundra I had to do a full freon refresh and now is back to normal.
And we're talking about Texas heat summers here

 

My 2015 had a similar issue until it just stopped blowing out anything cold. The AC light would start flashing a bit at first, and then the light wouldn’t come on at all once it stopped blowing cold. Turned out to be a fuse/relay under the hood’s fuse box. Not sure if yours is the same issue, but thought I’d mention it just in case since mine was a quick, easy fix.

 

Thanks for sharing but yea mine does blow cold air, it's just clearly not as cold as it could be. My buddy's '08 Tundra has significantly colder AC. I noticed that my wife's 2023 RAV4 is also not that cold (albeit colder than my Tundra). Some reading online about it, makes it seem as if systems with the old R134a just tend to be colder (thanks EPA).

 

Funny you mention that as I bought an 2018 brand new and the AC was the only complaint I ever really had, even had the dealer recharge the system to no avail...wasn't a deal breaker but definitely noticed

 

Got excited when I read you noticed the same thing, but bummed you didn't have a solution lol. Starting to think the revert it to R134a will be the solution. Hoping to get some other 2018 owners to weigh in

 

I have a 2021 and worked on mine. His is a 2018 so I assume it will work? These are gen 2.5.

 

I will be very curious to know what you come up with for a solution. I also recently purchased a 2018 Tundra. I bought it January in Nebraska so I thought the air-conditioning worked when I tested it (there was snow on the ground). Alas, my AC seems to not work at all, and my mechanic says he doesn't have the newer system ability, apparently Y1234 YF. Based on comments here it sounds like even when it working, it doesn't do well. I live in CO and it's starting to warm up here, so it is going to be more and more of a problem.

 

I wonder if it would help if you put in a bypass loop to turn off heater core flow during the summer.. Seems like that would prevent some heat from entering inside the cab. Also ceramic window tint.

 

My issue with the AC in my 2014;
Something is kicking the compressor off, sometimes for 5 seconds, sometimes for several minutes.
If I stop and restart, it sometimes comes on, if I'm driving and hit a decent bump (like a speed bump), it kicks back on.
It will go days and weeks without doing it, but when it does it, it does it several times a day, and the next day it works fine for another few weeks.

I've reported to the dealer for years, usually when I change the oil, and they tell me they can't recreate the issue.
That's probably true because it is so sporadic..

 

My personal recommendation is to have a trusted auto AC tech do a comprehensive trouble shoot of the system. They have the tools and the know-how to properly diagnose the issues.

Dan

 

I have a 2018 Platinum and I have never had an issue with the temps except it gets too cold sometimes. I bought my 2018 in late 2017

 

Could be lack of airflow through the condenser. Make sure the dead insects are cleaned off and wash it with low pressure spray, don't bend the fins with high pressure! I add 1/4" hardware cloth directly behind the grill of every vehicle I purchase to keep them clean, helps a bunch.

 

Sorry to resurrect an old thread
I purchased a 2018 last September, now that it warming up I have noticed it is not as cold as my 2016. Has anybody swapped out the R1234-yf with R-134A

 

I never went through with it, and am still living with the R-1234-yf. Ultimately I was deterred by enough people telling me that the incompatible PAG oils that would be left behind when evacuating the R-1234-yf, would actually ruin the entire AC system if exposed to R134a. So my understanding is that the only way to do it, would be to replace wholesale every component within the AC system. Maybe if I could find a pre-2018 wrecked truck to scavenge all those parts from, I'd consider it.

I've also been doing some research into installing a standalone transmission cooler and bypassing the integrated one within the AC condenser. Perhaps without the excess heat from ATF within the condenser, the AC might perform better without swapping refrigerant types.

Ultimately the AC did perform adequately in the summer months last year, and I never sweat whilst driving. But it still does leave me wanting just a tad colder air when it's real hot out

 

Thanks for the info, I will put this on the back burner for now since it is not a high priority. Other Mods are more important well Financially more important

 

Apparently the 2018's suffer poorer AC performance than the 2019 - 2021 years - all 4 model years use the newer freon.

The 2018 still use the radiator integrated transmission cooler - many speculate one of the reasons they removed the cooler was Toyota noticed the poorer AC performance. Also coupled with the fact that they overbuilt the 6 speed transmissions with hardly any failures in its almost 2 decades of use. The Sequoia removed the cooler in 2010 IIRC so they had a lot of data on transmissions still running strong with no cooler.

You might be able to improve AC by swapping to a 2019-2021 radiator without the cooler integrated (which robs performance from AC and engine cooling). Then you could attach a true external cooler which performs much better than the integrated cooler ever did. Getting better AC performance and better trans cooling at the same time.

 

that sounds like a logical conclusion. $320.00 for a new Toyota condenser, $160ish for evacuation and refill. $80.00 for a Hayden cooler. the lines for the trans cooler are already ran so for around $650.00 you could upgrade to a newer system with the possibility of much better cooling for you and your transmission. HHHHMMMM