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A New Complaint

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by daniel, Jun 7, 2004.

  1. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    I don't believe I've seen this commented on before. But it appears that in order to change the temperature setting of the climate control, it is necessary to turn on the blower fan.

    This is an issue because with the temp set high, hot air will come out of the vents even with the fan off. In order to stop this, I have to turn the fan on, then lower the temperature setting (which requires holding the button for a fairly long time, or pressing it repeatedly to lower it one degree at a time).

    In spring and fall, when it is cold in the morning and warm in the afternoon, it is not enough merely to leave the heater off in the warm afternoons: Rather, I have to turn it on, bump down the temp setting, and then turn it off again.

    I'd like the temp buttons to function even with the fan off. And I'd like a single button that would bump the temp in one press to Max Hot, and another for Max Cold.

    And I've mentioned this before, but I'd like another button that, in one single press, would set the system to bring in outside air directly, without either heating or cooling it. To accomplish that now, you have to fiddle with the controls until you have outside air, A/C off, and the temp set below the car's inside temperature.
     
    #1 daniel, Jun 7, 2004
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Daniel,
    I think it's a fairly valid complaint. It's not just that the blower comes on, the AC comes on as soon as you activate that temp button and there's no single button/one push option for the vent setting--which I find ludicrous. :roll:

    It's an amazingly efficient system, with essentially one or two quirks that should be easily fixed--1)One-button vent 2)temp control without activating auto-AC. :|
     
    #2 efusco, Jun 7, 2004
  3. Brian

    Brian Member

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    Maybe they think that If you are changing the temp of the air that eventually you are going to turn it on, So why not have them start it for you.
     
    #3 Brian, Jun 7, 2004
  4. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    It's possible to have the setting on "fresh" while keeping the blower off. If you keep the temp all the way down, the car shouldn't heat the air that comes through either.
     
    #4 HTMLSpinnr, Jun 7, 2004
  5. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    I think essentially the engineers designed the "climate" system around the Auto setting. almost everything else is an afterthought.
     
    #5 Frank Hudon, Jun 8, 2004
  6. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    In summer I can keep the temp all the way down, and in winter all the way up. But in spring and fall, when nights are cold and days are hot, I have to go through the whole temp-changing routine twice a day.

    If I've had the temp high for a cold morning, then when I start the car in the afternoon, even with the fan off, a considerable amount of hot air comes out. Unless I remember to turn the temp down before I shut it off, which still puts me through the whole hassle.

    In my old '89 Civic, the temp setting was a big knob, and a quick flick of the wrist. Fresh/Recirculate was a slider that stayed where I left it! Sometimes the old mechanical controls really are better.

    Of course, I could set the temp on 72 and always use automatic. That way I'd burn gas to run the air conditioner when an open window would do just fine.
     
    #6 daniel, Jun 8, 2004
  7. windsurfdog

    windsurfdog New Member

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    I believe the extra gas one would use when the windows are open and aerodynamics are not maximized would negate the extra gas used to power the a/c. Just set it on 72 and forget it or turn it off and roll down the windows. Either way, make sure the hippopotamus is comfortable.... :D
     
    #7 windsurfdog, Jun 8, 2004
  8. daniel

    daniel Cat Lovers Against the Bomb

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    The aerodynamic effect is negligible for city driving. On the highway I agree with you and always close the windows.

    Thanks for thinking of the hippopotamus. He's been so quiet back there lately that I'd nearly forgotten about him.
     
    #8 daniel, Jun 8, 2004
  9. m4prius

    m4prius New Member

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    why not leave the blower always on the lowest setting...that way you can always make the temp change...I always keep the blower on the low setting in my other Toyotas...you need to flush the air out of the duct one way or another...adjust the vents so the air doesn't blow directly in your face during start up.
     
    #9 m4prius, Jun 8, 2004
  10. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    another nice feature of the Classic, just turn the knob and it's set
     
    #10 Frank Hudon, Jun 8, 2004
  11. delrey

    delrey Member

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    Well I also have to agree with the complaint, thought it doesn't bother me too much (I just keep the auto setting around 72, bump it up or down a little as needed).

    I think I've used the voice command once or twice to switch from max cold to warm ... but hardly ever have it on max cold ...
     
    #11 delrey, Jun 9, 2004
  12. DaveG

    DaveG Member

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    I don't think I've touched the auto-climate setting on mine more than a couple of times since I found the sweet-spot where I like it (23.5c).

    It would be nice to have two or three "temperature preset" locations though, that you could just tap to recall temperature/vent combinations.

    Dave
     
    #12 DaveG, Jun 9, 2004
  13. norman

    norman New Member

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    Well I always leave it at the same temp and let the CC take care of it. After all, isn't that what it's for?

    It strikes me as odd how my wife cranks up the house heating when its raining outside as though the house will heat up faster. In fact it heats at the exact same rate no matter what the thermostat is set to, it just continues to heat past that low "simmer" where I start to sweat, but she still shivers.
     
    #13 norman, Jun 9, 2004
  14. Batavier

    Batavier Member

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    3 points for the hippopotamus in the back!
     
    #14 Batavier, Jun 9, 2004
  15. bruceha_2000

    bruceha_2000 Senior Member

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    Must be the engineers in Japan never come across a (Let's sing it all toegther) "Dead skunk in the middle of the road". I use the outside/inside buttons in my Odyssey a lot during the non-winter months. Works well when following a stinky old deisel dump truck too
     
    #15 bruceha_2000, Jun 9, 2004
  16. delrey

    delrey Member

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    But there *is* a single button to switch to recirc!
    Used it every time we passed the stinky bit in the recent 3 trips up and down hwy 5 to Los Angeles and home again.
    (I wonder how many people become vegetarian after driving by a feedlot?)
     
    #16 delrey, Jun 10, 2004
  17. windsurfdog

    windsurfdog New Member

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    Haven't found a recirc system that works better than the Prius.....skunks, diesels, smoke just don't get in as long as one gets to the button on the steering wheel quick enough.....extremely convenient.
     
    #17 windsurfdog, Jun 10, 2004
  18. N9IWP

    N9IWP New Member

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    The problem with "set and forget" is that there are days when it is 60F in the morning so you want to heat it to say, 68F but 85F in the afternoon so you want to cool to say 78F. (or it is 80F but sunny so it is 90F in the car)

    Brian
     
    #18 N9IWP, Jun 10, 2004
  19. victor

    victor New Member

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    I dont know if this would work (as Im still waiting) but have you tried playing with the driver profiles? Maybe you could set one for hot and another for cold air? Just a thought.
     
    #19 victor, Jun 11, 2004
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