DIY: Shutting off A/C during defrost mode

[qgt_racing2000]

hey, would doing this have any negative side effects to the car?

To remove this ad, register today for free or log in if already registered!

[jrschmid]

Possibly. You'd just want to make sure that you still run the AC a couple of times during the winter to keep the lubrication, which is mixed with the refrigerant, in good circulation with all of the moving parts of your AC components. This could be why Honda put this setting as a default.

Personally, I would think that running the AC after first starting your car in 15 degree weather would be more detrimental than the alternative.

[Mishkautkin]

Repsect to you, man - i appreciate this alot :-D

[redvtec04]

umm..the A/c is supposed to kick on because most people use the defroster in the winter and not the A/C, so this is a way to keep the A/C compressor working year round. Then come summer you dont get a grinding unit because it hasnt been used for 7 months!

[BigGeorge]

Worked great, Thanks

[ntense280]

Worked awesome thanks for a quick and easy DIY

[Ed]

Wow! this is such an old tread! I remember doing this years ago form this very same thread

[VooDoo_CiviC]

haha that rock's dude, for someone like me who need's all the gas they can get that A/c trick help's me get from point A to point B 20 cent's cheaper haha now has anyone noticed the fuel indicator keeps fluctuating? A few friend's and mine sure does but we own 02 civic ex coupe's so I'm not sure if it's a *recall alert* haha issue or our car's need's go to a nut house that fuel gauge is retarded.. haha so if anyone knows anything about this, let us know please thanks and thanks for the diy on AC

[alekgv]

AWESOME! im gonna do this tomorrow! thanks SO MUCH! this has been bugging me sense i bought my car...

[eyegiant]

Yes that alway bug the hell out of me , having the a/c on at the same time, because in time i will forgot the a/c on. Thanks to this, I just gone out to try this and yes it did work.

thanks!!!!!!!

[Sylvain]

Hi all, found this site while looking for a solution after Honda Canada told me my Civic 2005 was designed that way and there was nothing I could do about it and couldn't understand why I wanted the A/C off during Winter. Now I know better

Where I live (Ottawa, Canada), I use the defrost mode 99% of the time in Winter. Here's my morning routine during Winter time:

Start the car and put it on Defrost with full heat and full fan. Recirculation button is also on. I leave the car running for about three minutes and even at -20 C, the car has warmed up a bit by then and without me in the car, windows cannot frost, even with the air recirculating. Once I get in the car (remote starter), I leave it running in recirculating for about two more minutes (my cue is when I get on the highway). After that, I turn off the recirculating and move the air to floor and defrost where it stays for the rest of the trip to warm up the window (and my feet) and thus, preventing fogging it (the window, not my feet ). As you can see, this means for me the A/C is on all the time during Winter time (from December till Marchl)! Waste of gaz (and money).

Now with this DIY, I'll just have the A/C on Monday morning until I turn off the recirculation button. So once a week for about 5 minutes should prevent the unit for ceizing.

Thank very much for the tip.

[CraigW]

Works great on 05 models.

There is not enough air flowing to the defrost section in floor mode to keep the windshield clear, so this is a needed fix on the Civics.

I use heat, not the AC unit to clear windshield.

Use Recirc as little as possible.

I think that Honda AC systems have had troubles for a long time now. Certainly room for improvement.

[exturbo6]

the dealership showed me how to do this a couple of days a go.

1) Have the car turned off.
2) Turn the "air condition position" knob to the left all the way (counter-clock-wise).
3) Hold the "back seat air circulation button" and the "a/c" button "DOWN". (don't touch the "defrost" button.
4) Start the car with the "BUTTONS" held down, and wait for 7 seconds.
5) All done. You can turn the "A/C" off and on now.

P.S. To turn the original feature back on, repeat all steps, but for "STEP 2", turn the knob all the way to the "right" (clock-wise).


these are the directions everyone used right? well i do not understand them. whats "right&quot mean? sorry for the stupid question my pops wants me to do this. thanks!

[AudioQuest]

Does anyone know if this works on the new CR-V???????

[jay78]

thankx and its working...