AC takes too much time to heat up

basha_manick

hi, i have a 2008 VW Jetta 2.5s. In winter i have noticed that my car takes too much time to heat up when the AC is turned ON. Generally, if i drive for 5 minutes and the temperature of the engine comes to the center ( in the temperature dial on the dash board), the hot air starts coming out. Is this normal. I haven't noticed this in other cars. Do i need to check anything?I do have the coolant liquid full
Thanks

ray80

basha_manick said:

In winter i have noticed that my car takes too much time to heat up when the AC is turned ON.

I am having a little difficulty understanding what your question is about. To start with why would you be turning on AC in the winter, I usually go with just heat?

kyfdx

ray80 said:

basha_manick said:

In winter i have noticed that my car takes too much time to heat up when the AC is turned ON.

I am having a little difficulty understanding what your question is about. To start with why would you be turning on AC in the winter, I usually go with just heat?

A/C compressor comes on with the defroster... To remove moisture from the windshield..

ray80

kyfdx said:

ray80 said:

basha_manick said:

In winter i have noticed that my car takes too much time to heat up when the AC is turned ON.

I am having a little difficulty understanding what your question is about. To start with why would you be turning on AC in the winter, I usually go with just heat?

A/C compressor comes on with the defroster... To remove moisture from the windshield..

Yep, That I know, but the defroster is usually a different button then AC is it not?

basha_manick

@ray80 - Ray, what i meant is turn the heater on. ( This would be the AC button). Sorry for the confusion.!
to to summarize, in winter when i turn on the heater in the car , i can feel the hot air only after some time..i.e when the car engine temperature goes up in like 5-10 minutes.
thanks

kyfdx

ray80 said:

kyfdx said:

ray80 said:

basha_manick said:

In winter i have noticed that my car takes too much time to heat up when the AC is turned ON.

I am having a little difficulty understanding what your question is about. To start with why would you be turning on AC in the winter, I usually go with just heat?

A/C compressor comes on with the defroster... To remove moisture from the windshield..

Yep, That I know, but the defroster is usually a different button then AC is it not?

Not specific to this member's VW, but in a lot of Euro models, when you push the defrost button, the A/C button lights up, just as if you'd pushed it..

I know that's behind the scenes in a lot of domestic models... and, not what the OP meant, but there... I said it...

ray80

basha_manick said:

in winter when i turn on the heater in the car , i can feel the hot air only after some time..i.e when the car engine temperature goes up in like 5-10 minutes.
thanks

5 ~~~> 10 minutes may not be to bad. Is this your first year with this vehicle? If not any change in driving from prior (more city to start , then highway, or other changes?)? Does the heat stay consistent when it does warm up (not hot then cold ) ?

basha_manick

No, this is my 3rd year with the vehicle. It has been like this, just that i realized this is not the case in other cars ( like my friends infiniti).
5-10 is not bad, but just curious whether it should take a lesser time.
The heat does stay consistent though once is it is warmed up. The driving has been in city limits.

ray80

Sounds to me like it is normal for that vehicle (and many others). Mine have always waited until coolant got warmed enough for t-stat to open, then heat would come on for real. My newest vehicle though (14') has heat just a few minutes after starting and driving, how ever the heat gauge may not get to normal warmed up position for quite a few miles (and time).

Mr_Shiftright

Some engines are just a bit more cold-blooded than others, and take a bit longer to warm up to thermostat opening temperatures. As long as your coolant is full-up, I don't see any problem here.

stever

My last van was slow to warm up (10 minutes or so) until I replaced the thermostat. Don't know if a "hotter" thermostat would be an option here.

Mr_Shiftright

That would delay the heat even more. The thermostat rating is only the baseline, or "door opening" for the coolant--it doesn't determine the temperature the coolant runs at once it is circulating.

basha_manick

I just went through Jetta forums and it seems like this is the case in Jettas!
http://jettajunkie.com/vw-jetta/showthread.php?21899-jetta-2.0-wont-heat-up-if-temp-below-30*