Basically put, there are several computers that are in the car, called ECU's. What you have to do is connect your car to a computer and "Code" the ECU responsible for the air-conditioning and tell it to remain in the previous state when you switch your car oon. That way, if you have it off before you turn the car off, it will remain off when you turn the car back on..Can you explain some more dragons? What do you mean code your car?
Why doesn't switching it to manual work?
Confused...:|
OK so I can plug into the diagnostic port and adjust this setting?:|Basically put, there are several computers that are in the car, called ECU's. What you have to do is connect your car to a computer and "Code" the ECU responsible for the air-conditioning and tell it to remain in the previous state when you switch your car oon. That way, if you have it off before you turn the car off, it will remain off when you turn the car back on..
I've had limited success, and haven't been able to get it to 100% off when you start the car, sometimes it off, other times it wants to turn on.. which is rather annoying in winter.
Any evidence to back up that claim? Sounds like wishful thinking - or possibly a mis-remembering of a Mythbusters episode where they demonstrated that driving at motorway speeds with the windows open gave higher fuel consumption than driving with windows closed and aircon on.Modern systems don't eat fuel or power like they used to.
No, I don't have any ratified evidence but when you switch a modern system on there is less obvious loss of power and drag on the power than you used to get. I am talking 90s or early 2000s here.Any evidence to back up that claim? Sounds like wishful thinking - or possibly a mis-remembering of a Mythbusters episode where they demonstrated that driving at motorway speeds with the windows open gave higher fuel consumption than driving with windows closed and aircon on.
Data I've read says fuel economy penalty of using aircon is:
Urban 10%
Suburban 3%
Motorway 1% (so opening windows causes more drag than aircon at this speed)
I have always thought it a necessity to run ac on a regular basis to keep the seals lubricated. If you don't the gas can leak, this happened to a pal of mine on a brand new car after six months.If I have a choice I always go for a manual aircon system as I only use aircon in winter when it's cold and raining to clear the windows. Fresh air is the only way to drive. I do get frustrated with auto aircon having to turn it off each time I start.
Stealth mode: I like that! I noticed the same thing whilst out driving yesterday. I came off the motorway, and turned off the air con, as I was going to open sunroof & windows whilst crawling in non-motorway traffic, but it was still producing very cold air from the vents 25 minutes later. The green A/C light was definitely off (it was about 25 degrees C outside at the time) so I thought it might be residual...but stealth mode is way better...although I guess the extra 10% cost in economy loss, referred to here, is not so great.Glad I saw this thread... thought I was going crazy.
On my MCS - the aircon definitely comes on, of it's own accord, on a hot day after start up. But the green light does not show.
It's kind of "aircon stealth mode".