Air flow without the air conditioner on

I stole the following from someone at PriusOnline. It's a great explanation of how to use the climate control system:

 

I very rarely use "Auto" since when pressing "Auto" that turns on the AC and uses the foot air vent. I usually just press the low fan and pick the upper and foot air vent combo button and then set my temp. Once the car is comfortable, I usually turn off the fan.

 

I'm of the "set and forget" category EXCEPT: If I notice a dead skunk or other similar noxious odor-producer coming up (like a diesel truck) I quickly shut the AC off on the wheel. I've noticed that this almost completely prevents the smell being drawn into the cabin. I suppose that switching to recirc would do the same thing, but that seems too complicated when I only have a second or two...

Peace

 

Follow the instructions I posted above. I change my fan settings, vent settings, and temperature all the time, and the air conditioner does not come on.

 

i have to say that the climate system is remarkeably adaptable to whatever it is i want weather wise. esp. including the steering wheel buttons. it works really well, a pleasure.

 

Jeff, maybe you already figured this out, but I'll answer just in case. If you had it on Auto, you will have to turn off the AC by just pressing it again. Since I don't use the Auto, just the fan setting, the AC does not come on. However, I think it might automatically come on if you decrease the temperature enough for it to say "Maximum cold".

 

How do you get the outside air without any temp control. Like if you want the 55 deg outside air and not heated to the min 65?

 

I'd like to know the answer to that one myself. It doesn't have a "fresh" or "vent" option. I miss that! Guess we just are suppose to open the windows and lower our fuel efficiency and our hairdo.

 

I think there is a problem with turning the A/C off and recirculate.

I have found the auto mode can be 'aggresive' with airconditioning when the sun is out. If the set temperature and outside temperature are within a few degrees it turns on the A/C. If I manually 'overide' this and turn off the A/C it increases the fan speed in an attempt to bring down the internal temp, which is what you would expect.

It then also switches to recirculate, thinking the A/C is on? If the A/C is off why would'nt it always stay on 'fresh'?

Anyone else with same observation?

 

If you find yourself constantly turning off the A/C compressor, you can have the dealer change this option from AUTO to MANUAL. Then, when you press the AUTO button on the steering wheel, the car will try to regulate temperature by adjusting the fan speed, direction, and amount of outside air, but will do so with out the A/C compressor running.

 

If, instead of using AUTO, you simply select your fan speed and vents, plus RECIRCULATE, you will get outside air. If the A/C comes on, you hit that button to shut it off.

Here's the problem: There's no button to shut off heat, the way there is for A/C. Thus if your set temperature is above the car's internal temperature, you'll get heat no matter what.

The only way to avoid getting heat (whether the fan is on or off!) is to have the temperature set below the cabin temperature. MAX COLD works fine and will not force the A/C to turn on, unless it was on previously, or you used AUTO, but then you just hit the A/C button to turn it off.

Another problem is that you cannot change the temperature setting without turning on the fan. So if you use the heater on a chilly morning, and then park in the sun and come back out in the afternoon, you have to turn on the fan, lower the temperature setting by pressing temp down until it is low enough, and then turn the fan back off. It's a pain in the a$$.

There really should be a HEAT OFF button.

 

actually there is a way to set the air for fresh or recirculate.

on the climate screen in the lower left hand corner. you will see the two pictures of the car with the arrows. the recirculate is on the left, fresh is on the right.

just make sure the green stripe for the air is off and fresh is on, then set the fan speed and you are set. keep in mind that individual vents can be open or closed that do seem to affect air volume. this must be done manually like a normal car though. strange that this isnt computer controlled also... or is it and i just dont know about it??