[TRobinson6]

this would be for those of you that have opened up the dash for access to a/c controls

our car a/c fans have set speeds. sometimes even the lowest speed is still too much. what i am wondering is how hard it would be to open up the fan switch and take the detents out so that you have a variable speed control (like a radio volumn knob). my civic has that and i like that capability.


no smart remarks please like open the window, turn the temp up or buy another civics

 

[jimvw57]

The fan switch selects one of a number of resistors that are mounted below by the fan. it isn't possible to get a speed between the settings as it is either resistor 1,2,3,4 etc. the fan switch is not a variable speed switch, but a selector switch. does that make sense? try turning off the recirc switch (switch to the far right of the A/C switch)

 

[TRobinson6]

thanks jim. i have tried turning recirc off and it really doesn't seem to make much difference. ever car i have ever owned you can always hear and feel a difference when switching recirc on or off except this one

 

[jsenka]

There is a definite change in the sound of the airflow when Recirc engages/disengages.
For a car with the "Auto" temp control, where the temperature control has a scale with numbers vs. the manual with a red/blue scale. (The manual system may work this way too, but I can't confirm); The system manages the Recirc feature when the A/C is ON. To attain maximum cooling, when the temp selector is calling for a colder temperature, more specifically when the selector is at the coldest position, the Recirc is automatically engaged. In this case, the red Recirc light does not illuminate. The light only illuminates when you manually engage the Recirc by pressing the button. That could lead one to believe that Recirc doesn't work when you press the Recirc button and you don't hear a change, because the system already has it engaged. As the interior of the car cools to the selected temp value, or if you select a warmer temperature, the Recirc will disengage automatically (provided the Recirc switch isn't ON), again with no light indication, but you should be able to hear that happen.
You can probably check the Recirc function by turning the A/C off, Fan on HIGH, Temp selector in the center, and cycle the Recirc switch. You should hear the changeover.
Being in Orlando, your A/C is always going to start in the maximum cooling mode because of the high outside temperature.
On a longer drive, after the car is cooled down, you may hear the system going into and out of Recirc mode as the automatic system strives to maintain the selected temperature.
I would like to add that I can't say that I've noticed the recirc automatically cycling with the temp selector above the coldest setting.

 

[jimvw57]

Also keep in mind that the numbers on the temp switch are just a scale and do not represent actual temperatures.

 

[Rustedwrench]

thanks jim. i have tried turning recirc off and it really doesn't seem to make much difference. ever car i have ever owned you can always hear and feel a difference when switching recirc on or off except this one

You can verify visually the recirculate air door is working. Look under the dash on the passenger side. The big rounded cage is the cabin air intake for the hvac system. With the ignition on one can turn the recirculate function on and off and see the air door in the cage open and close.