Interior heater seems to run cold

TrueBlue · October 20, 2023

It seems that I have to put the temperature in my truck at 75° or higher in order to feel warm air coming out of my vents. Truck only has 1400 miles on it. This morning went to town (20 miles away), and it was still blowing cool air when I got there, and stayed that way until I set it at 80°. After that I turned it down to 75 and it stayed warm in the truck. Temperature outside at this time was 63°.

Is this behavior normal as a byproduct of the shutters in front of the radiator?

repairman54 · October 21, 2023

Shutters have nothing to do with interior heat.

Auto system tends to run on the cool side in all my GM vehicles until the interior parts ''warm up''. This seems to be most noticeable when it's in between the 40's and 50's.

silveradosid · October 21, 2023

my 2020 is the same way, 23 celsius = about 74 degrees and if i turn it to 22 it goes to blowing cool air

newdude · October 21, 2023

18 hours ago, TrueBlue said:

It seems that I have to put the temperature in my truck at 75° or higher in order to feel warm air coming out of my vents. Truck only has 1400 miles on it. This morning went to town (20 miles away), and it was still blowing cool air when I got there, and stayed that way until I set it at 80°. After that I turned it down to 75 and it stayed warm in the truck. Temperature outside at this time was 63°.

Is this behavior normal as a byproduct of the shutters in front of the radiator?

Nothing to do with the shutters, and its normal operation for the climate control.

In the operation of the HVAC system, if its below 50F ambient the climate control won't operate the AC compressor unless its necessary. Above 59F ambient, the AC compressor will run. In the no man land of 51F to 58F ambient, it will operate as necessary.

So because its seeing 63F ambient, the compressor is running and its trying to maintain approximately 75F interior temperature. There is a sunload sensor and an interior temperature and humidity sensor which are all a part of data for this as well.

If you leave your car sitting in the sun on a 63F day, it will be warmer than that inside because of the sun heating the cabin.

Grumpy Bear · October 21, 2023

I have one GM vehicle with a flawless Climate Control. 2009 Buick LaCrosse. No idea what is different in that program, but I never have to tell it a thing or make an adjustment. It's set at 72 F and it holds it. Clears the windshield on its own. Just have to wait for the water to come to temperature. Love that system and wonder what happened. Was it too perfect? :crackup:

The other two 14 Verano and 15 Terrian are as @newdude describes. Always Fus budgeting the set point.

Pepper is manual control and second best of the group. I find the happy spot really fast in that one. Practice

TrueBlue · October 22, 2023

I'm in my late 60's. I've had dozens, and possibly a hundred cars, trucks, and vans in my lifetime, many of them new. The last 10 or so have been new. This truck's climate system runs cold. So long as it always puts out heat when I turn it up to 80° I can adjust and live with it, but I've never had a vehicle that was as prone to pushing out cold air, except a couple when I was younger and couldn't afford new and needed to replace a thermostat. And I've lived within 120 miles of where I am now for my entire driving life, so I'm used to the ambient temperature ranges and how they affect the interior of my vehicles. But I'm only speaking of cold air coming out of the vents with the temperature set below 76ish.

If GM uses the AC in the climate control to aid in defrosting at certain temperature ranges as you said newdude, that would be a new one on me, but if it's normal, as the say, it is what it is.

edit: Oh, and thanks for the input guys. After re-reading all of your posts it would seem my truck is working as designed. Good to know and I can adjust.

Edited October 22, 2023 by TrueBlue

Naughty Donkey Performance · October 23, 2023

Common and crappy, wife HATES it, always a cool draft at the feet.

Truck looks great and with CAI and Corsa exhaust with Pulsar set on 4 she loves the performance enough to live with it!

TrueBlue · October 25, 2023

In my attempt to adapt to the truck, a few days ago I took a short trip in 50°+ temps. Instead of trying to get the cabin comfortable by setting the temp to 70 as soon as the gauge settled where it normally rides at temp, I just adjusted the temp to 75°. "Problem" solved.

All in all I gotta say, I'm really digging this truck. My last new Chevy was my 2000 Tahoe. I've had a lot of new Subarus and Toyotas since then. It just feels right to be back in a Chevy. I hope it treats me as well as my Tahoe did, for 18 years.

Edited October 25, 2023 by TrueBlue