I don't get that jack-ass's emails any more. I'll repeat myself for clarity. Outside (or fresh) air is normal for both heat and AC on the vast majority of automotive heating and air conditioning or climate control systems. Systems with "max ac" settings switch to recirculated air on the "max ac" setting. Some manual systems, at least in years past, had a "fresh/recirc" control that did the same thing.
And this is why ---
I've only had one air conditioned GM vehicle . It was a '95 Tran Sport - and the fan speed didn't change with Max AC selected. On the Tauris if I do not have automatic climate control turned on, MAX AC soen't change the fan speed eiter. If automatic control is enabled, hitting MAX AC shuts off the automatic control and it is POSSIBLE tha the fan then goes to max. I'll have to remember to check when I get into it next. (I usually use the Ranger - and the "McGiver AC" does not have any fancy controls. It is a standard non-AC truck with an AC Evavorator added to the system, along with an on/off switch.
I just drove SWMBO's 2003 Element. (Love that thing!)
When set to Max AC there is a definite increase in the force of the air through the vents. The recirc light also turns on.
Here is a picture of the controls:
You will see that Max AC is on when the mode control is turned all the way to the left. I set the control one position to the right of Max AC, which should mean that all of the air is coming from the dash vents. While holding my hand in front of a dash vent, I turned the control to Max AC. The force of the air coming from the vent increased.
This occurred at any fan speed. There was a noticeable increase in the force of the air flow within a second of turning the control to Max AC. Was it increasing the fan speed? I don't know. I was driving and didn't hear any appreciable increase in fan noise, but the change in force was undeniable. Maybe it was redirecting more air through the vents, I don't know, but the forced increased.
Instead of sucking the air through the entire air intake system, the fan is grabbing the air directly at the fan housing - so yes, you WILL get more air flow. However, there is no connection between the recirc door and the fan motor control. The louder air sound and increased air flow are completely caused by the reduction in resistance to intake air flow. At least they have been on several hundred vehicles I have not only serviced but installed the air conditioning on (the vast majority of those installations on Toyotas) Technology has changed some over the years - but that control could just as well have come out of a 1972 Corona Mark 2 or an old Hilux..... It is certainly not rocket science.
;-)
Thank you.
I don't think my 2000 Toyota even has a Max setting!
I was right. It doesn't
But when I put it on automatic and I turn the temp up, the fan goes faster. However unless I'm in a hurry to defrost the windshield, I don't care how cold I am, I only want the fan on one of the first two speeds. So I turned Automatic off again
OK - back to Max Air and the Ford Taurus. I've driven it over the weekend, and the fan speed most definitely does NOT change when set to Max Air.. It does get much louder because you hear the air being drawn into the fan as well as being blown through the vents.
As far as the 2000 Camry and Solara - the 3-knob non - automatic climate control system has a "fresh/recirc" lever. Recirc is "max air". There is also a version with a push-button "recirc" control
The 4- slide control "automatic" HVAC control also has the "fresh/recirc" control.
In 2001 the camry/solara finally got "real" automatic temperature control with digital readout and an actual "automatic" mode. with buttons for fan off, fan speed (up and down) , Auto, mode, and AC, and a round knob that turns to adjust temperature - which when pushed reads outside temperature.. it also has a "fresh-recirc" button.
So - yes your toyota DOES have a "max air" setting whether it is technically a 2000 or a 2001 model.
I've had many GM cars. This myth has been around since the 60's. But it has never been the case. All that happens is that the recirc door moves and the air resistance in the ducts is reduced. Reduced resistance means more air flow AND it means the motor, now having to do a bit less work, spins a bit faster. So there is a bit more airflow and a bit more noise, but not because there is an extra higher fan speed. If you trace the wring diagrams you see that there is no "extra speed" for "max".
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