Somewhere in this forum I saw a posting about setting the A/C to an Off condition by default. If anyone remembers how to do this I would appreciate hearing. I've tried searches but either my search terms are inadequate or I saw this information on a different site. The first is very probable. The second unlikely - I spend most of my hybrid time lurking here

 

When in auto mode push the A/C button once and you will notice A/C off. Push again for A/C on.H

 

Thanks Harold. The thread I remember seeing would set a/c to off as the default condition when you start the car so you wouldn't have to go through the a/c auto>off sequence. Hope I'm not dreaming this setting.

 

I don't know that this is what you are curious about:

On the HCHII, the climate control system starts in "full auto" mode which selects between heat, A/C, vents, fan speed and, of course, it cycles on and off as needed to reach the set temperature. If you wish to cool the car by using only outside "fresh" air then press the A/C button and you will then see "A/C off" on the display. All other functions remain as before. Likewise, if you press "mode" or change the fan speed, the "auto" display disappears but all other functions remain as they were on "full auto".

I use this method regularly to avoid unnecessary use of the actual A/C compressor. Bear in mind that under light A/C demand the HCHII uses only the electric portion of the compressor. Under heavy demand the belt-driven part of the compressor kicks in. This is what really can affect your MPG.

I have read somewhere else that owners don't like the way the system goes into A/C mode whenever you use the defrost function. I simply push the A/C button if I don't want this to happen. The system is really quite sophisticated and usually is only found in high-end vehicles. In the past, I needed to use a trial-and-error method to understand my '05 Accord's system, so the HCHII wasn't so strange for me.

By the way I had a 100 mile drive over the weekend that produced a 3.8l/100km (62.1 mpg-us). Gotta love that!!

Cheers,

Roger

 

Thats a great tank Roger! I can often get 4.0L per 100 but lately have been struggling with a battery Re cal issue. Th advise here is correct once you hit auto just hit ac once. I also use Auto to defrost in the winter as it works well with A/C to defrost and does not use the belt A/C as the defrost button will do.

 

Thanks for all the feedback. Not exactly what I was looking for but some very helpful information

 

I don't remember the artical that you are talking about cylverbak. Why would you want this? H

 

Why would I want this? Mostly because I keep forgetting to manually turn off the air. The times I do need it are pretty obvious, the rest of the time it really doesn't need to be on. It just seems way more convenient if it defaulted to off right from the start.

 

I normally run with a/c off in Auto mode. I only turn it on when it is required. Maybe you should start turning it off at the end of each drive. H

 

One tip I learned from Kacey Green over at cleanmpg:

If you've turned the system off, a single clockwise click of the fan speed switch will turn it back on, with your last settings (not back to default "auto"). Except, you still have to turn AC off.

It would be nice to have a button that shuts down AC, plain and simple.