[Joe M]

Posted another interior question and here's #2.....with the air off and the exterior air selected, there is very warm, almost hot air coming out of the vents. The only way I have figured out how to cool off the air is to switch the a/c on which doesn't seem right. Outside air temp is ~80F, but even if I'm on the highway at 70 mph, the air coming out of the vents is warm.

Am I doing something wrong or is this the way it is?

 

[TomM]

That's normal. Every car is like that. The fresh air intake is typically under the hood where it's warm, so the air coming through the vents is a bit above ambient.

Additionally, there's a lot of condensation around the AC coils, and when it's shut off the water evaporates making the incoming air humid.

 

[vandor]

I believe the more likely reason is that most newer cars do not have a heater valve. Engine coolant is always flowing through the heater core, but when the heater is off no air is forced through it.
However, this makes the whole HVAC box hot, thus heating any air that comes through it. I really dislike this...

 

[Alvon Elrod]

I've noticed the warm air, too, from the 'fresh air' mode of operation (no AC), and I cannot say that I've noticed that on other newer cars that I've rented. It's hard to believe that fresh air for the cabin is being sourced from the engine bay. Csaba's explanation of no valve to shut off coolant through the heat exchange box is also discouraging. Whichever explanation is correct, it is a poor design for cabin comfort, and should be addressed and changed.

 

[Chipshot]

Possible that the air reaching the cowl fresh air intake at the base of the windshield is being heated by the hood, perhaps worse in dark-colored cars but should correct after a few minutes of driving.

 

[Alvon Elrod]

The hot air from the vents (without AC) persists for a long time, more than 10 - 15 minutes, until I finally get bothered and turn on the AC or turn off the air flow entirely. Either mine is not working very well, or it is a poor design for fresh air flow.

 

[TomM]

If you think it's a problem, then I guess the thing to do is to take it to your dealer. They'll know better than anyone else.

 

[Alvon Elrod]

If you think it's a problem, then I guess the thing to do is to take it to your dealer. They'll know better than anyone else.

That's funny! We generally know much more than the dealers. They will learn more eventually, but I doubt they know much of anything with working out bugs on these cars yet.

 

[Joe M]

That's normal. Every car is like that.

Not true. The other car in our family is a 2015 Buick Regal. If you select outside air with the A/C off, the air that comes into the cabin is cool, not A/C cool, but cool.

 

[Joe M]

That's funny! We generally know much more than the dealers. They will learn more eventually, but I doubt they know much of anything with working out bugs on these cars yet.

True that....for sure I already more than the salesman that sold us the car.....:laugh:

 

[wedgewa]

I'm not having this problem.

 

[UncleMike]

Hot air from vents

Posted another interior question and here's #2.....with the air off and the exterior air selected, there is very warm, almost hot air coming out of the vents. The only way I have figured out how to cool off the air is to switch the a/c on which doesn't seem right. Outside air temp is ~80F, but even if I'm on the highway at 70 mph, the air coming out of the vents is warm.

Am I doing something wrong or is this the way it is?

I notice the same thing the other day. I just changed the direction of the air on the directional knob and the problem went away....or made it less noticable. Hope that helps.

 

[Treetopflyer]

same issue...

 

[Deano]

Here in the Uk we would pray to have an issue like this 80F is just a pipe dream , even in summer

 

[klikai]

.....humm I dont have what you guys are talking about

Normally with my AC off and the right temperature it just comes out normal air.
One thing I realized over the years on a lot of car is that does matter if your AC is on or not (AC just works more like a empower thingy)

e.g. the temperature of the air coming from the vents depends on outside temperature and the air temperature you selected

So if the outside is like 5 F, with AC off and your temperature setting on the cool side it would still blow hot air, until you pass a certain point.

and if it is 70 F outside it would be another story.

Because of the small cabin normally I find the heater too hot for winter, so I just turn the ac off and let fresh air in.

 

[68wooley]

My car was in the dealer today having the AC fixed. Prior to recharging the AC, the tech measured the temperature of the air coming out the vents with the temp turned all the way down at 90F. That seems excessive, and is probably in part because the car had been sitting with a warm engine, but its always noticeably warmer than ambient with the AC off and turned all the way down.