Climate Control keeps resetting

da7 · Post by **da7** » 24 Jul 2011, 23:22

have anybody seen a problem where the climate control would keep resetting, to let outside air in the cabin, when your car's been restarted?

I keep having the problem where I want to keep the "recirculation" mode on, but the next day I start up the car, it will reset to have the outside air directed to the cabin instead? Anybody seen this problem before?

Post by **IVIUSTANG** » 25 Jul 2011, 00:54

From my experience this is normal; no doubt this is a safety issue of lowering the oxygen content in the cabin with no fresh air being introduced. Companies may want you to take the active choice for recirculation to mitigate liability for issues stemming from unsafe air quality. Just my opinion

- Jesse

Post by **jblackburn** » 25 Jul 2011, 07:02

If the system is on "auto", it will default to recirculate mode when running the AC until the interior of the car cools down. After that, it defaults to fresh air.

Fresh air mode is quieter, and keeps the windows from fogging up when the AC isn't running.

da7 · Post by **da7** » 25 Jul 2011, 19:34

so this is the same for all you guys too? I thought it was a fault coz all the previous cars I owned wasn't like this?

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 25 Jul 2011, 20:13

Have a look at the owners manual:

Use the RECIRCULATION function if the outside air is contaminated with exhaust gases, smoke, etc or to heat/cool the car quickly. In this position, very little air is drawn into the passenger compartment from the outside. Do not leave the system in this mode for more than 10-15 minutes since the air inside the car will become stale.

Sounds like that's just how they feel about it.
More safety stuff. Probably not a bad idea.

da7 · Post by **da7** » 25 Jul 2011, 21:50

haha.. i always leave my car in recirculation mode coz the air outside is always crap once you get in traffic...

never fainted once yet touch wood...

Post by **jimmy57** » 25 Jul 2011, 22:04

I will have to see if I can find the info. The recirc function on x70's can be toggled between timed recirc and normal on/off recirc with the two buttons.
My recollection is you hold recirc for 3 full seconds and the led's on both air switches blinks rapidly if it is in timed due to the three second depression and it is normal on/off mode if it blinks once per second. If you try it and it is in the one you DO NOT want then push the recirc again for 3 seconds.

It is true the recommended setting is timed and that is the default is you get a brand new ECC unit.
A/C odors are far more likely to occur when the fresh air inlet door is closed when car is parked as there will be no draft to dry evaporator when parked to suppress mold & mildew formation.

da7 · Post by **da7** » 26 Jul 2011, 09:20

hi jimmy: i recall seeing the lights flash after i depress the recirc button for a few seconds, but at that moment i didn't think it was a programming function, rather I thought that light actually meant "having half recirc and have fresh air"....

I'll play around with it tomorrow...

also if what you said about mildew forming with recirc turned on all the time, that may explain why my brand new car's a/c smell bad after less than one year as I always have the climate control turned to recirc, but wouldn't draft be out of the question even if you have the inlet door open, as when your car is parked, your car doors would be closed too, therefore not promoting air flow through the evaporator anyway? If only I could do an experiment with 2 new cars, one with recirc on all the time and the other with fresh air inlet all the time...

Post by **jimmy57** » 26 Jul 2011, 11:40

There are vents in rear of trunk (boot) that allow air to pass out. When the car heats there are thermal drafts that have been shown to help dry the evaporator. Breeze blowing over car pushes air through inlet to climate system and the vents in back are in an airflow low pressure area so airflow is created that way too.