Re: Audi's Ventilation Strategy

[walter@quattro.corp.inmet.com (Walter Meares)]

> Seen several posts about the whys and wherefores for Audis  blowing un-
> heated air from some of the vents.  As I recall, the owner's manual for 
> the '78 Audi Fox stated that the air coming from the side vents was not 
> heated to allow the driver to direct unheated air to the face to discour-
> age drowsiness.  I have found this to be quite useful, but here in CA we 
> don't see much in the way of *real* cold temperatures.  On the ur-Q the 
> center vents were unheated ... I figured that this allowed the outer vents 
> to be used to defrost the door windows.  I usually drive with the unheated 
> vents directed upwards and in the direction of my face, and the heated 
> ones downward.

All well and good, but the lowly 1981 Mazda GLC that I owned for many years
had a little lever on the outboard vents that would switch them from outside
air to ventilation system air (heated or cooled).  If Mazda could manage this
engineering feat in its lowest-price econobox ($8K or so) one would think Audi
could manage it in its $20-$30K cars of the same era (1980's). 

I end up shutting this vent all winter long; if I ever have to dismantle the
dash (some on this list would say *when* I have to dismantle the dash :-) I will
take the time to find a way to make it work right...

> 
> Steve Buchholz
>

Walter