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Method to stop having HVAC be in ECO mode automatically?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by Mambo Dave, Mar 13, 2020.

  1. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    Heya all,

    I think I may have hit some setting when I first got the car to try ECO mode on the HVAC, but it just isn't working.

    Anywhere from six to twenty episodes of starting the engine per day, and I'm getting tired of only noticing the ECON mode is back on after sweating - again. It just can't keep up with the heat, or what it takes to cool me off so that I don't sweat.

    I thought there was a setting in the car's menu, but haven't been able to find it. At this rate I'm going to wear out the ECO button before the car has 60k miles on it. It's also making me quite unhappy with the car. But I feel there is a fix to this as I searched the forums as best I could, and don't read others complaining of it always being on. Being weak, yes, but not always being on.

    [​IMG]
     
    #1 Mambo Dave, Mar 13, 2020
  2. booke02

    booke02 Active Member

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    I never have this problem, but I set if from the multi-function display.

    Perhaps there is a "feature" that it doesn't save settings made using the HVAC controls - so try setting it from the display.
     
    #2 booke02, Mar 13, 2020
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  3. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    Thank you - perhaps that's where I set it to try ECO mode? I can't even remember if my L Eco has HVAC control on the infotainment section.

    Edit: just tried it - only one HVAC option there, and it has to do with having the AC on or not with the AUto feature or something like that.
     
    #3 Mambo Dave, Mar 13, 2020
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2020
  4. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

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    Not sure if it's the same (as the buttons are slightly different here in the UK), but every time you select the Drive Mode to Eco, it'll put the aircon in ECO mode too.

    You can configure this behaviour using the Carista app and an OBDII dongle, as it annoyed me too.

    That being said, if I don't play with the Drive Mode setting, and just keep it in Eco mode all the time and not ever select Normal or whatever the red one is called, then it does seem to remember the non-Eco setting on the aircon.
     
    #4 The Professor, Mar 15, 2020
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  5. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    Oh My! I bet that's what it is!

    I've been driving in the Eco drive mode for a while, I wonder if that's what it is! Thank you! I'll try switching it.

    I rather like the modulation of the accelerator pedal in Eco/Econ mode, but if that's what it takes to have my AC ready for me, then that's what it takes. I may look into the app and a dongle. Sounds fun to configure a car (or at least have the choices to do so).
     
    #5 Mambo Dave, Mar 16, 2020
  6. Mambo Dave

    Mambo Dave Active Member

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    You nailed it - THANK YOU!

    Just took the car to lunch. Once I was out at a traffic light I remembered to try putting it into 'Normal' drive mode. When I did so, the ECO HVAC mode that was on turned itself off.

    After lunch, it was so nice to have my AC back on again. 81 degrees out there, but with the sun coming in the windows it feels much hotter when getting back in the car. Not having the ECO HVAC mode on helps cool it down inside faster.
     
    #6 Mambo Dave, Mar 16, 2020
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  7. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

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    They're not permanently tied together on mine. Entering Eco drive mode does set the HVAC back to Eco mode too, but if I then set the HVAC to normal or "fast" mode it remembers that setting, even if the drive mode remains in Eco. On my car, there's an Auto button on the HVAC controls. Every press cycles through Eco Auto, Auto, and Auto Fast (or something like that). So if I want Eco drive mode, I just press the Drive mode until it's on Eco, then press the Auto button on the climate control to kick the HVAC out of Eco mode (or at least I think that's what I did before I configured it with Carista).
     
    #7 The Professor, Mar 16, 2020
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  8. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

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    Not sure they have the HVAC Auto button cycle feature in the US.
     
    #8 kithmo, Mar 18, 2020
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  9. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    We don’t.
     
    #9 Tideland Prius, Mar 18, 2020
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  10. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

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    Well that's a bit rubbish. You guys are missing out!
     
    #10 The Professor, Mar 18, 2020
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  11. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    What does that feature do? (We also don’t have dual-zone).

    Safe to assume Eco Auto does the same as our “Eco Heat/Cool” button? Which means Auto Fast is the new/different feature?
     
    #11 Tideland Prius, Mar 18, 2020
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  12. The Professor

    The Professor Senior Member

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    Pressing the button activates Auto mode, which means the car decides on the fan speed and air flow direction, and the user just dials in the temperature they want. Repeated presses cycle through Auto Fast (faster fan speed), Auto (normal fan speed), and Auto Eco (normal/slow fan speed and air con in some kind of economical mode).
     
    #12 The Professor, Mar 18, 2020
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  13. kithmo

    kithmo Couch Potato

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    Fast just seems to keep the ICE on longer for quicker warm up.
     
    #13 kithmo, Mar 18, 2020
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  14. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Ahh ok. Thanks!
     
    #14 Tideland Prius, Mar 19, 2020
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