I always thought cooling cold air (from the cabin) used less energy than cooling warm outside air, or am I wrong?

 

No, you're right, but if there's no climate control in use, it's not cooling anything.

 

Not adding a disagreement but and addition.

Doesn't recic intesify the eefectsm of what you are trying to achieve. If it's winter and you turn the heat on doesn't it cause the system to blow harder, hotter and also keep the cold air out? If it's summer and you have the A\C on doesn't it do the same thing only make it cooler and keep the heat out?

 

Sure, but as I said that's only relevant when you're actually using the climate control at all. Heating, AC, the fan has to be _on_ or none of this matters, the only effect of recirc when the fan's not running is that it prevents outside air from getting in. When it's hot, the car's already roasting when I get in the car, the air outside is in fact _cooler_ than the air in the car, therefore (without using AC, remember) having the recirc on is eliminating one way of cooling the car--and if it's raining or something, probably the only way, as rolling down windows is less of an option. And I rarely use either heat or AC, the vast majority of the time for me, the fan is completely off. Recirc is not going to help me cool my car down then.

In winter, one issue I've had where recirc may or may not be a factor (hard to tell since I don't know what it does when I shut down) is that a completely closed car is more likely to end up with frost on the _inside_ of the windshield after a cold night, especially if you haven't been using AC (as dehumidifier). All the (relatively) humid air is trapped, condenses on the windshields, freezes. Sometimes to ensure the humidity can escape I've left windows (or roof) open in the winter, when I know it's safe.

 

I agree. I only want it on when I want it on.

 

I had mine changed by the dealer and I'm happier with it. However, it still turns RECIRC off on its own sometimes, especially when starting the car. This is a minor nuisance in winter. In summer, it's fine because when the car is roasting inside, the fresh air is better. Once it cools a bit, I can turn on RECIRC again.

In any event, it's the closest I can get to controlling the setting myself.

 

The last time I switched to recirculate manually, I think a bus was in front of me, I forgot I had changed it and the next day I noticed it was still in that mode. That tells me that it stays where you put it until you either switch it back or hit auto. I think you should hit auto to switch otherwise I guess it would stay at outside air even if the auto would use recirculate if it could. ???Did I say that right??? JMHO.