A/C is "on" whenever I turn on the Climate Control

[Adrian_L]

Not a huge irritant (unlike that dumb flashing white circle in my map!)......but I rarely use the A/C and prefer to have it on economy vent/fan.  But every time I am driving and turn on the climate control, the A/C is ON.  Is this a normal function of the Climate Control?  Every other car I have owned the A/C would stay off until I needed it.

 

 

[timwil56]

How are you turning it on? If you hit the AC button, obviously it comes on and if you have it on Auto it will come on. Try taking it off Auto and turn it on by pressing the on/off button, or a fan speed button, or a vent option button from the lower row. I've found, by pressing the vent buttons or fan speed, it turns on to the last setting.

Edited June 4, 2014 by timwil56

[Adrian_L]

Good question.  I turn the climate control on and off with the on/off switch on the right hand side.  

[boilermax]

I've had similar frustrations.  I rarely use the "auto" setting.  I've tried using the on/off button, the fan button, the vent option button, etc. to turn on the climate controls.   The AC always comes on and the fan runs at a much higher speed than I want.  Then I have to turn off the AC and push the fan speed down button multiple times until I get the speed I want.  All of this is a distraction from what I'm SUPPOSED to be doing - driving!

 

i learned that if you set the temperature control to "Lo" then the AC is intended to come on.  I tried playing with the difference between set temperature and outside temperature to see what effect that may have.  So far no good results.  I did learn that if I change the temperature setting while the climate control is off, the AC comes on and the fan speeds up again.  (Where have I heard that before?)

 

I tried bringing this topic up last year in this forum.  I was told that i was being "picky".  I'm sorry - I don't think trying to avoid unnecessary distractions while driving is being picky.  I think it's being a good driver.

[kostby]

I've had similar frustrations.  I rarely use the "auto" setting.  I've tried using the on/off button, the fan button, the vent option button, etc. to turn on the climate controls.   The AC always comes on and the fan runs at a much higher speed than I want.  Then I have to turn off the AC and push the fan speed down button multiple times until I get the speed I want.  All of this is a distraction from what I'm SUPPOSED to be doing - driving!

 

i learned that if you set the temperature control to "Lo" then the AC is intended to come on.  I tried playing with the difference between set temperature and outside temperature to see what effect that may have.  So far no good results.  I did learn that if I change the temperature setting while the climate control is off, the AC comes on and the fan speeds up again.  (Where have I heard that before?)

 

I tried bringing this topic up last year in this forum.  I was told that i was being "picky".  I'm sorry - I don't think trying to avoid unnecessary distractions while driving is being picky.  I think it's being a good driver.

 

I notice you own an SE. Our 2013 SE (built April 2013) does exactly the same thing.

 

Is it possible that the /Power on/AC on/high fan speed/ setting combination you describe is different for the SEL, versus the SE, or between 2013 and 2014 models?

[salsaguy]

Perhaps the Ford rep can assist on this one? And get an answer directly from one of the engineers.

[timwil56]

How are you turning it on? If you hit the AC button, obviously it comes on and if you have it on Auto it will come on. Try taking it off Auto and turn it on by pressing the on/off button, or a fan speed button, or a vent option button from the lower row. I've found, by pressing the vent buttons or fan speed, it turns on to the last setting.

I take back everything I said. I checked this morning and any button turned on the AC. I haven't had to use my AC this year and my response was based on the climate control in my Escape, I assummed they were the same. I do believe whether or not the AC comes on is based on outdoor temperature. I guess anything that takes your eyes off the road for a second is a distraction, but compared to how often I look at my info screen, looking to press the AC button was not a big deal.

[wab]

Our 2013 SEL seems to be a little different.

The ac settings are always the way they were every time we start the car.

Compressor off or on.

Recirculate off or on.

Even the AUTOMATIC dual zone temperature settings are different (72 for the driver 74 for passenger)

 

But within seconds the passenger temp setting changes to the driver setting (72/72).

This makes DW a not happy rider, she reaches over and gives her thermostat a GOOD twist and growls at me…ggerrrr!

Which makes me a NOT happy driver.

[bemyax]

I have a feeling that whether, or not, the A/C automatically activates is determined by the cabin temperature sensor. I don't know where it is located, but it must be distant from the front seating area because it takes a while to cool after the A/C is running. I'm tempted to think that the sensor is influenced by heating from the sun since it's usually warmer than the outside sensor. I, too, would like to know the logical sequence for whether, or not, the A/C automatically activates. However, lazy me will probably continue simply to press the Auto button to get the HVAC going.

[FordService]

Hi everyone,

 

If you take a look at the 3rd printing of your owner's manual, pages 151-154 go over the various climate control settings and how to best utilize them. If you are concerned that your C-Max is not operating in the way it is described in the manual, make an appointment to have your dealer take a look and let me know. I'll see how to best assist.

 

Ashley

[DaveofDurham]

Hi everyone,

 

If you take a look at the 3rd printing of your owner's manual, pages 151-154 go over the various climate control settings and how to best utilize them. If you are concerned that your C-Max is not operating in the way it is described in the manual, make an appointment to have your dealer take a look and let me know. I'll see how to best assist.

 

Ashley

 

Ashley -

 

I just read over the relevant pages in the 3rd printing of the manual.  They don't answer the question. 

 

I have had the same thing occur in my C-Max.  I drive with the AC off.  I park and turn the car off for a while.  I get back in the car and restart, and the AC comes on with the fan at full blast.  Or, I have the AC off and I turn the climate system off before I turn the car off.  I restart the car and turn the climate system back on and the AC comes on with the fan at full blast.  I don't remember all the combinations. 

 

I have found that turning the climate system back on by pressing one of the fan buttons seems to avoid having the AC come on and keeps the fan speed where it last was.  I don't use the AUTO setting for my climate system, but I wonder under some conditions it goes to AUTO by itself, senses a high cabin temp from the care being parked in the sun and goes into AC with high fan speed. 

 

Mostly I consider the AC part of this an annoying quirk so long as I catch it before I get frozen and before it depresses my mpg.  The high fan speed is more annoying to me because it is an unexpected loud noise.

[boilermax]

Hi everyone,

 

If you take a look at the 3rd printing of your owner's manual, pages 151-154 go over the various climate control settings and how to best utilize them. If you are concerned that your C-Max is not operating in the way it is described in the manual, make an appointment to have your dealer take a look and let me know. I'll see how to best assist.

 

Ashley

 

Ashley -

I also reviewed the pages you cited.  I agree with DaveofDurham that they don't answer the question.  Nowhere do they talk about how to prevent the AC from coming on or how to prevent the fan from cranking up to high speed.  Nor do they mention the fact that the AC comes on whether you want it or not.

 

I find it odd that on a vehicle intended to maximize gas mileage the default mode of operation seems to be to have the AC on.

[FordService]

Ashley -

 

I just read over the relevant pages in the 3rd printing of the manual.  They don't answer the question. 

 

I have had the same thing occur in my C-Max.  I drive with the AC off.  I park and turn the car off for a while.  I get back in the car and restart, and the AC comes on with the fan at full blast.  Or, I have the AC off and I turn the climate system off before I turn the car off.  I restart the car and turn the climate system back on and the AC comes on with the fan at full blast.  I don't remember all the combinations. 

 

I have found that turning the climate system back on by pressing one of the fan buttons seems to avoid having the AC come on and keeps the fan speed where it last was.  I don't use the AUTO setting for my climate system, but I wonder under some conditions it goes to AUTO by itself, senses a high cabin temp from the care being parked in the sun and goes into AC with high fan speed. 

 

Mostly I consider the AC part of this an annoying quirk so long as I catch it before I get frozen and before it depresses my mpg.  The high fan speed is more annoying to me because it is an unexpected loud noise.

 

 

Ashley -

I also reviewed the pages you cited.  I agree with DaveofDurham that they don't answer the question.  Nowhere do they talk about how to prevent the AC from coming on or how to prevent the fan from cranking up to high speed.  Nor do they mention the fact that the AC comes on whether you want it or not.

 

I find it odd that on a vehicle intended to maximize gas mileage the default mode of operation seems to be to have the AC on.

 

DaveofDurham and boilermax,

 

If your climate control is turning on and off without you selecting these options, I recommend having your dealer take a look. Once you've got an appointment, send me a PM with your name, phone number, VIN, mileage, and dealer info, and I'll get involved.

 

Ashley

[Adrian_L]

I think I figured it out after Tim inspired me to play around with the buttons:

 

If you have ANY of the air direction buttons ON (in other words the green arrow down (feet vent), arrow forward (face vent) or windshield defrost (vent up) if you turn off the climate control with the on/off switch the same settings and fan speed will be there when you turn it on again.  But more importantly the A/C will stay off. 

 

IF none of the air direction buttons are on, the a/c will automatically come on.  Obviously this is a design flaw and hopefully it will be corrected with a software update.

[timwil56]

I think I figured it out after Tim inspired me to play around with the buttons:

 

If you have ANY of the air direction buttons ON (in other words the green arrow down (feet vent), arrow forward (face vent) or windshield defrost (vent up) if you turn off the climate control with the on/off switch the same settings and fan speed will be there when you turn it on again.  But more importantly the A/C will stay off. 

 

IF none of the air direction buttons are on, the a/c will automatically come on.  Obviously this is a design flaw and hopefully it will be corrected with a software update.

I'm going to have to fiddle with mine a little more. I just remember the A/C did not come on in my 2013 Escape unless that was the last setting. I guess I'm not sure now how it happened or what I did, but the way I was turning it on did not activate the A/C.

I guess it's like the saying goes, put 100 monkeys in a room with typewriters and eventually they will type out Hamlet. That sums me up with the climate control in my Escape.

 

 

[Adrian_L]

Not true Wab.  My car is an SEL and even hitting the "fan down" button when the system is off turns on the A/C (even though it was off when the system or car was turned off)

[ScubaDadMiami]

I do not have these problems. Whatever was the setting at shut down, it stays the same when I next start up. If I was using A/C before shutdown, it is on again when I start up the next time. If it was off, it stays off (but fan is still on if left on). The one thing that I recently learned was that the passenger side will change to the driver's setting upon start up.

 

The big thing is to remember NOT to use Auto. I turn things on by muscle memory, at this point, so I am having a problem remembering exactly what I do to turn on the unit, if it had been turned off. I think that I just use the fan button, not the power button, but I am not certain.

[Adrian_L]

Scubadad,

With one or all of the airflow arrows turned on?  Try turning them off and see what happens.  It only seems to be a problem if they are off.

[ScubaDadMiami]

Let me see.

[ScubaDadMiami]

I played with this today. For me, whatever was the last setting before shutdown (of the vehicle) stays the same at the next power up. If I turn off the power to the climate control, when I try turning it on using either the power or fan switch, the A/C turns on, and the fan goes at the highest speed. I tried using one of the directional switches, powering down the climate control, and then starting back up using the fan or power switch, and again the A/C comes on (though I can't remember if the fan turns on to the high setting). I had my temperature turned down to Lo, so I am not sure if this was part of the issue.

[salsaguy]

On my Passat there is a sync button you can hit to make the dual zone climate temps match or not match the drivers temp.

Using different temps make the system work harder and uses more energy since one zone is always heating or cooling the other one off of you have sync off.

But of course the wife has to be kept happy so...

I would assume (hope) the CMax had a similar sync button available??

 

 

Our 2013 SEL seems to be a little different.

...

But within seconds the passenger temp setting changes to the driver setting (72/72).

This makes DW a not happy rider, she reaches over and gives her thermostat a GOOD twist and growls at me…ggerrrr!

Which makes me a NOT happy driver.

 

[salsaguy]

I suggest you one button "auto down" all the Windows when you get into the car to let out the majority of the built up heat in the cabin and wait a few (10-30)  seconds then start up the car and "auto up" all the Windows and then put it on max a/c. with recirculation to ON and dual zone set to synch/match temps until it gets to a closer temp (within a few degrees of final setpoint)  for your comfort and then turn max auto off to set to your desired fan speed for the rest of your trip (and decide if you want recirc on for dirty air, or off for fresh air), and can now change the dual zone top split the temps separately if you want.

 

This will minimize the load on the system and max your mps. 

[boilermax]

I played with this today. For me, whatever was the last setting before shutdown (of the vehicle) stays the same at the next power up. If I turn off the power to the climate control, when I try turning it on using either the power or fan switch, the A/C turns on, and the fan goes at the highest speed. I tried using one of the directional switches, powering down the climate control, and then starting back up using the fan or power switch, and again the A/C comes on (though I can't remember if the fan turns on to the high setting). I had my temperature turned down to Lo, so I am not sure if this was part of the issue.

 

This is the same behavior I have seen.  As noted by others, if the temperature is set to "Lo" the AC always comes on and the fan is highest speed.  The AC part of this is documented in the Owner's Manual . . . "In position LO, 59°F (15°C), the system switches to permanent cooling."

 

I keep my temperature set in the mid-60s to prevent this "permanent cooling" operation.  So when I turn on the climate control using the fan switch, the power switch, any vent direction arrow or the temperature setting knob, the AC comes on and the fan goes to halfway between low and high. 

 

Around town I rarely use the AC, relying instead on the vents and windows.  All I want to do is have the system turn back on with the settings I had selected before I turned the climate control off.  Is that too much to ask?