Where does the xA pull in its fresh air for ventilation for the dash? I've noticed that in the mornings I get nice cool air about the same as the outside air temp but in the evenings it's always considerably warmer than outside air, almost like the heat control is turned up. My recirculate and fresh air control is set to fresh air, I made sure of that. I just thought if maybe it's pulling air from close to the road I might be pulling in heat off of the road. Either that of the recirulate/ fresh air control isn't working and I'm just recirulating all the time, even doing that it's warmer than the cabin air. I've moved the controls to different settings and it just doesn't cool down in the evenings like every other vehicle I've ever had. This time of year I'm running 4/65 AC, 4 windows down and 65mph but if I run through a rain shower or get stuck in traffic I have to turn the air on because the vent is so warm.

 

If you look behind your glove box you will see there is a spot for the cabin air filter. I assume some air comes in there. Look in the tech section or do a search and you will see all about the cabin filter. I have to agree that our cars do not vent too well..........

 

I think I have the same problem. Seems like if I stop somewhere on the way home, when I start up the car again, the air seems a little warmer. I doesn't happen all the time. Or maybe I just don't always notice it.

I think a while back there was another thread about hot air from the vents. I think there was a TSB mentioned.

 

try this move your dials to where your on windsheild defrost, cold air, and pulling air from outside. Oh and make sure your a/c is off.

You should get a/c cold air comming in. I don't know if this set-up actually uses the a/c but it does get colder then the actual a/c.

of course this just might be my car I don't know just try it and let me know.

 

Yes, ANY of the control positions that put air out of the defroster vents DO use the air conditioner - that is in your owner's manual.

The intake for fresh air is between the rear edge of the hood and the base of the windshield. From there it gets dragged through the cabin air filter (if installed - it does NOT come with the car, it is an option, just like floor mats, etc.), then the fan, then the A/C, then the heater core, and finally gets distrubuted to the vents you chose.

Recirculated air is sucked up behind the glove box, just below the filter drawer.

On defrost, the A/C is used to de-humidify the air, without regard to the A/C switch being on or off.

When using the A/C, in any of the four or five last clicks counter-clockwise of the temp control (coldest settings), partial recirculation of interior air happens even if your intake control is set to fresh.

Tomas

 

guess i would have known that if if read mine ehhhh..... oh well never thought to look for that.

I still don't understand why its (at least feels) colder then just using the a/c and it cools my car like 3 times faster in the AZ heat then just using strait a/c

 

try turning on the AC for a few minutes to cool off the vents. they heat up from sitting in the sun under that black dash. once the air comes out ice cold, shut off the ac and leave it on vent and it should be ok. i sometimes have to cycle the ac on and off to keep it at cool if im on a long drive. i dont like leaving the ac on all the time though. it dries the air out too much and puts a drag on the engine.

 

Take today for example. It was about 80 outside and I parked at work with my sunblocking windshield thingy in place. I put it on dash vents only, outside air and fan on high. The vent temp was no different 3 miles from work than it was 20 miles. My commute is 35 miles one way and the temp coming through the vents was definitely higher than the outside air. I've just never had a vehicle to do this, I'll get used to it. I guess my concern is that maybe the flapper that diverts the air might not be working correctly.

BTW: I had a nice drive home on the interstate running 65 with 90% of everyone else passing me by while I cruised along listening to some cool tunes with my windows down in my nice clean xA.

 

I've noticed the same thing - that the xA's ventilation system doesn't cool to ambient very quickly. It does get there, though, but it can take awhile. With relatively high humidities in summer here, if the outside temp is higher than 75 it starts to get uncomfortable inside the car, yet AC even on the lowest setting is overkill without adding some heat back to the mix. I'll use the AC with heat option on a long trip, since a quiet, cool day in the car is worth the extra 50 cents in gasoline costs.

Putting the fan speed to 3 helps a bit, but is almost as noisy as opening a window. I've found out that in the xA, as in many other cars I've had, the best air movement can be had by opening both passenger side windows about 2" to set up a circulation inside the car. Much quieter than having one window all the way down, which adds about the same airflow.

It's probably taking advantage of the swirling airflow as it crosses the roof/side edge line. I long for the days of the old pick-em-up trucks with the fender vents: pull the ***** for a hurricane blast into the footwells!

 

Please remember that the incoming air vent, at the bottom of the windshield, gets it's airflow across the top of the hood, which is heated by the sun and the engine...

Also, there is weatherstripping at the top of the firewall that should seal against the hood when it is closed to prevent hot engine compartment air from being sucked in to the vent. Might not hurt to check that.

If a car sits in the sun, and all that mass of metal in front of the intake vent gets nice and hot, it will take a LONG time for it to cool down on a warm day...if it ever does.

At least the interior volume you need to cool down is much smaller than the xB's, and they have identical air conditioning systems...

Enjoy the weather - high here today didn't even reach 60.

Tomas

 

It's suppose to be 88 here tomorrow, definitely an AC day, but only 67 Friday. I dread seeing winter come but if it's as mild as last winter it won't be too bad.

 

Every other car I've owned share all of these traits and the xA holds the heat longer than any of them, new or old, large or small. It not enough of a problem for me to start making warranty inquiries over, but I wanted to share that it's not simply the unrealistic expectations of a first-time car driver. Maybe it's due to global warming...

Part of the culprit is obviously the black interior, but the long low windshield contributes as well - it's narrower than that of the old turd-hearse Caprice Wagon I owned, yet taller top to bottom. If circumstance ever finds my xA's dash dismantled, I'll look to see whether the mix doors are properly operating, and whether or not the coolant line has a valve in the heater core loop, as some vehicles do.

 

My 2006 Xa does the same thing, but the fresh air is SO much hotter than outside, I am running the A/C almost year round. Riders in the car think I have the heater on. There has to be something wierd that's not hooked up right. The "fresh" air is quite stale, too.

 

can anybody else do the trick with defrost that gets the air in the cabin just as cold as using A/C, without running A/C?

 

No, because any time the air direction **** is in any of the defrost positions, the air conditioning is silently switched on.

Yeah, the "A/C" lamp doesn't light, but the air conditioning IS on.

So anytime you have air coming out of the defrost vents, you have also turned on your air conditioning.

See your owner's manual... (xA and xB Classic are the same)

 

awww shucks!

 

Same here. I had my windows tinted and just crack them an inch all around and I am fine. I leave the hvac for heated or cooled air as its always warmer than the outside air.

 

From outside.

 

I want to make sure I understand what you're saying. My windows are tinted. I do roll them down. BUT, the air coming in thru the "Fresh Air" setting on the vents when I don't have the A/C running is SO HOT, you can't stay in the car (unless you want to bake a cake while you're in there)! The outside temperature has to be below 50 degrees before I can turn off the cold A/C. Even on a nice, cool evening (i.e. no sunshine involved), I have to run the A/C to cool down any air that comes in thru the "Fresh Air" vent setting.

I think I have a 1.5 liter convection oven!!!! If I forget to turn the A/C on right away, riders in the car think I have the heater on.

 

I leave my hvac off with the windows cracked, for some reason mines doesnt blow air unless the fan is on. Maybe I shouldnt complain?

The ford econoline van I use to drive a few years ago always blew air through the hvac even with it off and parked. Seems even off it was on a low setting,

Ive read on another form how many people will use a piece of pipe to by pass the heater core as those are always hot since they are warmmed with engine coolant.

My only compliant is that when drive 80mph for extended time to nova the car just seems towarm up regardless of ac setting. Slow it down to 70 and it returns to a cooler temp. Thats something my old diesel benz 240d use to do.