Warm Air Delivered Regardless of Temp Settings

[RittersDad]

Hello folks,
I have a 2008 XC70 in Maryland, with a cabin warm air issue: No matter where the environmental temperature control is set, or the air-recirculation control is set, I get air that is warmer than outside air, through my air vents. The AC works fine-it cools. What I mean is that with the AC off, and the temp control set to LO, I still get air that is warmer that ambient outside air, whether the recirculation is turn on, off, or auto. I had my local Volvo dealer service shop look at it and according to them, the diagnostic software indicates that the control dampers are working as they should. Is it possible the Volvo could not engineer an environmental system that cannot exclude engine heat from the environmental system? Please advise.

[jimmy57]

I have never had a vehicle with a full climate system that doesn't add a few degrees to the ambient air temp when compressor is off. The Volvo 850's with air mix set properly do the best I have ever see. Air mix shutter is not a feature they have any longer.
Some older vehicles that employed direct outside air vents don't warm up the air at all.
Late model Toyotas, VW's, Fords, GM's that i have had all do it.
The heat from firewall and the fact that almost no modern systems shut off the hot water flow these days, leads to the warm up.
IT is very much equivalent to you turning on the fan only on a central heat/air system. The furnace and a/c coils in the attic are in a warm place and the air coming out will be warmer than the air going in due to passing through that housing.