Re: A4 climate control gripes

[Chris Newbold <cnewbold@transarc.com>]

Josh Pinkert wrote:
> 
> At 10:05 PM 1/13/98 -0500, Tom Haapanen wrote:
> >My A4 allows me to turn on recirc even when the heater is on (which it
> >is pretty much all the time right now!).  Could this be a change from
> >'97 to '98?
> 
> Hmm...my '98 doesn't allow me to do this.  I wish, though :D

Recirculation *is not* disabled by the heater; it *is* disabled when the
A/C
compressor is not running. So, if it's warm enough outside ( > ~35 deg.
F)
for the A/C compressor to run, but for the heat to be on inside, you
*can*
engage recirculation.

Once the outside temp. drops low enough that the compressor is shut off,
then recirculation is disabled.

As I understand it, this was done to prevent the windows from fogging
(due to
excess moisture build-up inside without drying effect of A/C and lack of
outside air).

However, it has the annoying side-effect of not letting you engage
recirculation
to avoid asphixiation by dead skunks, traffic jams in tunnels, etc.

Of course, many also cure the inability to engage the A/C compressor in
very
cold weather to defrost the windows, too...

-Chris
1993 90CS 63k