Automatic Air Control?

JollyOllie · Oct 25, 2009

What is up with the Gen III 2010 air control? Does your air conditioner kick in to cool down the car automatically or do you have to push the air conditioner button to cool down the car? Does automatic not mean automatic? What are you supossed to do with the darn air conditioner?!? I know you have to be in standard mode - not ECO or EV - for the automatic system to work but the darn air conditioner never seems to cut in automatically. The only item I can see that's automatic are the fans - if this is it then I sure don't call that automatic.

What the heck do you do?!?

. . . .

Thanks for the responses! So the answer is you have to have both Automatic and Air Conditioner buttons pressed for the Climate Control system to be able to fully control the cabin temp.

Thanks folks!

Tideland Prius · Oct 25, 2009

Well what's the temperature outside and what temperature did you set the climate control to? Is your A/C light on?

If it's cool, then it's not gonna run the A/C cause the fan is enough to maintain your temperature. If it's too warm, then lower the temp!

It doesn't matter if you're in normal, EV, ECO or PWR mode, the A/C works lol.

Also, do you know what package you have cause it sure as hell isn't the Adv. Tech.

IraS · Oct 25, 2009

You need to have the AC button pressed (i.e. the AC light on) for the automatic climate control system to be able to cycle the air conditioner on and off.

Automatic mode works no matter what mode the car is in (normal or ECO). The only difference is that in ECO mode the air conditioner runs less and the fan speed seems to be lower. It also recirculates the air much more than in normal mode.

Ads_green · Oct 25, 2009

As above - automatic mode is on regardless of a/c status. The ac button just decides if the automatic system has access to control the a/c compressor.

SW03ES · Oct 25, 2009

Yeah your issue is you don't leave the AC button on....always leave it on.

DetPrius · Oct 25, 2009

Personally, I prefer the fact that you control whether the system can use the A/C or not given there is an MPG cost to using the A/C. I would not be a happy camper if I could not control the use of the A/C.

radiocycle · Oct 25, 2009

Also, you might want to do a search, as there have been other threads on this topic...

garygid · Oct 25, 2009

What do you need to set "ON" (or "OFF") for the cabin heating to work, in automatic mode?

Auto and Air Cond still ON, just set the temperature higher than the cabin (and outside?) temp?
Or, do I have to turn the Air Cond OFF?

Can one take some moisture out of cool, very humid outside air (with the Air Cond),
and then heat the "fresh" air to be comfortable for the cabin?

Blind Guy · Oct 25, 2009

garygid said: ↑

What do you need to set "ON" (or "OFF") for the cabin heating to work, in automatic mode?
* You can turn the A/C OFF and set the Temperature to your likeing.
Auto and Air Cond still ON, just set the temperature higher than the cabin (and outside?) temp?
Or, do I have to turn the Air Cond OFF?
* Yes, you can leave the A/C ON, just set the temperature to what you like, however, I have found that if a warmer temperature is desired, you usually have to set that temperature a few degrees lower than the actual desired temperature with the Air ON.
Can one take some moisture out of cool, very humid outside air (with the Air Cond),
and then heat the "fresh" air to be comfortable for the cabin?

* YES!

David (aka Blind guy)

Blind Guy · Oct 25, 2009

JollyOllie said: ↑

What is up with the Gen III 2010 air control? Does your air conditioner kick in to cool down the car automatically or do you have to push the air conditioner button to cool down the car?
* The Prius does NOT turn the AC On/Off at its discression. You are responsible for selecting AC when you think it's appropriate.

Does automatic not mean automatic? What are you supossed to do with the darn air conditioner?!?
* You simply set your desired temperature, and select AC when it's necessary.

I know you have to be in standard mode - not ECO or EV - for the automatic system to work
* As sited above, NOT CORRECT!

but the darn air conditioner never seems to cut in automatically.
* And it NEVER will.

The only item I can see that's automatic are the fans
* The Fans ARE Automatic, they increase/decrease in velocity and volume to maintain the set temperature at the correct level.

- if this is it then I sure don't call that automatic.
* The reason the system is NOT fully Automatic, is because there are times the system would be incapable of determining whether cold or hot air should be delivered to the cabin. There will be times when the outside air is cool, but the cabin has warmed up enough to require a short period of AC, and vice versa, there are times it's warm outside and the car's been in the shade, and needs some heat.

There would be those who'd complain because their AUTOMATIC HV/AC system incorrectly selected the wrong temperature of air for a given condition.

Another point, the system, as is, requires FEWER button presses. For example, your temperature is currently set to 72 degrees, the outside temperature is also 72 degrees. If your car has been parked in the sun for some time and the interior has become uncomfortably warm, with the system fully Automatic, when you returned to your car and start it, the AC would NOT come on (there usually needs to be a 2 degree separation between the requested temp and the current temp), so to get the AC to activate, you'd be required to press the Temperature button Down at least 4 times to set the temperature to 68 degrees, to cool the cabin down sufficiently, then press it again to bring the temperature back up to 72 degrees when the cabin reached a comfortable temperature, that's a total of 8 button presses to kick the AC On, lower the cabin temperature and then return the temperature back to its original setting.

With the system as is, you'd simply press the AC button (your temperature is already set to 72 degrees) to activate the AC, it will cool the cabin down to our set temperature of 72 degrees by blowing a high volume of cool air until the cabin is 72 degrees, at which point it will slowly reduce Fan speed to maintain your set temperature. When you determine it's cool enough, press the AC button to turn it Off, that's a total of 2 button presses!
What the heck do you do?!?

David (aka Blind guy)

Tideland Prius · Oct 26, 2009

DetPrius said: ↑

Personally, I prefer the fact that you control whether the system can use the A/C or not given there is an MPG cost to using the A/C. I would not be a happy camper if I could not control the use of the A/C.

That's why there's an A/C button =)

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