AC running when off

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You do have a vent setting, put selector on upper vents, make sure fresh; not recirculate is chosen, and turn compressor off. This is vent, just like the old cars, on older cars A/c and vent were the same, just the compressor was disabled on vent.

 

TRDeity: When i have my knob on defrost, it doesnt matter if i push the AC button or not, the air coming out stays the same temp and its ice cold.

LRH: Having the ability to have the vent going without the AC comes in useful many times. In my old car i never had the AC charged so it was just the vents and it would still defrost the window. Just having air running across the window defrosts it, it doesnt have to be cold (although cold air works faster)

 

Odd, don't know, like I said it seems to work on my truck but maybe mines a freak. Only did this when I first got my truck because it was "winter" (ya know TX winter which meant it was in the 60's) and raining, felt like the outside air and stayed humid.

 

OK, you had my dander up at first, but I calmed down. You nailed it. Temp has been all the way to cold, except briefly while I was trying to see if heat would defog better when I was stopped at that red light and smelled the burning plastic. I suppose some cool evening, I should just open all the windows and run the heat to get rid of the smell before I really need it.

 

I have that smell. It comes and goes when I have the A/C running. it's like a sickly sweet smell, like the inside of a new radio mixed with Westvaco.

 

... that cycling the a/c switch stops the a/c from running in defrost mode?

 

In mine the a/c will always run when the defroster is on, it's been like that in every car i've owned, and i've had 9 lol

 

Some of us have been driving for more than 5 years. Anybody else remember the bright/dim switch on the floor by your left foot? Drove me nuts the first time I got a truck with it on the steering column.

 

i've been driving for four years buddy, count your fingers. one, two, three, four,...oh thats right, you're a texan and you make sawdust. i'd be surprised if you had four haha

 

and an easy fix for an annoying light is electrical tape or black paint lol, come on guys you have to use what you have and make it work, i think thats how the first apple was made into a smoking apparatus lol

 

Hell yeah! When i first started driving it was my dads 79 F100. It had the dim/bright switch on the floor. I have always liked that.

So i have a question about the defrost that never got answered. If i have it turned to full heat,then switch it to defrost, does the AC compressor still kick on to take the moisture out of the air before it hits the heater coils? Does it mean that even in the dead of winter i'm using my AC when i defrost?

 

One of my restoration projects was a 62' Willys-Overland wagon (looked like an 50's style Wagoneer). It had the dimmer on the floor. So did my 74' Scout II.

 

YES. Whenever you move the air direction to DEFROST the compressor will engage for efficient defogging. Temp has to be adjusted for this but In My Opinion works. I am in a moist coastal climate but probably still has some effect in a cold dry one too.

 

I prefer how my 98 Corolla had it set up. Windsheild/feet, AC off. Full windshield, AC on for defrost.

Took me a little while to realize windshield/feet in the truck kicked the AC on. And I was wondering why it took so long for the air to warm up during the winter.

I find it easier to just leave the selector on feet only as it divides the air between ALL the vents and doesn't run the AC. So it clears the windshield, side windows, helps warm up the rear (and whole truck for that matter), and doesn't have to overcome the cooling effects of the AC.

Still, it takes longer to clear the windshield since I can't direct ALL of the air there without the AC dropping the temp and helping the glass re-freeze.

 

Hey guys, the OP talked about the fact that the AC comes on when the temp control is turned all the way to cold. NOT about AC coming on with defrost.

When I turn the temp dial, there's a barely discernable detent at the very end, this is when the AC comes on. Then if the temp is turned up again, the AC stays on. This is the question of the original post. Yes, it happens, and it is a bad engineering design. I drive through the Sierras a lot, and am always adjusting the temp. As a result I'm also turning OFF the freaking AC when I shouldn't have to. Anybody looked into the switch and wiring and found a way to disable the AC ON with temp control switch?? If not, I'll be looking...

 

Re-read the OP:

That right there says he's using the defrost mod and the AC is coming on despite not turning it on manually.

And no, my AC doesn't come on when the temp is turned all the way to cold. Yes it comes on even with temp all the way to hot when either of the windshield modes are selected.

 

Ok so I jumped the gun a bit. My bad.
I found another older thread, and it looks like the AC coming on when the temp is fully counter-clockwise may be a feature of newer trucks; I don't remember if the 07's are affected. It is still a very annoying feature, I hope to find a cure soon.....

 

I'm sure there was a thread on here a while back for disabling just that. I remember taking a plug that goes into the heater behind the glove box and removing a wire that controls the AC with defrost. The AC still works just with the button on the dash. I'll see if I can find the thread.

A little search in the cheap mods section, http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/7160-c-defrost.html hope that helps you out. I've done it to my truck and it works great.