Adjusting the climate control

Is the temp only automatic when the auto button light is on? NO

In auto it will blow cold air towards your upper body, and warm/hot air towards your feet.

 

The climate control system is crap. my old vectra was much better, i set it to 22degrees and auto in 2006, and never needed to adjust it till i sold it in 2010 (my wife had it set different, but that was on her key not mine).

When it was cold out the fan didn't blow at all until heat was available, when it was hot out it blew hard straight away till it was cool and then slowed down. it put some air on feet, face, screen, and under the seats. the screen never misted up, my feet never burned, and my hands never got cold. it was brilliatn.

 

Just let it on auto and be patient.It will do its things to get the best results.It will go through many vent modes until the cabin get the set temp.Give it more time

 

It always tries to maintain the temperature you have set, when the system is in Auto it will try to maintain it's set temperature by using heat or AC, if the AC is on. Also it will still try to provide heat and/or ventilation (but no AC) when the system is off, it will not use the fan or the AC when it is off.

The reason the Auto indicator goes out when you change the Fan or Mode setting is because the function you have changed is no longer in Auto and that function will stay where you set it. You can reset everything back to Auto by turning the system off then back to Auto, the fresh air/recirculate function may not change when you do this.

When the system needs to provide heat it usually blows it out at your feet, when it needs to provide cooling (either AC or ventilation if the AC is off) it will come out at your face. You can change this with the mode switch.

You can't change anything except recirculate if the system is off. So for example if it is providing to much heat when off you need to put it in Auto and turn the temperature down, then you can go back to off. On the other hand if it is directing air at your face when it is off, and you don't want it to, you could change it to recirculate or go to Auto and change the mode switch to feet then turn it back off again. Airflow through the system when it is in off is from the car moving through the air, no fan when off.

The system is a bit complex to operate but very versatile, once you understand it you can get it to do whatever you want it to. It reminds me of some German cars I have owned or driven.

 

Mine does the same stupid thing , why on earth should setting it on Auto only, blow it in your face. I try to set it to the windshield+feet combo and it shuts Auto off.

 

So is it possible to be set for outside air, heated, Auto and have it directed at the windshield and feet combo mode? I have been pressing buttons for months to get it to do this and it always turns Auto off when I do. Thanks. Ted

 

When you are in Auto and then change the mode switch to redirect the air flow the Auto indication will go out, so I guess you are technically no longer in Auto. The same thing applies if you change the fan speed. But in either case the other settings that you haven't changed will still be in automatic.

It's not exactly user friendly, but as I said you can get it to do whatever you want if you learn its quirks.

 

Complicated??? Ya think???
UN-user-friendly??? Ya think???
How about just not using auto at all?
If I set the temp, the heater will still come on when it gets cold--won't it?
If I set the temp and turn on the AC, it will regulate the temp to what I have set, No?
What exactly is auto supposed to be good for, anyway???
I just don't see any advantage in using it.
Let the computer control the hybrid synergy drive--that's what it does best. Let me decide where, how much and how warm the air blows...
My biggest "issue" is with windshield fogging. Under certain conditions, defogging the windshield is difficult--no matter where I set the controls.

 

Your biggest issue could be easily solved if you didn't think you can program the climate control better than the computer.

I'm on my second Prius and have used AUTO 99% of the time, just changing the temp a few degrees will give you control of fan speeds and direction.

I have never had windshield fogging problems, I let the climate control system do its job and I just drive.

 

Think of Auto being strictly automatic control of the direction of the flow of air, i.e. to the floor, or defrost, or dash. Temperature is a separate issue and as long as you have the set temperature showing, the system will use whatever means it can to keep that set temp..REGARDLESS OF WHETHER AUTO IS ON OR NOT!! For example: If the A/C is off, you have the temp set for 70, and the air direction set for floor...the system will vary fan speed and coolent heat to try to maintain cabin temp at 70....if the outside air is above 70 it will run the fan higher and higher to try and keep the car as cool as possible. If you then turn on the A/C it will continue to try to maintain 70 deg using the chilled air. Temperature control is always automatic!

I just wish I could use the defrost/floor setting without turning on A/C and the little PTC heater....wish I could use this mode without turning them on automatically!

 

All cars seem to use the "a/c" to remove moisture so your windsheild doesnt fog up, making it hard to see out or as Toyota sees it a lawsuit.

Auto controls where the air blows and how hard it blows.

 

When I press AUTO, it will redirect air flow to the face only and reset the Mode to that. Pretty useless. So I never use AUTO, since I want a flow to the windshield and feet most of the time.

 

The system works very well indeed.

I've normally got it set to auto at 22 degrees celcius year round. It will turn recirc on or off as needed, direct air to the floor or face or both as needed, wait for hot water before activating the fan in colder weather, slowly increasing the speed as the car further warms up.

Typically up here mornings in the fall can be very damp with heavy fog from the ocean and the car can be covered with dew in the mornings. For several minutes, or more depending I'll take advantage of the front and rear defog/defrost modes to clear my windows and outside mirrors. Once that is done though, back to auto it is.

People who have foggy windows typically don't understand that you want to leave your a/c compressor enabled and not engage recirculate mode to trap humid air in a vehicle with cool windows that will naturally fog up when they do that.

Roland.

 

You are right Adamace1...I forgot that Auto also varies the fan speed!!
In my Dodge Caravan I pretty much left it in the floor/defrost mode all the time. Most vehicles I've had with A/C it does not automatically kick in with the Floor/Defrost setting, only under the Defrost only setting. I'd be happy if the A/C only came on automatically when I select the Defrost button!!

 

Previous post deleted. Yes the AC comes on when you push the Defrost button but the AC light stays off. If you select defrost/floor with the Mode switch I didn't thank the AC came on, I'll try to check it out on my car.

EDIT: Yes tested and confirmed, you do have AC with defrost/floor or the Defrost button, see post 23.

 

I have an engineering degree and find it quite simple to set it to AUTO and vary the temperature to manage the climate control. It's not rocket science folks.

 

I think what the OP was trying to find out and me is not pertaining to the temperature control but rather regarding the "MODE" option on how to make the air flow to the windshield/floor while in "AUTO" mode not how to maintain temp in the cabin.

 

If you choose Windshield/Floor then you are overriding Auto..hence Auto turns off.
Tumbleweed..I beg to differ but even though the A/C light is not on I assure you the A/C IS operating when you choose either Windshield/floor or windshield only (Defrost button)