Max AC Come on Automatically?

Right before I overheated my tacoma I noticed that my recirc button automatically turned on. I found that at approx 214 degrees via scanguage, the truck will turn on AC recirc to take some load off the motor.

I ended up having a stuck thermostat, and quite possibly a blown head gasket. If your recirc keeps turning on make sure you are not running hot! I am very well acquainted with the redline on the temp gauge now and it isn't fun

 

Humor me and read through the operation of the heating and cooling systems on my 07 Tacoma and help me find the "MAX AIR" selection and how to cool off the interior of a vehicle that has been parked in the sun. I will stand by my statement that the MAX AIR light comes on periodically when in the recirculate mode to introduce some fresh air into the cabin.



http://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/om/OM35869U/pdf/07omsour/2007/07tacoma/19.pdf

 

You are incorrect, sorry. MAX air is when the system is in RECIRC mode. The reason it is called MAX air is because when your cabin is cooled down already to let's say 80 degrees, and the outside air is 100 degrees, recirculating the interior, cooler air increases the cooling capabilities of the system. You can cool 80 degree air a lot lower than you can cool 100 degree air. Thus this is the Maximum, or most efficient, cooling capability of the system. While using recirculated air DOES reduce odors and the like, that is not the PURPOSE behind MAX A/C.

Best explanation right there with documentation.

You have a MAX AIR position, it just does not call it the exact same thing. If you read in your document there it says: "For most effective cooling, move the air intake selector to recirculate." That is the same thing as MAX air.

The best way to cool off a vehicle that has been sitting in the sun has always been to turn the AC on initially with fresh air (Because the cabin air temp is a LOT higher than the outside air temp after it has been sitting in the sun) until the cabin temperature is below the outside air temp, then select MAX air, (i.e. recirculation mode) to continue cooling. Also the AC system is much more efficient when the fan speed is set to a medium air speed, once the interior has been cooled enough to get it acceptable.