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Climate control system goes wacky on me

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by Magnus, Mar 26, 2013.

  1. Magnus

    Magnus Junior Member

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    I've searched the threads for an answer to this, but have come up empty-handed. I'm beginning to think that there's something wrong with our climate control system. When I turn on either the outside or inside vent, and the dash vents, at a certain temperature and fan speed, it works for a while and then sometimes it changes direction to the floor and it increases the fan speed to maximum. The automatic climate control is not on, just the fan. Sometimes the AC comes on too.

    Am I doing something wrong? I've read the owners manual, but have not been able to figure out what's wrong.
     
    #1 Magnus, Mar 26, 2013
  2. css28

    css28 Senior Member

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    If you have explicitly toggled to the face level mode and set the fan speed there's no reason it should change things on you. It definitely shouldn't change fan speeds if the Auto light is off.
     
    #2 css28, Mar 26, 2013
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    the only thing mine does is randomly (it seems anyway) change recirculate to fresh air. it's been this way on all 3 of my pri and my wife's camry's. other than that, if the auto lite isn't on, nothing should change. read thru the manual before going to the trouble of bringing it to the dealer.
     
    #3 bisco, Mar 26, 2013
  4. nklb

    nklb Member

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    Is it possible you have pressed the filter button that causes air to recirculate temporarily? That will bump up the fan speed and toggle on the AC.
     
    #4 nklb, Mar 26, 2013
  5. parnami

    parnami Member

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    I have a v, so that a make a difference, but these are my observations regarding manual control:

    Occasionally, I'll override auto in order to direct air to the windshield. Doing so turns off the "auto" light, but, the functions I did not alter, remain in auto. This means, fan speed and temp will continue to be adjusted by the car BUT NOT air direction. As the car heats up, so too does the speed of the fan, until it reaches the set interior temp and begins to reduce speed. I've never done it but I'd guess selecting a fan speed would cancel the auto fan function as well. I don't know if it's possible or even desirable, to turn off auto temp.
     
    #5 parnami, Mar 26, 2013
  6. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    Sounds like a wacked out HVAC conrol head. If it's in warranty, yeah ya, take it to the dealer and let them worry about it. Anyway, if it isn't on "Auto" setting it shouldn't change your manual inputs.
     
    #6 BZzap!, Mar 26, 2013
  7. Magnus

    Magnus Junior Member

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    I just read the owners manual again (after reading it a couple of times before) and maybe this is what's happening. When I'm driving out of town to get onto the highway the traffic is really intense and I'm probably just pushing buttons. I've read about the filter button but it didn't really sink in until right now where it was. Does anyone really ever use that function? The only thing I ever want to get out of the car is after following someone with an old car with stinky exhaust, or a roofing truck carrying hot tar, and unfortunately nothing works for that! Why do they put it right in the center of the control panel? It would be better if it wasn't in the main control area, IMHO.
     
    #7 Magnus, Mar 27, 2013
  8. nklb

    nklb Member

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    That button drives me nuts; I absolutely do use it, for exactly the same reasons as you when there is an exterior smell, but I hate that it increases the fan speed and turns on the AC. I'm always undoing that right after turning it on (and it still works just fine at lower fan speed and without the AC)
     
    #8 nklb, Mar 27, 2013
  9. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    You can really appreciate that filter button when you encounter Skunk road kill. It works like a charm. That smell can permeate the upholstery an take a very long time to go away, otherwise.
     
    #9 BZzap!, Mar 27, 2013
  10. BZzap!

    BZzap! Senior Member

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    I guess from the ensuing post from the OP it wound up being a wacked out operator. LOL !!!
    Sorry....
     
    #10 BZzap!, Mar 27, 2013
    TwoUnderPar likes this.
  11. Magnus

    Magnus Junior Member

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    I was pushing the filter button. Until I asked for help I didn't understand what the button did. I don't push that button anymore and it works fine! I have a master's degree but the mysteries of the Prius climate control were beyond me until now! I've never tried it with stinky stuff, but since you guys say that it works, I'll try it. We have a lot of skunks around here, and a few stinky cars. What a great forum! Every day I drive my Prius I love it more and more.
     
    #11 Magnus, Mar 29, 2013
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