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Fresh Air Vent - MAJOR Confusion or GRIPE?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Madeleine, Mar 12, 2008.

  1. Madeleine

    Madeleine Student of Prius

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    Can ANYONE help us with understanding BEFORE WE BUY what is possible with fresh air in Prius?

    Here's the thing - we need to have cool air at the face level and when cold outside enough, run warm heat at the foot level AT THE SAME TIME.

    Many cars have fresh air vents that can run at the same time (face height vents dispense the outside-temp fresh air) while the floor vents dispense heat.

    The local dealer says to their surprise, after looking/trying everything they could, they say this can't be done on the Prius 2008 or 2007 models, both Touring and Standard.

    In case you think we're wasteful of energy or just nutty in wanting this feature, here's a few reasons why:
    1) it is a nice safety feature to have cool-fresh air near head level to keep alert in night driving
    2) In the cooler weather months, when running the heat at foot level, heat rises and for a surprising number of people, sinus congestion from breathing in the warm air becomes a real issue. If I ride in a car without cooler air (no extra big power to produce it, just a little natural ambient outside air blowing in fresh) I get a sinus headache that lasts for hours afterward. Our allergy doc was the one who diagnosed the issue, and said he tells all his patients they need to have cooler air at face height.
    3) Another poster said it best - "even my old Pinto had fresh air independent vents"! :mmph:
    4) Just opening a window is not a great option. Paying around 28K for a car, I shouldn't have to let in rain, road noise, and at stop lights let in nasty exhaust fumes from other cars.

    We heard the 2005 Prius had fresh air independent vents but newer models don't. Surely there is a way to get fresh air? We were so excited about the Prius... THANKS TO ANY OF YOU WHO COULD HELP ANSWER THIS - we hope there is a way to have fresh cool outside air AND warmer at feet.
    :confused:
     
    #1 Madeleine, Mar 12, 2008
  2. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    It IS possible...and it's what I leave mine on almost all the time. But it isn't simple.:(

    What you do is set the temp to "Max Cold", turn OFF the "AUTO" setting (most easily by manually setting the fan speed) and turn OFF the "A/C".

    Why they didn't just put a one-touch "VENT" setting I have no idea.
     
    #2 efusco, Mar 12, 2008
  3. filiberti

    filiberti Junior Member

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    Madeleine is right there prob no way to have HEAT at footwell and cool air at top vents. BMW for instance has a dial on the top center vents blue to red for cool or heat at face vents but on Prius all you can do is turn off the face vents . When heat is on you only have heat coming out at face vents .....
     
    #3 filiberti, Mar 12, 2008
  4. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    I think you will find the temperature of air coming from the face vents is colder than the footwell vents. Good luck finding a vehicle with that vent setup these days.

    I'd advise you hire or loan a Prius for a day and see how you go with the vents. I was able to have a Prius for an extended test drive overnight. Play around with the climate and see if there is a setting you are happy with.

    Do you know the Prius filters the air through the vent system?
     
    #4 patsparks, Mar 12, 2008
  5. ny biker

    ny biker Member

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    I would say it isn't simple to figure out initially, but it's easy enough to do once you figure it out.

    However as near as I can tell Filiberti is right - I've never tried to get heat from some vents and fresh non-heated air from others, but I don't see how to make that happen with this car.
     
    #5 ny biker, Mar 12, 2008
  6. subarutoo

    subarutoo New Member

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    In over 50 years of driving I've never seen a car with two levels of temperature, upper and lower. I've seen "his" and "hers" left and right individual controls, but not what you ask. I'm a cold air in the face kinda guy, my wife is just the opposite. We get along pretty well in our Prius. I wouldn't let a vent design break up a possibly beautiful relationship - you and your new Prius.
     
    #6 subarutoo, Mar 12, 2008
  7. Rae Vynn

    Rae Vynn Artist In Residence

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    It seems to us that, when we have the Auto AC on, we get warmer air at our feet, cooler air at our faces.

    Of course, we have the AC set at 70F, and it's a bit cooler than that outside, so it may just be the time of year.
     
    #7 Rae Vynn, Mar 12, 2008
  8. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    That's what ours does too. Warmer at the feet, cooler above.

    Tom
     
    #8 qbee42, Mar 12, 2008
  9. perambulator

    perambulator Junior Member

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    Hello Madeleine,
    I know exactly what you are looking for, unfortunately no 2007/2008 Prius has that A/C feature.
    I have had cars such as 1988 BWM 528, 1991 Range Rover and 1998 Volvo V70 with the A/C set up you described. I miss it dearly, I love full blast of heated air in the footwell and cool fresh air at the face vents.
    I have been searching for a mini fan that's powered by cigarette lighter or USB to provide cool air at face level, but so far no luck.
    Fortunately there are so many wonderful features in the Prius that make it easy for me to forego that beloved A/C feature.
     
    #9 perambulator, Mar 12, 2008
  10. Madeleine

    Madeleine Student of Prius

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    Re: There ARE cars that do it, and THANKS!!!

    Hi all,
    First, I promise you from first-hand experience, that some cars that are current on the market DO OFFER this feature. I've been in BMWs (mine and others) for over 30 years that all offer it - current and old models, and Nissan's cars are two examples. The settings are easy one flip switch or twist a dial for fresh ambient outside air, or to whatever degree you want to "mix" that air with part heated air. EASY. No extra AC ENERGY consumption required.

    Secondly, THANKS to all of you for writing your comments. Clearly, you all know so much more than the sales staff.

    Third, I do need to get in that car and play with it myself, because your varied input still leaves me wondering if/how... and I need to try your various methods to see. The dealership just told me "no way".

    To answer one question asked of me via this thread, yep, I know the air is filtered. The sinus issue isn't caused by the unfiltered allergens, but the temp itself induces stuffy-oh-plenty-misery all by itself. If you are a person with that problem, think for a moment about what happens to many people when they walk out into cold winter air. Their noses run, and they can often breath easier through their nose. The opposite happens with excess heat. It's not like it's steamy-steam room type of heat, which is great news for the windows, but not great news for some of us with this sinus issue. So the filter is nice, but it's just to stupid to have to juggle complicated...:juggle:

    FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE, WHAT A SHAME TO HAVE TO RUN AC OR DO MULTIPLE STEPS OF COMPLICATIONS IN ORDER TO JUST HAVE SOME FRESH COOL OUTSIDE AIR ALONG WITH A BIT OF HEAT ON THE FEET. I saw where one poster on another thread said it's like Toyota had to different engineers designing the HVAC system and they didn't talk to one another one bit!

    If I could solve this issue, I'd buy a Prius this very hour!:(:confused: I am not giving up easy... I really want that Prius!!!
     
    #10 Madeleine, Mar 12, 2008
  11. Madeleine

    Madeleine Student of Prius

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    Hi Perambulator,

    Yes!!! THANK YOU! I know the cars you are talking about very well! Isn't it GREAT to have that cool blast? Keeps you alert, and for me, it isn't optional because, call me crazy, breathing O2 in through the nose shouldn't be impossible and something to give up in buying a new car! I shouldn't have to get sinus headaches to drive :)

    Still, some of the folks here on this thread have reported good results (and varied methods to get there) and so it seems maybe worth a try...

    I need to take a print out of this thread to the dealer and play!
     
    #11 Madeleine, Mar 12, 2008
  12. hyo silver

    hyo silver Awaaaaay

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    Too bad those little triangle windows don't open, eh? That used to be a pretty easy solution on most cars - leave the heat on, and crack open the vent windows a bit.

    If you do end up getting a Prius, Madeleine, you'll want to clean and/or replace the cabin filter fairly often. And probably clean the condensor coils regularly.
     
    #12 hyo silver, Mar 12, 2008
  13. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    umm... can't you just run the Prius in AUTO mode?

    The Prius has a two-tiered climate control system. When heat is requested, the vent is closed (wait.. keep reading before responding).

    The FOOT level uses recirculated air to help heat the cabin faster. The FACE level blows out fresh air to keep the windows from fogging up.

    Now if the climate control is in the FOOT level, heat will of course come out from the vents underneath the dashboard but there'll also be some very light heated air coming from the outboard (window) vents. The inboard (inner vents next to the radio) will be cooler air so that's the vent you want pointed at your face.
     
    #13 Tideland Prius, Mar 12, 2008
  14. Madeleine

    Madeleine Student of Prius

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    OOOOH... interesting idea on the "auto" mode... I'll add this to my "go and play at the dealer" playlist.

    Yes, filters being cleaned regularly is a great reminder... it won't matter on this issue for me, but it will save any of us from other ick factors, for sure!

    Yeah, those old triangular wing windows were not bad, BUT THE SIMPLE VENT LEVER FOR FRESH COMING OUT THE FACE LEVEL DUCTS IS/WAS BETTER. BMW, Volvo, and others really have that right. If only they weren't such asses (diid I just say that?) about energy efficient cars...

    Okay, THANKS and I appreciate EVERY SUGGESTION folks!!! I'm going to try them ALL and get back to you!
     
    #14 Madeleine, Mar 12, 2008
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