2018 Tundra AC issues

**IFM** · 02-01-2019, 04:27 PM

My apologies for this long post but I need help from the Tundra community. Traded in my 2007 Crewmax and got a brand new 2018 Crewmax 4x4 SR5 back in June. Driving home for 3 hours in the middle of June in North Florida found it to be a little warmer than my last truck. After 10 days it was terrible so went to my local dealer. Freon was low, they stated couldn’t find a leak so probably shorted at Factory. Worked a little better for not even 2 weeks, no cool air on a 100 degree day. Took it back and after 4 days they found a leak in evaporator coil. 5 more days of them fixing it then I get my truck back.
Still doesn’t work as good as my old truck and always have it set on max just to keep it somewhat cool. AC is also very noisy and sounds like it is constantly building pressure every 45 seconds to a minute. By this time I have Toyota corporate with a case manager involved and they suggest take it back and they will get their master tech involved. 9 days at the dealer they find it’s the pressure relief valve which is what I told them when I dropped it off is wrong and I get my truck back. Guess what it still doesn’t work that well and makes the same noise of building pressure. Still drive around with the AC cranking just to keep comfortable and its now into the fall/winter with temperatures outside dropping.
I decide to buy a meat probe thermometer from Harbor Freight and stick it in a vent and watch it and see if I can work it out cause I’m tired of always feeling hot. My temperatures fluctuates anywhere from 42 up to 52 while driving around. It never stays constant and I think this is what the issue is and why it never cools. I test drove another 2018 and its temperature stayed at 40-41 the entire drive. I had the tech from my dealer with me on the test drive and he saw it. He then ran 5 hours of tests on my truck, asked for it back for another 1 hours last week. Sent all the results to the Master Tech for the Southeast, still waiting to hear what the results are. As usual I have to chase them up as they always like to make me feel this is my fault.
My question to any fellow 2018 SR5 drivers who do not have the automated AC system and have a temp probe can you tell me if your temp fluctuates. Little hard clearly being that its winter but as Toyota clearly can’t work it out I am just trying to see if anyone else has this issue.
I like my new truck but hate driving it if it’s hot out. Shouldn’t have that problem with a brand new 50k truck. As this is their 4th attempt of fixing it and they have had it for over 20 days I am looking at the Lemon Law and getting a replacement. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem like Toyota are ever that keen on doing it and will continually try and fix it.
Any help would be much appreciated.

**tonyspin** · 02-02-2019, 08:18 AM

If they don't fix it use the lemon law. I would have used it already.

**blackdemon** · 02-02-2019, 09:23 PM

I agree with Tonyspin... you should request the maintenance record on the vehicle just to see if its been in the shop for similar issues in the past, whether new or used, it may have been wrecked before you purchased it, yes even if its new.. I found this out a few years after I purchased mine that it had visited the body shop for misc damage.