Climate Control System

[CKAJCA]

I have a A3 35 TFS Sline. The recirculation button has 3 settings A illuminated, M illuminated and A and M both OFF. Can someone explain what the 3 settings are. I understand what recirculation is but not exactly what the effect of the 3 different settings would be.
Also
How do I set the CCS to get fresh air from outside the car. My previous car was a 15 year old Ford Focus with a very basic heating/air con system and so the Audi system is far more sophisticated. Thanks.
Regards Colin

 

[Pompey_Pip]

A is automatic, M is manual, Off is off.
In Automatic, the car allows air into the car from outside, and is monitoring its quality, if it senses a level of pollutants entering the cabin (e.g. a smoky old diesel in front) it automatically switches to recirculation, when the air quality returns to a suitable level, then it automatically switches off recirculation.
In Manual it only recirculates from inside the cabin.
In Off, it only takes air from outside.

 

[CKAJCA]

A is automatic, M is manual, Off is off.
In Automatic, the car allows air into the car from outside, and is monitoring its quality, if it senses a level of pollutants entering the cabin (e.g. a smoky old diesel in front) it automatically switches to recirculation, when the air quality returns to a suitable level, then it automatically switches off recirculation.
In Manual it only recirculates from inside the cabin.
In Off, it only takes air from outside.

Thank you very much for that excellent and very comprehensive explanation. Very much appreciated.

 

[Roaudi]

A is automatic, M is manual, Off is off.
In Automatic, the car allows air into the car from outside, and is monitoring its quality, if it senses a level of pollutants entering the cabin (e.g. a smoky old diesel in front) it automatically switches to recirculation, when the air quality returns to a suitable level, then it automatically switches off recirculation.
In Manual it only recirculates from inside the cabin.
In Off, it only takes air from outside.

The explanation is excellent. I have another doubt; In my old car I could have the climate system turned off and, for example, when going through a tunnel I would activate the recirculation mode by just pressing a button that would light up. Once through the tunnel, I pressed it again to let air in from outside. The fact is that in the Audi I have to turn on climate system, press mode M, and then press again to leave it in OFF mode and turn off climate system. Is there a way to prevent outside air from entering without turning on climate system? Thank you

 

[AdamInKent]

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The explanation is excellent. I have another doubt; In my old car I could have the climate system turned off and, for example, when going through a tunnel I would activate the recirculation mode by just pressing a button that would light up. Once through the tunnel, I pressed it again to let air in from outside. The fact is that in the Audi I have to turn on climate system, press mode M, and then press again to leave it in OFF mode and turn off climate system. Is there a way to prevent outside air from entering without turning on climate system? Thank you

I know that this is not the answer that you were looking for, but why would you turn off the climate system? It’s designed to be left on, so as to maintain a comfortable temperature & humidity.

 

[Pompey_Pip]

I'm with AdamInKent, I don't understand why you are turning the whole system off. If it's about economy, the centre button allows you to to turn off the air con, but you still have the other controls available, just set your preferred temperature (mine is 20°), I doubt you'll notice any difference in how the cabin feels against with the climate system off.

 

[STmichael]

And if you have the recirc set to auto the car will close itself off to outside air when it detects ‘bad air’ so you do not have to change it to manual.

 

[Roaudi]

I understand what you're saying but I'm used to always having the climate system turned off, except when it's very hot or very cold. I like the outside air through the window. And the thing is that with the climate system off, when I go through a tunnel, there are gases that I don't want to breathe, and that in my old car was just pressing the recirculation button (even with the climate system off) which prevented outside air from entering, and when I left the tunnel, I pressed again and it was solved. Do you want to tell me that I should always leave it in A and if I have the climate system off, is the car the one that detects if the air is bad and closes it? And how do I know what closes it in the tunnel?

 

[Pompey_Pip]

You can still have the window open with the climate system on, and if you have the temperature set to the outside ambient temperature, and the A/C and AUTO button to off, the climate system will be doing nothing, but you will have instant access to the switching of the recirculation button. What do you feel is the gain in having the climate system off?

 

[AdamInKent]

I understand what you're saying but I'm used to always having the climate system turned off, except when it's very hot or very cold. I like the outside air through the window.

Whilst I understand that is your long standing personal preference, modern cars are designed to be driven with the windows closed (it’s why they are fitted with climate controls). If recirc is switched off, you get fresh air through the vents.

You would burn less fuel by running the aircon with the windows closed than you will by driving with the windows open.

Do you want to tell me that I should always leave it in A and if I have the climate system off, is the car the one that detects if the air is bad and closes it? And how do I know what closes it in the tunnel?

Personally, even if recirc is in auto mode, I always switch to manual recirculation if I know I am going to be driving through dirty air, as I can see it coming long before the car can.

The other advantage of Auto mode is that it will switch to recirc when there is a requirement to heat or cool the car quickly, and then switch back to fresh air when a stable temperature has been reached.

 

[Jason1987]

It’s going to be subjective but what is the temp you should have the climate on for normal days like at the moment where it’s say 13c outside? As at home, 21c is hot for the heating thermostat but in the car in summer, 21c is cool aircon lol.

 

[AdamInKent]

It’s going to be subjective but what is the temp you should have the climate on for normal days like at the moment where it’s say 13c outside? As at home, 21c is hot for the heating thermostat but in the car in summer, 21c is cool aircon lol.

Personally, I set mine around 20 degC and tweak it up or down a bit depending on what I’m wearing, or to whatever feels comfortable. (That’s with Auto Climate, Auto Recirc and aircon enabled.) I then leave the car to manage the other settings and it maintains a comfortable temp and humidity (within the limits of the system).

(I don’t set the temp control with the aim of making the vents blow hot or cold: I set the temp that I want the cabin temperature to be.)

 

[Roaudi]

After reading everything, I will try to get used to setting an optimal temperature for myself (19º could be it), with the auto mode in recirculation, and with the AUTO button so that it manages everything, and if possible with the air conditioning off (I don't like it ). Although at some times I may turn the entire system OFF, I understand that turning it off on short trips with windows closed preserves the temperature reached fairly well.

Even so, I miss not being able to close the ventilation without activating the entire system, for me it is a disadvantage.