Automatic Climate Control Question

[chenc544]

Personally I think the auto climate control is too smart for it’s own good but I guess that’s progress… Anyway, I was wondering if there is a way to control the outlet temperature without turning on the fan? For example, in winter I like to drive with air inlet set to “Outside Air”, leave the fan off and set the temperature control to hot. This way there is a little bit of warm airflow coming in and it won’t fog up the windows. I know you can select air inlet between recirculation and outside air without turning on the fan but can you control the temperature as well?

[MilesA]

The ACC appears to work like this. Set the thing to AUTO, then set the dials to the temperature you want. Now, set the recirc where you want it, then set the fan down. The system should maintain the approximate temperature you set before.

 

By default, the system will run A/C at times in cold weather which is supposed to dehumidfy the air to avoid the fogged-up windows problem. But if you turn A/C off before turning the fan down, you should achieve something close to what you want.

[leftride]

i wouldnt say its too smart. the thing is pretty crappy. my tsx had dual climate control and it worked flawlessly. the fan only blew full speed if it was super hot or super cold and then would drop down after a few short minutes. i rarely ever touched the controls. on the subie i have to adjust the fan every time i get in the car. its no different than having manual controls.

[erikvcl]

What you ask can be done:

 

1. With the system on, turn the temperature to the value you want; you mentioned hot

2. Set to "fresh air" (i.e. not recirculation)

3. Turn the system off

 

You will notice that air from the outside comes in and is heated with no fan.

[Guest *Jedimaster*]

I agree with leftride. I'd prefer to have a simply and effective manual dial to control things. That auto setting is worthless. I was initially impressed that the car came with auto climate control, but once I used it a few times just used it manually anyway. The one in my 2000 GTP was much better- it worked flawlessly and you could actually control both temps from the driver's side switch. The knobs felt better too- had a rubberized coating on them, not a hard plasctic that feels rough.

[erikvcl]

I know you guys don't like the ACC in the Legacy, but I was and still am very impressed with it. My Dad has a 1999 BMW 5 series and that ACC is crap -- at one point is was blowing ice cold air at the floor and scalding hot air out the face vents in full auto mode!

 

The Subaru system tries to get the inside temp to what you select as fast as possible. This is why it sometimes blows the fan at "full speed" and it's a bit chilly for a while until the temps even out. This'll be good if you have passengers in the back. You just got be "patient" with it...

 

Here are some of the positive aspects about it:

 

1. In the morning, it directs the air at defrost -- this serves both to defrost the window (if needed) and to avoid blowing cold air on the passengers before the coolant is warm (assuming a "warm" temp is selected)

2. There are manual overrides that work well (if needed)

3. Solar sensor to modify the temperature based on sun position

 

I've used dual climate control in Audis, BMWs, and other German cars and they always seem to react _very_ slowly and I'm always fiddling with the temp (up/down).

 

On long road trips, my wife and I set each side to our own temperature and just leave it -- the car does the rest. I've never had to fiddle with the temp in the Legacy. We're both happy with it.... and when the wife's happy, I'm happy.

[AWD_Rules3830]

I dont use the auto feature. Its too uppity.

[Guest *Jedimaster*]

I dont use the auto feature. Its too uppity.

Yeah, I'm thinking about taking it down a notch or two.

[goneskiian]

I agree here though I've never had a an ACC system so I'm a newbie. I've found that with patience and ignoring the actual temperature number (i.e. if it feels cold turn up the temp and vice versa) it's quite easy to deal with and just about always leave it on. I wish I could get my wife to understand this as she keeps wanting to turn the A/C off when she's cold rather than turning the temp on her side up.

 

To answer the posters question, yes, do as others have recommended and turn up the heat on the ACC then turn to fresh and then off and it should what you're looking for.

 

Cheers!

-Ian

 

I know you guys don't like the ACC in the Legacy, but I was and still am very impressed with it. My Dad has a 1999 BMW 5 series and that ACC is crap -- at one point is was blowing ice cold air at the floor and scalding hot air out the face vents in full auto mode!

 

The Subaru system tries to get the inside temp to what you select as fast as possible. This is why it sometimes blows the fan at "full speed" and it's a bit chilly for a while until the temps even out. This'll be good if you have passengers in the back. You just got be "patient" with it...

 

Here are some of the positive aspects about it:

 

1. In the morning, it directs the air at defrost -- this serves both to defrost the window (if needed) and to avoid blowing cold air on the passengers before the coolant is warm (assuming a "warm" temp is selected)

2. There are manual overrides that work well (if needed)

3. Solar sensor to modify the temperature based on sun position

 

I've used dual climate control in Audis, BMWs, and other German cars and they always seem to react _very_ slowly and I'm always fiddling with the temp (up/down).

 

On long road trips, my wife and I set each side to our own temperature and just leave it -- the car does the rest. I've never had to fiddle with the temp in the Legacy. We're both happy with it.... and when the wife's happy, I'm happy.

[93formula]

I think it will, I have never done it but... Turn the knobs all the way hot, then turn the climate control off, then push the outside/recirc button and only that will light up on the acc.

[Elec]

I've mostly been using mine in manual mode too. I guess my main complaint is between turning the A/C on and off. If I have it set on auto at 76 or 78 and then decide it's really not bad out and I want to just open the windows and have fresh air, I can't just push the A/C button to turn it off. Either the ACC turns the fan to full blast attempting to keep you cool, or it assumes instead of 76 degrees you wanted 76 as in halfway between 65 and 85 and blows warmed air.

 

I have to hit several buttons to completely beat the climate control so I can get fresh air, desired fan setting, no A/C, and not warmed any. I s'pose I could just keep it on auto, set it to a temp that doesn't bother me, and drive with the windows and sunroof open anyway, but I'm old school and that feels wasteful

[thepdmm]

I have a question too!...

 

does the A/C seem to change Temp to anybody when the A/C clearly hasn't met the desired temp?

 

Like it is blowing out freezing cold air.. then it kind of feels like the air warms up a bit and then all of a sudden the air is cool again.. then not.. so on and so forth.. however during this time the fan has stayed at the same speed?

[John M]

When mine does that, it gets hotter and more humid, leading me to believe it is NOT the blend door (signifying just a poor control of temp) but rather the compressor is turning off for some reason.

 

The cold - warm - cold cycle may be "normal" (for Subaru), but that doesn't take into account the compressor shutting off as if it were low on freon. The long-term magazine test mentioned a bad speed sensor on the compressor. I wonder if that's more common than not?

[thepdmm]

but if the A/C system is "low" then that would mean it is leaking, which would mean soon it wouldn't work at all right? so give it a couple months should die completely if that is the case? (both of us cause you describe it what my A/C is doing too)

 

Low freon would also mean that it shouldn't get as cool.. and the A/C does keep up with this 95 degree weather we are having?

[LongHiway]

As others have noted, some of the cycling on and off is considered normal. You should see this within the first 10 minutes of starting the car and stopping at a traffic light or getting into stop and go traffic. As the engine RPMs drop, the compressor cycles on and off. I've seen this in other cars I've owned, it's much more noticeable in my '05 Subaru.

Once you get the engine RPMs back up or (and) get the cabin cool it doesn't seem to be as noticeable. I should rev the engine in neutral to positively confirm. Note, there have been random issues with RPM sensors affecting the compressor, so a combination of both issues could really make a big temperature difference.

Here's my (dumb) question about the dumb ACC. Can you control the temperature of air using auto-defrost? In my car it always seems very warm. The only alternative is to manually set the temp but, you can only manually set air flow to the windshield AND legs. Not always desirable.

[thepdmm]

Since I am on the subject of climate control, it got me thinking about my heated seats (which can change the climate in the car so it is kind of related).. I noticed that they didn't feel as hot as when I first got the car. at first thought I would think "well I am just used to it now".. but does anyone else agree? If you think about a heating element it either works or it doesn't.. right? unless over a long period of time I am sure it can wear out.. but for the most part, over the course of a winter they are not going to "wear down"..

 

I don't want to test the seats in this weather given it is so hot and not a good comparison.

 

any input? am I just freaking out now?

[John M]

but if the A/C system is "low" then that would mean it is leaking, which would mean soon it wouldn't work at all right? so give it a couple months should die completely if that is the case? (both of us cause you describe it what my A/C is doing too)

 

Low freon would also mean that it shouldn't get as cool.. and the A/C does keep up with this 95 degree weather we are having?

 

Freon that's just "low" doesn't change the output temps too much. By the time you notice warmer air, you're almost out of freon.

 

In an old car, "low" does mean there's a leak. However, it's been found before that sometimes these cars didn't leave the factory with the right amount of freon to start with.

[f1anatic]

There was a thread somewhere started by a dude who found a solution for the ACC in the Foresterer. Something to do with the little vents on the dashboard (around your right knee cap) that does not allow a proper air flow to the sensor measuring air temp.

 

I see that everone here has a feeling for this ACC as well as different ways around it. I actually always warm up a car a few minutes (until rpms are lower than 1500) so I set it on auto and 65 (assuming hot weather now in the summer) and it will blow straight back. The cabin will cool down pretty quickly then I am on the road I take it down to speed 2-3 and either let it be like that (my vents are pointed upwards as much as possible) or set it from the MODE button to cool the windows and the feet. I actually use Windows-Feet option pretty often since the cold air seems to wrap around everyone.

[goral85]

I have never gotten time to fully look into it, but why when you press the windshield defrost button it always is blowing at full speed. I have had it on for less than a minute and it would not slow down, and than I would just manually turn it down because I would get so anoyed by it.

[danlin]

I like the dual-zone climate control, but AAC is not that useful.

[John M]

My problem is that I can set it for 65 (max cool) and it'll still go to hot & humid (untouched outside air) every now and then for no reason. The compressor is definitely stopping.

 

The "auto mode sucks" problem describes when the blend door adds warm (but still dehumidified, post-compressor) air, trying to control the temp. That's not the same issue I'm having.