Does anyone know how to set the Climate Control to AUTO and have the unit set to RECIRCULATE at the same time? I made this happen once (with unimpressed witnesses) but I can't seem to do it again, and don't know how I got it to happen. I would love to not have to smell trucks and other outside odors while driving, but I love the auto climate control.

 

The one instance where I had auto and recirculate on at the same time happened just after I started it up when it had been kinda warm outside. It just came on by itself for a while, until the interior cooled off, then turned off. Could it be that's how you "made this happen"?

 

I really don't know, but it was just after startup. I didn't drive that far, so it didn't have time to shut itself off if it was going to, but I would love to know how to make this happen manually.

 

AUTO is just what its name says, automatic. The climate control selects what it thinks are the best settings. If that's recirculate then it's recirculate. If it's not it's not. If you want recirculate when the AUTO setting doesn't then you're going to have to set it manually.

 

I think the climate control will default to the recirculate mode if cooler air is called for, the idea being that it's easier to cool the interior air than to pull in warmer outside air and cool it.

If warmer air is called for, it will just pull in ambient air.

 

I guess I will have to let the car decide. I just wish it had a sensor to detect a '73 Buick burning oil in front of me, or if the NAVI could detect cow patsures in the area....

 

NO, auto function controls the entire climate control it will recirculate as necessary to regulate the air temperature. Pressing the button yourself, then you are maually controlling the cabin climate.

 

Actually, back when i had my 99 BMW 540, there was an "recirculate/fresh air/auto" button. I could actually leave it on auto and then it would pump fresh air into the cabin 90% of the time. There's a sensor in the air intake and when it senses something smelly, it will immediately recirculate the air automatically. Yea i know... pretty impressive.

 

If you select the recirc. button, the rest of the system will remain automatic. If you read the owners manual :-) it says that the system becomes semi-automatic and does not have a manual-only option. For example, if you turn the AC on and fan to feet only, the system will still control everything that you have not selected yet, like the fan speed and circulation options.

 

If you select AUTO then the system will control everything. Once you make a change , for example adjust fan speed to low, then the fan will be on low but everthing else will still be on automatic.

 

OK, so I guess it will still maintain the set temperature even if I put it on recirculate. Thanks guys.