A/C AUTO -- set it and forget it?

[ekpolk]

Mitch:

Also remember that the car relies upon "recycled" cabin air to cool the traction battery (that's what that mysterious vent by the right rear passenger's shoulder does). Though it may not be a huge issue in your climate, trying to "sweat it out" to save gas as you might do in a conventional car, can turn counter-productive should the TB get too hot. The ECU will act to protect it if it does, and the result will be an mpg hit. I'm with the set it and forget it group. Just use the temp settings to moderate it (and occasionally mode too), and you'll do fine.

[peirhead]

So let me see if I understand this...if I turn off the A/C when in "Auto" mode then the system will still still try to meet the target temperature....right? What happens when you are not in "Auto" mode and have the A/C turned off...does the system still try to meet the set temperure?

The Owners manual entirely skips how the system operates when not in "Auto" mode.

[qbee42]

Originally Posted by peirhead

So let me see if I understand this...if I turn off the A/C when in "Auto" mode then the system will still still try to meet the target temperature....right? What happens when you are not in "Auto" mode and have the A/C turned off...does the system still try to meet the set temperure?

The Owners manual entirely skips how the system operates when not in "Auto" mode.

In manual mode you have to manually set the fan speed and vent settings. There is no temperature setpoint in fully manual mode.

Tom

[TonyPSchaefer]

Originally Posted by peirhead

The Owners manual entirely skips how the system operates when not in "Auto" mode.

This is because when the system is not in "Auto" mode, it operates the way you tell it to.

[peirhead]

Originally Posted by qbee42

In manual mode you have to manually set the fan speed and vent settings. There is no temperature setpoint in fully manual mode.

Tom

Thanks Tom...if that is the case what air comes off the fan..hot? cold? If the temp setting doesn't do anything in manual mode how does the car know if you want heat or not, just from fan settings?

In an older conventional car there is a manual heat setting, non thermostatic, that regulates how much air passes through the heater core.....Does the Temp setting on the Prius also determine the amount of air passing the heater core ( or regulate the temp of the heater core itself?