Question regarding Defroster and floor air flow.

[lemob]

I'm not sure if it was posted before, but I have question regarding the airflow settings and it's effect on AC.

I know the manual states that if the airflow settings is set to windshield defrost, the AC will turn on automatically.

However, what about the setting that has the defroster/floor airflow? Does that turn on the AC as well?

[AWDFTW]

Anything involving the defroster setting does.

[Cobalt]

The auto industry now a days uses the air conditioner to dry the air, that is why they tie any defrost setting into it.

On my Tacoma I bypassed it because you could watch the tach drop then pick back up as the ecu compensated for the load of the compressor kicking in when you turned on the defrost, in my mind it was just a gas waster.

Haven't seen any body even attempt it here on these boards although it was a pretty common mod on the Tacoma boards

[Saint J VT]

Yes, the AC pump does run for Defrost and also for Floor/Defrost.

Our '05 OB, has orange labels printed for those two rightmost settings while the other setting labels for that particular knob are all a lighter color that matches all the other dash printing.

That different labeling color indicates (a reminder?) that the AC is on, even though you have not depressed the AC button.

Here is a photo I just found on Google from a 2009 OB showing the controls:

2009 Subaru Legacy Research Page: 2.5i, SE, GT Limited, spec.B turbo, 3.0R sedans

Notice how all the dash printing is light in color and the two rightmost are orange.

Also, the AC pump will not work below certain outside temperatures. It seems that around freezing (32F) and a bit above, the AC clutch will not engage, it is like that on all AC-equipped vehicles AFAIK.

[lemob]

Thanks guys, that's really good to know.
I'll have to make sure to NOT leave it in that setting all the time. I used to leave this setting on in all my previous cars. Too bad it's not that easy to modify like that from forester.

[RobMunach]

Originally Posted by Cobalt

The auto industry now a days uses the air conditioner to dry the air, that is why they tie any defrost setting into it.

On my Tacoma I bypassed it because you could watch the tach drop then pick back up as the ecu compensated for the load of the compressor kicking in when you turned on the defrost, in my mind it was just a gas waster.

Haven't seen any body even attempt it here on these boards although it was a pretty common mod on the Tacoma boards

Did the same thing on my Nissan Frontier. I prefer to do the thinking of when the defroster should come on.

[snowjoe11]

I usually keep my setting on "FLOOR" during the winter. Check the owner's manual regarding airflow in each of these settings, and it should give you some insight.

FLOOR lets the warm air go to the floor, as well as the windshield and window defrost units (without being "dried" by the compressor). Also better than having the hot air blow at your face on the "PANEL" setting.

This works great in most situations, but when it's wet/humid out, it won't work too well, and I have to resort to using the actual "DEFROST / FLOOR" setting.