Question about automatic climate control

[sarspants]

I'm wondering if everyone is experiencing the same as me or if there is something wrong with my automatic climate control. I have the temperature set to 72 degrees and the outside temperature is in the 50-60s, car has not been in the sun and I notice it mostly on my morning drive while it's still dark. I can feel cold air coming out of the main vents but warm air coming out of the foot vents. I feel like I need to set the temperature in the mid to upper 70s just to be comfortable and not feel cold air blowing at me. Is this how the system is supposed to operate?

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[StingertimeNC]

Mine does that too. It's like the system wants to maintain humidity levels, so the A/C is almost always running. It's like that when ambient teamps are in the middle zones. like 50's to 70's.

I'm glad the system is robust though, it seems to keep up just fine on hot days.

 

[edido]

Same here. I expected a warm air vs. cold.

 

[submitaweasel]

Likely due to design but at first start there will be no heat as the heat comes from the engine. The footwell heat coming on sooner than vents is likely due to placement of the heater core. Somebody around here can probably chime in with a graphic that I'm too lazy to look up.

 

[Imperial]

If I want the cabin to get warm faster, I only set climate control to feet, after that I can do front and feet.

 

[Wojo]

If I want the cabin to get warm faster, I only set climate control to feet, after that I can do front and feet.

i agree, i don't use auto anytime, never have, motor fan motor goes full blast & you can't hear
the road or anything else, i don't want cold air blasting me for 5 minutes till it warms up, i could
see using auto when it's hot outside but not when it's cold

 

[JCJai]

Do you guys find the heat very warm or just luke warm, assuming the engine is at normal operating temp?

 

[submitaweasel]

Do you guys find the heat very warm or just luke warm, assuming the engine is at normal operating temp?

Depends on the conditions. If you are talking about as soon as it hits 4 bars on the dash? Lukewarm. If you are talking about idling for 15 minutes after the true full temp hit? Lukewarm. If you are talking about driving after true fell temp, it is hot.

 

[JCJai]

Depends on the conditions. If you are talking about as soon as it hits 4 bars on the dash? Lukewarm. If you are talking about idling for 15 minutes after the true full temp hit? Lukewarm. If you are talking about driving after true fell temp, it is hot.

What temp do you all set at usually? I'm at 23C (73F) and it gets barely warm, other cars I usually set at 18C (65F) and i'm usually turning down the fan.

 

[submitaweasel]

What temp do you all set at usually? I'm at 23C (73F) and it gets barely warm, other cars I usually set at 18C (65F) and i'm usually turning down the fan.

My temperature depends on exterior conditions. I never acclimated to automatic climate control. If it's <40F it's 81F-"HI"; if it's 50-65F, it's between 72&78F and if it's above that it's between 72 and 74F (with this vehicle seems temperatures run 2-4 degrees higher than others I have had to reach the same feeling)

Edit: my comments about heat were all with settings 81F or higher.

 

[JCJai]

(with this vehicle seems temperatures run 2-4 degrees higher than others I have had to reach the same feeling)

Maybe that's what it is, I just have to have it set at 5-6 deg higher than in other cars.

 

[submitaweasel]

Maybe that's what it is, I just have to have it set at 5-6 deg higher than in other cars.

Theres a setting to adjust that in the infotainment (I believe, but haven't tried) but yeah with a/c I have never gone below 72F and that freezes me during summer months.

 

[JCJai]

a/c I have never gone below 72F and that freezes me during summer months

The A/C is good, it's just the heat. Winter right now, outside is about 14F.

 

[submitaweasel]

The A/C is good, it's just the heat. Winter right now, outside is about 14F.

In my somewhat limited winter experience (last winter I was in loaners for the majority of, long story) I would keep it on "HI" until I get too hot.

 

[b0nb0n]

I'm not one to use the Auto Climate control but it is noticeable while the A/C is on you need to keep the temps higher to get desired warmth coming out than if the A/C is off. I'm sure there is science behind it but I'm not a HVAC expert to explain. Likely as stated earlier, probably by design dealing with humidity levels etc.

In my mind the temperature digits are make believe. Could take a temperature gauge to prove this wrong I suppose.

Simple as above, keep it on HI and lower until comfortable. These 4 cylinders are easily cooled as the ambient temps start to drop. Will take a bit of driving to get extremely hot. During winter months in my FK7 1.5T Civic it would take 5-10 miles to really warm up.

A/C is fantastic for cooling in the summer months thankfully.

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