Question about heating/AC controls in Auto

[mikeyk101]

It's rough getting old... I have had this truck for well over 5 years and saw something that didn't seem right today. I have the dual zone climate controls that have the auto setting. Today, I did the remote start to let the truck warm up and allow the heat to start working. When I shut it off yesterday, I had it set on Auto and HI for the most heat. So I'm pretty sure that whatever it was set at when last shutdown is what it does when remote starting. That, I'm fine with. 

 

But after putting the key in to drive away, I happened to glance at the climate controls and noticed that in Auto, only the AC button light on,  which I know is normal, and the Defrost button light on. I was almost positive that I should see other button lights on and was sure that they were but now I'm second guessing myself. I did manually press some like the airflow to feet, the recirculating button, airflow to dash, etc... and each one lit up just fine and obviously the Auto option turned itself off. So all the button lights seem to work as they should, just don't light up in Auto.

 

Am I just getting old and forgetful and this is how it always worked or is it a problem that I might need to check out and fix?

[milkmaster]

WHen mine is in AUTO, only the air conditioner light is on otherwise.  Switching any other setting turns the AUTO function off.  The only thing I can change in AUTo is the temperature setting so far that I have noticed.  Good Luck!

[M1ck3y]

This is with the key in the ignition? I'm not sure about about after a remote start, key out. But, without checking I'm pretty sure they all light up. Doesn't really make sense though, because your's light up when depressed so they're not burnt out 

[rav3]

I may be wrong on this but when on AUTO, the computer will direct the air flow to the area it thinks is needed AUTOMATICALLY.

When you push/select a specific vent you want, you are overriding the AUTO function, which turns the AUTO off and tell the system where you want it. The AUTO function also sets the fan speed. If you change that speed manually with the fan knob, it will turn of the AUTO function as well. Hope this helps

[M1ck3y]

30 minutes ago, rav3 said:

I may be wrong on this but when on AUTO, the computer will direct the air flow to the area it thinks is needed AUTOMATICALLY.

When you push/select a specific vent you want, you are overriding the AUTO function, which turns the AUTO off and tell the system where you want it. The AUTO function also sets the fan speed. If you change that speed manually with the fan knob, it will turn of the AUTO function as well. Hope this helps

 

Right, I think he talking about whether or not all the buttons light up with auto selected? I thought they do but no I'm not so sure

 

Edited December 8, 2021 by M1ck3y

[mikeyk101]

2 minutes ago, M1ck3y said:

 

Right, isn't he talking about whether or not all the buttons light up with auto selected?

 

Mikey?

Yes, this is specifically when using the Auto mode.

[M1ck3y]

1 minute ago, mikeyk101 said:

Yes, this is specifically when using the Auto mode.

 

Ok, I'll be sure to check out tomorrow if someone doesn't beat me to it.

[mikeyk101]

I can manually change climate control choices and the Auto goes off and all the lights come on like I figure they should as I make the choices. 

 

Looks like I may have just not been paying attention before and now that I have a lot more spare time, I'm slowing down and noticing things I never thought much about before...

 

 

[mikeyk101]

36 minutes ago, rav3 said:

I may be wrong on this but when on AUTO, the computer will direct the air flow to the area it thinks is needed AUTOMATICALLY.

When you push/select a specific vent you want, you are overriding the AUTO function, which turns the AUTO off and tell the system where you want it. The AUTO function also sets the fan speed. If you change that speed manually with the fan knob, it will turn of the AUTO function as well. Hope this helps

This is kind of what I'm thinking, I just assumed that depending on whether it was going to the floor or dash, or even both, there would be an indicator showing which is being used. I know it's easy enough to just reach out and check with my hand where the flow is, I have just gotten spoiled, I guess you can even say lazy, by just looking at indicators to tell me what's going on.

 

Lately I've gotten used to checking various things telling me information such as trans temp, tire pressure, fuel mileage, etc so that I'm paying more attention to the gauges and indicators that I pretty much ignored before. I'm starting to think that this is just one thing that I overlooked before and is probably functioning normally and like it always did...

[JimCost2014]

In Auto, only 3 lights could be on, Auto, AC, and if you sync both sides. If other function lights are on, you are not in full Auto mode.

[mikeyk101]

1 minute ago, JimCost2014 said:

In Auto, only 3 lights could be on, Auto, AC, and if you sync both sides. If other function lights are on, you are not in full Auto mode.

Looks like my observational powers had been lacking and it's functioning as it is designed . Now I know, thanks! 

 

I do believe that when remote started, in colder temperatures like it's been, the defrost for the mirrors and rear window will also come on and stay on when key gets turned to on even in Auto mode. I should have been more specific on which defrost I was speaking about above. This has always been the case as far as I'm aware and I had previously noticed this. However, I pulled the fuse for the rear window quite some time ago after seeing all the posts about rear windows shattering so only the mirrors get the defrost treatment. The front seats will also warm up with remote start but those lights don't come on and it disables after key on and has to be re-enabled manually

[jscottl]

Rear defrost/mirrors has to set to come with remote start. Setting is in the radio with everything else.

[mikeyk101]

@jscottlYou are absolutely correct.

[Gagliano7]

When you do remote start it does the heating and cooling depending on the outside temp. Doesn't matter what your last setting was. When i had a 2016 ford escape you could choose last setting or let the computer do the heating or cooling. On the gm truck you don't have that option.