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F.A.Q.: Climate Control

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#1 ·
Climate Control F.A.Q. Sheet
Author: Rick
Moderator Comments: For further information on the Insight's climate control feature, please refer to these InsightCentral.net Articles: Climate Control Explained, Problems with Idle-Stop Mode.

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Ok, since climate control questions come up quite often here's a complete run down of the system.

The Insight comes with an automatic climate control system. Simply put you can select the temperature you wish the interior of the car to be and the car does the rest. However, most owners tend to want to have a more manual control over the climate control so that they can keep the best possible fuel economy. So here's a run down of things.



What each button does: (starting left top to right bottom)

Mode button: This sets where air blows out. Press this button and you can toggle through several different modes from face, face feet, feet, feet defrost, defrost.

Fan button: This will manually set the fan speed. There are 4 different speeds.

Econ button: This turns the climate control to the economy mode. This will cycle the compressor on and off to maximize fuel economy. This mode will also allow the car to enter auto stop mode. When in auto stop the fan will shut off unless manually set. Press this button once more and it will switch from "ac on econ" to "ac off econ." This will make the compressor not come on. If the temperature dial is set all the way to 60 degrees this setting will vent exterior air in to the car. This setting will also operate the heater if the temperature dial is set to a higher temperature.

Temperature Dial: Adjusts the temperature of the air in the car. When completely left at cold lowest settable temperature is 60 degrees. When all the way to the right on hot maximum settable temperature is 90 degrees.

(Back down to bottom row at left)

Rear defroster: This turns on the electrical rear window defroster. This runs on a timer. The heating grid will stay on for 25 minutes then automatically power down. If the exterior temperature is below freezing (32 degrees) and the engine is not up to normal operating temperature the heating grid will automatically activate, but the lamp will not be illuminated.

Front defroster button: This activates the front windshield defroster.

Recirculation button: Uses fresh outside air or recirculates inside cabin air. When the orange light is illuminated the interior air is being recirculated.

Off button: Plain and simple, turns the climate control system off. The only remaining thing is the fact that the core will maintain it's set temperature so turning the dial all the way to the left will prevent warm air from entering the cabin.

Auto button: This is a set it and forget it type mode. Hit auto and adjust the temperature and the car will take care of the rest. In auto mode auto stop will not take place as creature comfort takes priority.


A few possible scenarios:

I just want to vent outside air and not use the air conditioning.
Press the econ button twice, turn the temperature dial all the way to the left, you may also wish to set the fan speed.

It's freaking hot, I want maximum AC.
Press auto and turn the temperature dial all the way to 60. The interior of the car will likely be hot at this point so you will probably want to hit the recirculation button so that outside air is used and crack the windows to blow the hot air out. After you get the car cooled down you may wish to turn the temperature back up and use econ mode to maximize fuel economy.

I want air and auto stop.
Press the economy button and select the appropriate temperature. While in auto stop the fan will shut off unless you manually set it's speed. If you do this cool air will continue to blow out for a short period of time. If it's a really long light you may with to just hit auto and slip the car in to gear to the engine will start up. Or, if it's not too hot you can get away with slipping the car in to gear for about 20 seconds to get the evaporator cool again and then back to neutral where it will again auto stop. The car will only let you get away with this a few times before the engine stays running.

I want heat and auto stop.
Similar to above, except press econ twice so that the compressor will not run.

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Thanks to Ricky for writting the first InsightCentral.net Forum F.A.Q. Sheet.
Have an idea for a F.A.Q. Sheet? Contact one of the moderators.
 
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1
#2 ·
Climate control

Thanks Rick,
I have read my owner's manual several times, and have taken my car to my Honda dealer tryng to understand my climate control system.

Your write up explaned it better than either.

I have printed out a copy & placed it in my glove box.

You're the BEST!

Dave in Kansas
2001 Automatic :D :D
 
#4 ·
Climate Control Sticky

This site is, well, just real nice; I could (am) spend a lot of time reading and getting answers. It also generates new questions.....Is there any way to get to ECON w/out AC without cycling the ac compressor? Is just turning on the fan basically the same as ECON w/out AC?.....auto stop on, etc.

Thanks
Bert
 
#5 ·
Hi Bert - actually, you want to cycle the compressor a little - keeps oil moving through the system. I think some of the newer cars do this of their own accord. I think all the new ones run the ac a bit with the defroster on.

Yes, you can turn just the fan on, and it's pretty much the same as econ.
 
#6 ·
If you just hit econ twice quickly I don't think the AC compressor will cycle on. You should be able to feel it if it does kick in for a second. Also, you could just make sure you set it to econ ac off before starting the engine.
 
#8 ·
Re: Climate control

aerocar said:
Thanks Rick,
I have read my owner's manual several times, and have taken my car to my Honda dealer tryng to understand my climate control system.

Your write up explaned it better than either.

I have printed out a copy & placed it in my glove box.

You're the BEST!

Dave in Kansas
2001 Automatic :D :D
+1, thanks so much
 
#10 ·
I thought that I would add the climate control trouble shooting Easter egg for those that are interested.

To access this push the AUTO and MODE buttons while turning the key to the run position. Press the rear window DEFOG button to advance the menu. All temperatures are in degrees C.

1. In car temperature
2. Outside temperature
3. Sun sensor value
4. Engine coolant temperature
5. Evaporator temperature
6. Air mix opening percentage
7. Vent temperature output
8. Fan something
9. Vehicle speed
 
#60 ·
Kevin, once you use the DEFOG button to advance to a new parameter, how do you change values? Such as how do you select the available values for #6--Air mix opening percentage? Thanks
 
#11 ·
I think when you do this, some of the readings don't change. For example, the engine coolant temperature doesn't seem to go up as you drive.

Another small heater point is that the temperature control seems to work even with the rest of the system OFF, so if it's really cold out you can crank up the temperature and then turn off the system and get some heat just from what wind blows through the heater...
 
#16 ·
Windshield+face+feet simutanously? + radiator block need

Folks -

Four questions:

1) It looks like you can have the HVAC system direct heated air to the windshield, feet and face simultaneously by pushing the front defrost button and also selecting the face+feet mode. Correct?

2) I assume the Insight's system is set up so all interior air has to go through the micron filter, meaning no separate naturally-pulled fresh air through outside-most vents as with non-CRX Civics? It looks like heat has to be able to come through the passenger-side dash vent else you could have one chilly passenger!

3a) How needed is a radiator block in winter to let the engine reach full operating temperature? I assume the recommended Honda 0W-20 is a full synthetic, minimizing heat from friction.

3b) Older Hondas (especially those without an A/C condenser) seem to have extra engine cooling capacity so the radiator fan is seldom needed (also allowing an air drag -reducing partial radiator block in moderate weather, and mandating a nearly full block in real cold in my experience). Is the Insight the same way?

Thanks in advance,
Roger
 
#17 ·
Auto-Stop in Winter

I live in Minnesota and was wondering how do I get auto stop when the temperature is below 32 F outside? I have tried to use heater with ECON mode and A/C off, but the Auto-stop will not engage. I can only get Auto-stop to engage when I completely turn off the climate control system when it's below 32F outside. Any ideas on the right combination of settings for heat and auto-stop in winter?

Thanks!
 
#18 ·
I know this is a bit late but I'm also in Minnesota and though I don't think there is a way to keep the heat on while in Autostop at low temperatures, I simply run the heat up until right before I wish to use Autostop, hit the off button, then let it stop. Stops aren't typically long enough to let it get unbearably cold in the car if you are wearing a coat.
 
#19 ·
This is great. VERY good for newbie non-techie like me. I couldn't figure out how to just get air from outside so I was driving with the window open all the time. :) Little things like this make me a happy newbie. Thank you.
 
#20 ·
The climate control panel on my most recent gen 1 insight (2000 MT) has a pimple molded in just below and between the defrost and recirculation buttons. It is like a Braille dot. The other 5 gen 1 insights I have owned did not have this blemish. Is this car from Mars or what?
 
#21 ·
Hi there. When I customized my dashboard with the CF vinyl, I unbolted the accessories from the panel. When I reassembled it, I accidentally tightened one screw too tight and it formed a "dimple" or pimple. That might be what happened to yours, somebody may have tightened it too much.

Does your pimple stick outward? Or is it inwards? If outwards, then my explanation is probably the answer. If inwards, then I don't know.
 
#22 ·
The pimple is an outie, not an innie, so I guess you are right and somebody overtightened something to create the blemish. Sure looks like something intentional, though. Thanks for your thoughtful answer. I do like the concept of carz from Marz. Stephen King (a fellow Mainer) wrote a story about a spooky Buick Eight that had a different number of portholes on the left front fender than on the right.
 
#23 ·
Sure not a problem. Unfortunately there is no way to get rid of the blemish without replacing the panel.
Luckily for me, when I work with EuroBoutique to get a CF replacement panel, they assured me this pimple and scratches will be sanded out when they use the piece as a mold for the carbon fiber panel. So for me, I don't have to worry about it. You can either ignore it, or just get a new panel, or hide it with some vinyl like I did no mine.
Mine was accident when reassembling the panel and I didn't realize I tightened it that tight till I saw the pimple on the other side. :(
 
#24 · (Edited)
It's freaking hot, I want maximum AC.
Press auto and turn the temperature dial all the way to 60. The interior of the car will likely be hot at this point so you will probably want to hit the recirculation button so that outside air is used and crack the windows to blow the hot air out. After you get the car cooled down you may wish to turn the temperature back up and use econ mode to maximize fuel economy.
I've gotta question this, although I'm not exactly familiar with an Insight firsthand (yet). If the cabin is say, 110 degrees, and your desired temp is 72 degrees, why would putting it on 60 make it cool any faster? This defeats the purpose of automatic climate control. Won't the ACC cool at its maximum rate regardless of bottoming out the unit at 60, or the actual desired temperature of 72?

This is something my girlfriend used to do and it drove me nuts. When my car is set to auto, she'd max her zone at 82 degrees if the car was cold, or bottom it out at 60 in the summer. The car doesn't heat or cool any faster - I leave my side at 70-72 all the time and it heats/cools at the same rate.

Maxing the temp down to 60 degrees just seems to be something that people are used to from cars with manual climate control. But if the Insight operates differently, I'm all ears! :)
 
#27 ·
Our AC is no different from any other car. NO car NEEDS recharging. Unless it has a leak. Freon is not a consumable resource. But if it isn't getting cool enough, recharge it. You'll have to do this more and more often until you get fed up and find the leak.

The filter is another matter. A dirty filter will restrict the air flow. Change it now so you will know its status.

Sam
 
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