Another dumb one . . . Climate control (1 Viewer)

[jreifler]

So, now that it's cold enough to use the heat, I've noticed that if I turn the system entirely off, it still blows hot through the vents for a period of time.

I don't find the climate control system terribly intuitive on the GX, but wondering if I'm missing something super obvious on how to switch it off ?

 

[Bluegill]

I feel your pain. I often just turn it off instead of letting the computer try to decide if I'm hot or cold. If I park in the sun and the ambient outdoor temperature is 65 degrees but the sun makes the truck think it's 80 degrees, I get blasted with AC when I actually want nothing for a few minutes, or I can just crack a window for a few minutes to let some fresh, cool air in. Then when you turn it off you still feel cold (or hot) air blowing in your face. WTF? Off means off, mother*&*%$@!

I'm convinced that these modern systems just aren't created to work property if they are turned off. It's like the developers put an OFF button on them because they were forced to but they assume no one would ever actually turn their fancy climate control system off.

Back in the good old days with the dash controls operating levers and cables and doors back there behind the dash, you could shut it off and the passages were physically blocked. Maybe a little air would leak through but it still wouldn't be noticeably blowing air our when off. The last vehicle where I enjoyed simple buttons, levers, and dials operating cables and doors was my 1996 Land Rover Discovery. If I recall correctly, there was even a button on that truck where you could let a little fresh outdoor air flow through when off, or really shut 'er down tight.

 

[Jesse H]

My Tacoma's auto climate is a set and forget affair. The GX requires constant fiddling to get comfortable.

As far as hot air creeping in, if the vents are set to fresh air they could still be going through the heater core and making its way out the dash vents. That's actually common in many modern HVAC systems. Try turning off recirculate.

 

[markmanner]

My heating seems to work ok, but the temperature at which it is comfortable to me seems to be about 4 degrees F lower than in my other vehicles. So, for example, if I'd normally set it to 70F, to not be too hot on a normal day (mixed clouds/Sun) I need to set it to 66 or so. I'll be interested to see if that pattern holds in the summer with the AC usage.

 

[jreifler]

Ah well. Was really hoping I was just overlooking something obvious and easy. I'll try that recirculate option, but when I press "OFF," that sh*t should turn all the way off . . . Super annoying.

 

[luxpow]

Can confirm. Turning the AC off does nothing at all. Only way to stop the air flowing is to physically shut all vents off manually. Super annoying.

 

[Jesse H]

Off simply means blower isn't spinning and AC compressor isn't running. If your windows are down and moonroof is open while you're moving, air will make its way inside. Similarly if the vehicle is moving and blend doors are set a certain way, air will find its way in.

I remember cars from the 80s and 90s where the operator could physically feel the blend doors and recirculate flaps moving when you slid the HVAC levers. Now everything is electronically controlled and many don't understand how things work behind the dash or under the hood.

Sorry my GenX is showing.

 

[Keirik]

Are some of you guys sure it's not a cool box issue?

I noticed that I had the same problem of it blowing air even if I tried turning it all off.....until I turned my cool box off. Then it stopped blowing.

What it turns out was that with the cool box turned on, it wouldn't actually allow you to completely turn off air. It was go to "off " but then turn itself back to 1 automatically if the cool box was still on.

 

[markmanner]

I do recall reading that if you turn the cool box on, the AC is on by default.

 

[Keirik]

I do recall reading that if you turn the cool box on, the AC is on by default.

This is correct. If the cool box is on, even if you slide the climate to off, it will fix itself and go back to on. Heat or cool.

 

[luxpow]

Off simply means blower isn't spinning and AC compressor isn't running. If your windows are down and moonroof is open while you're moving, air will make its way inside. Similarly if the vehicle is moving and blend doors are set a certain way, air will find its way in.

I remember cars from the 80s and 90s where the operator could physically feel the blend doors and recirculate flaps moving when you slid the HVAC levers. Now everything is electronically controlled and many don't understand how things work behind the dash or under the hood.

Sorry my GenX is showing.

If windows/moonroof are open, then air would come through those not through the vents right ?
And when people are complaining about air coming through, isn't it obvious that they closed all doors, windows, moonroof and ac already ?

 

[Jesse H]

If windows/moonroof are open, then air would come through those not through the vents right ?
And when people are complaining about air coming through, isn't it obvious that they closed all doors, windows, moonroof and ac already ?

Off simply means the blower and compressor are off. If it isn't obvious to those users then they reach out to internet forums.

Turning the car off at 60 mph will stop the injectors and spark plugs from firing, but the wheels, axles, transmission and pistons will still be moving.

 

[tars1220]

It’s frustrating to take the extra step but I’ve found the only way to stop air flowing through the vents completely (and not have to manually shut each one) is to first switch it to recirculate mode, then press Off. That does the trick for me.

 

[FirstTImeLex24]

So, now that it's cold enough to use the heat, I've noticed that if I turn the system entirely off, it still blows hot through the vents for a period of time.

I don't find the climate control system terribly intuitive on the GX, but wondering if I'm missing something super obvious on how to switch it off ?

I have the same heat vent issue in my GX550.

Remedy: Turn the temperature down before you shut the unit off. The unit, while 'turned off' will vent at a lower temperature.

I asked local dealer if service bulletins exist for climate control issues or heated seat issues. No joy there. Disappointing.

 

[Yrag57]

I read most of the posts in this thread. Hopefully someone here can answer my question:
I have a 2024 GX550 Luxury. No cool box. All climate settings for Concierge, etc. are off.
Here is the issue. At highway speeds, at any temperature setting, at any fan speed setting, it’ll be going along just fine when all off a sudden, with no input from me, the dash vents start blowing full blast into the cabin. Turn fan to OFF, no change. Still blowing strong at whatever temperature the climate system is set to.
The ONLY way I’ve been able to stop the uncontrolled airflow is to initiate the recirculate control. It stops immediately.
But I prefer fresh air. I just want it coming in at the speed at which I set the fan—like every other vehicle I’ve ever owned.
I suspect there’s a computerized connection with this issue, but have no clue about how to correct it.
Any suggestions?
For a vehicle I am really pleased to own and operate otherwise, this is the funkiest climate system I’ve ever experienced…

 

[RetiredSteelWorker]

. . .
For a vehicle I am really pleased to own and operate otherwise, this is the funkiest climate system I’ve ever experienced…

Yes, fully agree it is funky and not even close to being intuitive to understand or to get dialed in.

I can relate to your frustrations, I went endured the same thing. For months, out of nowhere, warm air would start blowing into the cabin. I only want fresh, outside air to flow through, no heat, except on really cold days.

My approach was to start with everything off, including the S-Flow setting and the so-called Climate Concierge. Sort of a base case starting point where nothing is in Auto mode, the fan is off, the A/C is off, but the Outside/recirculate air function is on (is allowing in outside air). Be aware of the two or three possible modes for every button on the console, indicated by 1) white bar, 2) blue bar or 3) no bar, IMO these are confusing and mixed up but we have to live with them as is.

See post #20 in this thread. I've watched many times over the NorthSide Lexus video at the timestamp listed in the thread, and I'm still not totally sure I have all the different settings the way I want. And then when I do get them the way I want and think they are all set and all dialed in, I glance at the center console and one or the other has changed from a white bar to a blue bar. Usually the Outside/recirculate air function. It's very frustrating.

 

[mikessd]

Are some of you guys sure it's not a cool box issue?

I noticed that I had the same problem of it blowing air even if I tried turning it all off.....until I turned my cool box off. Then it stopped blowing.

What it turns out was that with the cool box turned on, it wouldn't actually allow you to completely turn off air. It was go to "off " but then turn itself back to 1 automatically if the cool box was still on.

thanks for this post. was wondering why it wouldnt let me turn it off!

 

[SFLGX]

As someone who’s always hot and sweaty and lives in humid FL I don’t have an issue with the climate control because I have it set to LO, recirculate on, and then adjust the fan speed to my desired speed. Always blows cold and keeps me cool.

Guess I’m lucky

 

[Yrag57]

Yes, fully agree it is funky and not even close to being intuitive to understand or to get dialed in.

I can relate to your frustrations, I went endured the same thing. For months, out of nowhere, warm air would start blowing into the cabin. I only want fresh, outside air to flow through, no heat, except on really cold days.

My approach was to start with everything off, including the S-Flow setting and the so-called Climate Concierge. Sort of a base case starting point where nothing is in Auto mode, the fan is off, the A/C is off, but the Outside/recirculate air function is on (is allowing in outside air). Be aware of the two or three possible modes for every button on the console, indicated by 1) white bar, 2) blue bar or 3) no bar, IMO these are confusing and mixed up but we have to live with them as is.

See post #20 in this thread. I've watched many times over the NorthSide Lexus video at the timestamp listed in the thread, and I'm still not totally sure I have all the different settings the way I want. And then when I do get them the way I want and think they are all set and all dialed in, I glance at the center console and one or the other has changed from a white bar to a blue bar. Usually the Outside/recirculate air function. It's very frustrating.

Thanks for pointing me to that other thread. I will do some experimenting. With your advice and that of the author at #20 of that other thread, I begin to get an inkling about the designer’s pretzel logic.
It made me realize that making the breeze stop by touching Recirculate I was unknowingly taking the system out of only one aspect of Auto mode.
I’ve been incorrectly applying the old logic as it was on my 2019 4Runner. On that system, if it was in Auto, all one need do was adjust fan speed and recirculate to make everything manual with fresh outside air again. This beast is way more complicated—for no particular reason. It wasn’t broken, but they fixed it anyway…

 

[incognito.gx]

Temp on LO
AC ON - Blue Bar
Circulate ON
Sync ON
Everything else OFF

Ice cold every time