PiP A/C Guide

Actually, the most efficient, IMO, is to lower the windows to exhaust all the hot air. But "auto" is not going to do this for you.

Mike

 

You wouldn't want the system doing that when it's pouring rain outside.

 

It may or may not be more efficient, depending on your weather conditions, but the system is programmed to do this.

 

I'm comforted to see others are perplexed by the PiP's HVAC system. After reading other's comments and trying various combinations I decided to try using Auto mode. In the past week I've driven in temperatures ranging from 42° - 100° F, and I'm starting to trust using Auto. It's actually interesting to embrace the system, trusting that Toyota engineers have put many hours into automating the many possible combinations of air flow.

Now I have no idea if there is any real depth to the HVAC's logic, but I'm willing to keep testing to see what happens. I have observed the settings change from recalculate to fresh, lower to upper vent, and fan speed 4 to 1, all during my 20 minute morning commute. Observations continue...

 

It's all in the owner's manual.

 

OMG, I just realized why Prius drivers cannot smell their own farts!

Tracksyde, thanks for clearing the air

 

High carbon dioxide levels are seldom fatal, but it is a surrogate indication of poor ventilation. The occupants would likely die from lack of oxygen if they were in a sealed compartment.

 

What about the dashboard air vents. Most like to point them right at their face and body. I find the car most comfortable with the air vents directing cold air along the inside surface of the top and side windows. This provides a more uniform temperature throughout the interior. The only problem is that air directed toward the ceiling interferes with the hands free microphone, so I have to turn the fan to slow when talking.

 

Im surprised at the dissatisfaction with the PiP's automatic climate control .
It works perfectly in AUTO for me. I leave it there all the time. I have it set for 72deg. in the summer and 68deg. in the winter.
If I desire a higher fan speed or cooler temp, i simply reduce the temp setting a few degrees. If I desire a lower fan speed or warmer temp, I simply increase the temp setting a degree or two.
The only occassion that will require a deviation from this is a fogged winshield, then I select the front windshiled defog/defrost button. Then switch back to auto when defogging is no longer necessary.
It a great system in AUTO.
The key is using the temp adjustment.
And the switch setup is quite intuitive. The temp control and AUTO buttons are all placed together on the left side of the control panel all within a simple single fingers reach.
AUTO, warmer, colder, how simple is that? with occasional defog.

 

I have to agree, until a week or so ago, I would use the fan speed button to turn the HVAC on, and manually adjust everything, but I gave AUTO another chance, and now I'm doing what 9G-man described above, and it actually works out pretty well. There have been days where I needed heat in the morning, only needed to drop the temp a little, while on my way home, I needed A/C, so I just needed to bump the # back up.

Just need to get used to seeing the A/C light on all the time, even when heat is running, that's all.

 

Put me into the "Auto User" group. I generally only use it when my girlfriend is in the car but it works great. In fact she loves riding in my car because of the AC. The quality of air is better than in her 2013 Acura RDX.

 

Drove down to Va from NJ with Auto on for a little more than half the trip and got almost 56 mpg pencil & paper. My speeds were from 65 to 72mph.

 

While we continue to drift off topic, I would like to add that CO2 was the big concern on Apollo 13, where they had to fit together incompatibly shaped LiOH canisters with duct tape.

 

OK< I take back my comment, and agree carbon dioxide poisoning will take place before the oxygen is depleted.