2014 Ford Fiesta Air-Con.

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ChrisThomas

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Hi,

I recently bought a new Ford Fiesta, I have had the pleasure of owning quite a few cars but one thing that never bothered me was the "lack of power" when using the air-con. My previous car (Polo 1.4) had barely any less power when I turned on my air-con. My fiesta is a 1.4 and I realize this is not a big engine and not the most powerful car but jeez when i hit the A/C button it's like a bloody air-brake! You actually feel a bit of a shunt when you turn it on! Why is this? Do fords just have very heavy Air-con units? Is there something wrong with my car? I am actually considering going and test driving another one to see if it does the same thing. It's just weird how my Vivo 1.4 55kw felt a lot faster.
 
ChrisThomas said:
Hi,

I recently bought a new Ford Fiesta, I have had the pleasure of owning quite a few cars but one thing that never bothered me was the "lack of power" when using the air-con. My previous car (Polo 1.4) had barely any less power when I turned on my air-con. My fiesta is a 1.4 and I realize this is not a big engine and not the most powerful car but jeez when i hit the A/C button it's like a bloody air-brake! You actually feel a bit of a shunt when you turn it on! Why is this? Do fords just have very heavy Air-con units? Is there something wrong with my car? I am actually considering going and test driving another one to see if it does the same thing. It's just weird how my Vivo 1.4 55kw felt a lot faster.
Click to expand...

I feel my aircon kick in when I switch it on (2012 Ford Figo 1.4). But having said that it works better than my moms 1.4 Vivo aircon, as in on setting 1 its blows more cooler air.
 
No power problems with my fiesta and i have climate control , dont even have to use the throttle to pull off with the car .
But my fiesta is the ST :D

BTW my ST eats Monza 160i GSIs for breakfast :D
 
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Noticed that on the Ford Figo hire car I had for a month, but the whole driving experience just felt flat for a 1.4, even the replacement 1.2 Chevy Spark felt more powerful.
 
I have the same problem in my 1.4 Rio. Aircons in smaller capacity engines will sap a lot of power. I thought with all these new electric aircons it wouldn't be as bad but it seems it still is.

It's great for the open road but around town it's a mission to drive with the aircon on.
 
PseudZ said:
I have the same problem in my 1.4 Rio. Aircons in smaller capacity engines will sap a lot of power. I thought with all these new electric aircons it wouldn't be as bad but it seems it still is.

It's great for the open road but around town it's a mission to drive with the aircon on.
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See I never ever had that problem with my polo 1.4 or peugeot 206cc. I literally never felt a difference unless I had a car full of people on the highway. Is it maybe because the gearing on the Polo is a lot closer and smaller? I notice the gearing on my fiesta is a lot taller. And both engines have the same torque output pretty much.
 
PseudZ said:
I have the same problem in my 1.4 Rio. Aircons in smaller capacity engines will sap a lot of power. I thought with all these new electric aircons it wouldn't be as bad but it seems it still is.

It's great for the open road but around town it's a mission to drive with the aircon on.
Click to expand...

I never had issues with my 1.4 i20, which is essentially almost the same car, from the same parent company.
 
Quantum Theory said:
I never had issues with my 1.4 i20, which is essentially almost the same car, from the same parent company.
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What year is your i20?

Could it be the newer cars needs some time to wear in? OP's Ford is new and mine when new was very sluggish. It does seem to have improved after 7 months though. Aircon and traffic and it was almost undrivable.
 
PseudZ said:
What year is your i20?

Could it be the newer cars needs some time to wear in? OP's Ford is new and mine when new was very sluggish. It does seem to have improved after 7 months though. Aircon and traffic and it was almost undrivable.
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It was a 2009, that I bought brand new... I drove it relatively hard from the start and it was never sluggish after the first few 1000km's.
 
Quantum Theory said:
It was a 2009, that I bought brand new... I drove it relatively hard from the start and it was never sluggish after the first few 1000km's.
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I am HAVING to drive my car hard, which is not something I would normally do but if the A/C is on it just does not move! I came from a 55kw vivo...I am not exactly used to that much speed but this fiesta is starting to get on my tits.
 
ChrisThomas said:
I am HAVING to drive my car hard, which is not something I would normally do but if the A/C is on it just does not move! I came from a 55kw vivo...I am not exactly used to that much speed but this fiesta is starting to get on my tits.
Click to expand...

Before the i20, I had a 2005 1.4 Fiesta... Also never had issues there, as far as I remember. Maybe something is not right with yours?
 
I'm starting to regret buying the 1.4 and not the ecoboost or the diesel. I just have a fear of turbo problems. Hopefully once everything loosens up and settles in it'll get better. My fuel consumption is also quite high, sits at around 8l/100 mixed highway @ 120kmh and a little bit of city driving but I just assume that's because it's new as well.
 
ChrisThomas said:
I'm starting to regret buying the 1.4 and not the ecoboost or the diesel. I just have a fear of turbo problems. Hopefully once everything loosens up and settles in it'll get better. My fuel consumption is also quite high, sits at around 8l/100 mixed highway @ 120kmh and a little bit of city driving but I just assume that's because it's new as well.
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How heavy is your right foot? ;)
 
my 2l focus gives met 8.4l/100 ... Thought I share that driving into Sandton every day so slow driving.
 
ChrisThomas said:
I'm starting to regret buying the 1.4 and not the ecoboost or the diesel. I just have a fear of turbo problems. Hopefully once everything loosens up and settles in it'll get better. My fuel consumption is also quite high, sits at around 8l/100 mixed highway @ 120kmh and a little bit of city driving but I just assume that's because it's new as well.
Click to expand...

That's the price you pay whenever you buy small na engines. My previous polo 1.4 had the same problem. As for fuel consumption, all the Fords I've had pleasure of driving from new (mostly at work) they would have much higher fuel consumption until their first service, then you will smile every time you fill up
 
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