Recirculate randomly turns off!

Does anyone know specifically how the recirculate function works? I cannot put my thumb on this. I will set temperature and the vent positions and randomly while driving, I will glance down and recirculate will have turned off. It seems to do this randomly whenever it wants. I am really missing the old manual position knobs now.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

I have a 2nd gen that has done this for years, I just push it again when it happens. I’ll be interested in hearing others responses

 

I read one time that it helps with moisture when outside air is brought in. Try holding the button in for 5 seconds and see if this keeps it on. That's what I do with my Camry.

 

I'm not sure exactly what triggers it, but definitely has to do with humidity in the air. It wants to be off most of the time in my truck, unless the AC is set to LO, then it wants to be on. I've found that using the auto climate setting, setting your preferred temp first and then turning recirc on or off as you desire, the truck will usually respect your choices a little better

 

During colder temps it will turn off recirculate to prevent your windows from fogging up. Similarly when set to defrost. I'm not certain if there is a humidity sensor.

 

On the 2nd gen when it shuts itself off press and hold for 2-5 seconds and it will stay on. Its in the manual I just forget which page.

 

You're going to get different things happening when you're doing this. In my experience and as someone suggested whenever the controls are set so defrost is on, whether just defrost or in combination with other outlets, the re-circulate will turn off and a/c will turn on so there is less moisture so defrost works better. Maybe concentrate on driving, not heater functions while driving. Do it when you're stopped. I caution and dislike distracted driving.

 

It sounds like it is using some sensor to detect humidity to turn on A/C and turn off recirculate.
Any semi to modern vehicle I have driven the past 20 or more years has done this.

 

I leave Recirculate off all the time because I like fresh air drawn in even if it is cold. Let one loose with Recirculate on and you will want to draw outside air in.

 

Thank you, I never checked the manual because I thought there was something wrong. I’ll give that a try next time it happens.

 

Calm down man. I am not distracted by the AC settings. It takes me the same amount of time to glance at the recirculate button as it does for you to glance down and check your speedometer. I guess we shouldn’t check our speed until we’re stopped, eh?

Additionally, I do not have any defrost settings on. I mainly use floor+upper vent setting.

 

I am like you! But once I get on the highway, I don’t want to smell exhaust fumes all the way to work. If I drove in the forest all day I’d never turn it on.

 

Let me share a trick learned from my dog in my signature picture. With the back window open and my driver side window slightly open lots of air shoots in from the back window and I don’t smell any exhaust.

 

In the country passing old farm houses burning coal it is nice to turn on recirculate especially, when the ceiling is low.

 

Scoopski potatoes

 

This gets the smell out quicker, but it still comes across my face from the vents. Also, at this time of year, I'm trying to warm the truck and don't want all that nice toasty air flying out the back window. Thanks for the suggestion though and nice lookin' dawg ya got there.

 

My grandparents live in the country. What I wouldn't give for the inside of my truck to smell like that 24/7 - farmland with a hint of cow manure and sun-baked grass. I love it.

 

It’s controlled by temperature not humidity. I used to know what temp it shuts off at but I’ve forgotten.

 

Never thought about this. I’ll keep an eye on it.