Is my heater special?
 

When I select "floor only" my A/C compressor starts. If a few people could check their cars I would be grateful.

The test:
(With the engine running and in a quite place) Put the fan on speed 1, put the selector on "top vent only" and press the A/C button. You will hear the A/C clutch turn on in the engine compartment.
Turn off the A/C and select "floor only". Do you hear the A/C click on? If you don't hear the A/C turn on, hit the A/C button. Did you hear the A/C turn on?

If a few people with mechanical abilities could check I would really appreciate it!

TIA,

Vince

Well known....
 

A lot of cars do this, it is to dehumidify the air if you put it to floor or windshield.

The only position it doesn't do it is "vent only".

(You can prevent it by pulling the "a/c clutch" fuse under the hood.)

S

I knew about the defrost turning on the A/C but the FLOOR vents? That is the most stupid thing in my RX8 then. Hell, why not turn the A/C on for the top vent too? Hell, why even put the A/C button in the car!
Stupid...

Thanks for the info,

Vince

maybe mazda doesn't want you to have cold wet feet....

and fwiw, the front vent + floor position DOES NOT turn on the AC compressor...

If I wanted a car to help me think.. I would of bought a Buick.

Vince

And I hate having cold feet!

Vince

floor only turns on the defroster which turns on the compressor

LOL! You're right, of course. I've had several Buick rentals in the past few years and I always end up shouting and them and cursing them. Haven't ever been able to lock the doors on a post-1997 Buick without it bing-bonging an error tone at me. I usually feel better after I kick them. :D:

Seriously though, your wet feet track in plenty of moisture (either to your carpets or your rubber floor mats) and the AC through the floor should help to compensate so you don't end up driving a portable greenhouse with the insides of all the windows fogged up.

Besides, your feet won't get *cold* if you have the temperature dial set for heat and the engine is warm. If your feet are already wet then blowing hot *and* dry air across them is surely better than just recirculated hot air. Don't you agree? :scratchhe

If not, learn to accept the things you can't change anyway. It's a zen thing. :lol2:

That's one thing I really like about my 1990 Miata. Nice and simple climate controls.

I guess I could make something to shove into the two center vents...

The funny thing is my feet are not wet most of the time in the winter.

Vince

You mean "top down or top up"? Yeah, that's simple. :cwm27: Wait, is anyone else laughing?

Yep!

Vince

yeahhh... a lot of vehicles are doing this...
On my friends Kia, it's the same thing. The AC turns on on certain settings. But at least Kia has instructions on how to turn this feature off if you don't want the AC to turn on automatically.
Maybe the RX8 has some feature to turn this off but we don't know about it?????

Rtfm......
 

The manual tells you all about it, bottom of page 6-8, Climate Control System :)

S

HAY what's wrong with a Buick! ?

I'm gonna get mad like Xdeedub.

That's my daily driver. :ylsuper:

Don't panic, you are new and you need to learn more about your car - If it blows on your feet it is because that was the last setting you, or someone else left there. If it comes on its because a button has been set so it does it. This is something you need to experiment with - with the air blowing, check out that odd little button rt side down near your shifter - you will find you can push it and a little light will go on- meaning that when you have your AC (air conditioner) on its really really on - you will find you can blow on your face, feet, both, and do a lot of stuff on your window by playing with this lower button - just keep poking it and it will change modes- try this with the AC light on and off - Now for the coldest temp, put the AC on, put it to blow on the face only, and make sure the temp selection knob is to the far right. For warmest the AC is off, both feet and face are on, and the temperature control is in red and far left....

And to get really warm turn on those seat heaters if you've got them!

RX3+5, I'm with you. I hate the climate controls. I hate the whole We-Know-Whats-Good-For-You-Better-Than-You-Do approach. You'd think the car was made by Microsoft. There are a number of ways where the controls don't do what you asked for, that really bugged me when I first got the car. Happily, I've gotten used to them and they don't actively bug me anymore. Just passively. :)

I cut up a shop rag and shoved in in the back seat heater vents. It's a bit better now.

Vince