recirc.mode on a/c

titanium10k · June 8, 2005

I have a 02 silverado and the a/c stays on the outside air function instead of going to recirc mode. I know that when you shut off the air it goes back to the outside air duct but it is staying on that setting all the time causing stinky air to come in. Also when the air is on with that setting the fan dosnt blow has hard as in recirc mode this is my biggest complaint......Does anyone know where I can look first to fix the problem....I have changed the cabin filters and the light comes on when i hit the recirc button...anyone have any suggestions..thank you

June 8, 2005

I know on my '03, it depends on which vent you're using. If you turn the vent dial to defrost or anywhere to the right of the 12 o'clock position, the system automatically opens the refresh vent. If you go left of the position, you have the option of turning the turning the vent button off or on.

critter · June 8, 2005

My '02 Sierra does the same thing, I am not sure why the AC compressor comes on recirc. mode, but probably to keep the windows from fogging up. Doesn't make much since when you have 30% humidity outside.

mmmikkke · June 8, 2005

I have a 02 silverado and the a/c stays on the outside air function instead of going to recirc mode. I know that when you shut off the air it goes back to the outside air duct but it is staying on that setting all the time causing stinky air to come in. ...
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

On my '05, recirc mode will only work with the vent control knob left-of-center. Plus, even then, it only recirculates some of the air. It still draws in some percentage of "fresh" air from the cowl. And that means there's no escaping those gross polluters' stinky exhaust.

It's a shame that GM can't let the driver decide if he/she wants to recirculate. But I think it's because they listen to their stupidest customers, and ignore the smart ones. The stupid customer will complain that their windows fogged up, because they're clueless about humidity, and clueless about the need to draw in fresh (dry) air during cold weather. So GM makes it impossible to run the defroster in recirculate mode. Stupid customers therefore can't screw it up.

But thinking customers who own GM products lose in the trade off. After a while, they go buy a honda, or a toyota, where the recirculate decision is left to the (intelligent) driver, regardless of which vents have been selected.

titanium10k · June 8, 2005

I keep my air on the front vents only pretty much all the time...It is not suppose to do this it just started...Driving down the road when I shut off the fan and put the recirc mode the light comes on but air comes in like it never went to recirc mode even though light for it is on>>>

mmmikkke · June 9, 2005

Sounds like maybe your actuator on the recirc door is shot, either that or the heater/ac controls are busted.

Could replace the actuator and see what happens...

roden001 · June 9, 2005

But thinking customers who own GM products lose in the trade off.

"Thinking" people will always be in the minority, and therefore not appeased by a large corporation such as General Motors. I don't blame GM--it's just what's profitable. Un-Thinking people outnumber the rest of us by

"who-knows-what : 1"

--Jon

titanium10k · June 9, 2005

where is this actuator at and can i access it without taking the whole dashout??

mmmikkke · June 10, 2005

But thinking customers who own GM products lose in the trade off.

"Thinking" people will always be in the minority, and therefore not appeased by a large corporation such as General Motors. I don't blame GM--it's just what's profitable. Un-Thinking people outnumber the rest of us by

"who-knows-what : 1"

--Jon

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The large corporation stereotype is well demonstrated by General Motors, but most of the Japanese manufacturers don't fit that stereotype. That's why in a lowly Honda Civic, when you change the vent mode to defrost, the a/c button lights up and you can press it and turn the compressor OFF. That's why in that same vehicle you can press the recirculate button during any vent mode and the system will recirculate. Honda realizes there's a way to appease both the stupid, and the thinking, driver.

GM doesn't bother.

I worked at Ford for a few years, in Dearborn, MI. I had an idea for a driver's computer that I prototyped on my own time, and used, and it worked! But in its initial incarnation, it was pretty complicated. I demonstrated it to a product planner at Ford, we went for a test drive, yada yada. One of the things he said to me: "It's too complicated. We have suppliers come to us with a 13 function trip computer and we have to have them dumb it down to 4 functions--people just can't handle the complexity!"

Doesn't that just tell all. We could have 9 more functions on our trip computers, for the same price, if it weren't for all those stupid people who won't bother to read instructions. I'm pissed! They're stealing 9 functions from me!