So I never had to use the AC until I moved to Texas because well, its hot.

So here is the problem. If I'm stopped for traffic or a light AC is cool but not cold. Now start driving and after a minute or two the AC will start to get colder. And if I'm on the interstate it can get cold enough I might have to turn it down.

Car doesn't have a overheating problem, all vents shoot out same temp air at same pressure. You can tell when the AC kicks on, extra fan ect.

So I feel like I need to charge it since when air is being forced through the condenser it can cool it, but at a stop with no extra air moving through there isn't enough juice able to cycle like a radiator.

Any help would be great thanks.

 

USUALLY you can hear the compressor cycling ON/OFF more often with low r134A
Just use caution when adding r134a..many of the consumer cans sold has added oil....so if it is done, or has been done a few times in the the past, the entire volume of oil in the system can become WAY to high, leading to issues...usually lack of cooling ability on a hot day, but ok on a moderate day.
I HAVE carefully added a SMALL amount of r135a (straight, no oil mix) from a refil can with success ONCE since buying my car....
One word of caution...the MINI SC system is TINY..it is EASY to overfill....FROM EMPTY it takes only 16 oz (bigger than the SMALLEST refil/top off can) and MORE is NOT BETTER. So try adding a TINY amount...you might only be 3 oz down....since you have SOME cooling!! run it for a few days...then add a tiny amount more...
or just bring it to an AC shop...they have gauges to do it right!!

 

Make sure your low speed fan is working. That should pull enough air when stopped to keep things cool. Otherwise, as Zippy said, try a top up.

 

Yeah Ill probably just take it to a AC shop then if its that sensative, yes all the fans are pulling your can hear it, and I can hear the compressor cycling.

I may try a little...but I dont know, I feel like this can turn south very fast ha.

 

Low speed fan is the culprit. My '03 S did the exact same thing.

 

How is this fixed exactly? New fan?

My wife's '05 S blow cold, but just doesnt seem to put out enough to really cool the car down quickly.

 

Is it really the wind, or the RPM that make it work? Have you tried holding throttle at like 2000rpm or a little less when parked to see if that makes A/C colder by having compressor spin a little faster. I think you said that you hear your low speed fan kicks on and off, as it should when the ac is on.

 

The low speed fan should turn on and off when the A/C has built a certain amount of pressure (or when a certain engine temp is reached 214f if memory serves)

I would test the fan before replacing it, as it could be just a symptom of A/C not building enough pressure... And that's a whole nother topic. As mentioned above, the volume of oil needs to be right, it could have a leak, bad compressor, condenser, etc.

I wouldn't trust Jiffy Lube with the MINI, it's too specialized in my opinion,.... But our old Accord is so old -and the AC didn't work at all anyway. They had a special last summer ($60), and I thought what the heck. I let them vacuum the AC system, and refill it -it worked for several months after that despite the small leak it has. The reason it worked I believe is because I had refilled it myself 3 or 4 times in the 2 summers prior, and with the cans of stuff, I just had way too much oil in the system. At least that's my theory.

Edit: another cause of low speed fan not working could be failed resistor (common)... Kind of another topic though, easy to search for.