What happens when you press AUTO?

[benjie]

When you get into a cold car on a cold morning and press auto in your car, what happens to the air flow? Where does the air come out... all vents? Some vents?

When I press AUTO, I get air from all vents except the central vent. When the car begins to warm up, so does the air... still no air from the central vent. When the car is fully warmed up - both engine and ambient interior temp, the vents stop pumping hot air and pump ambient air. At this point, my central vents suddenly open, and ambient air comes out.

(If, at any time, I press the central vent button the vent opens and air comes out)

I'm sure that's not right. I distinctly remember last Christmas pressing AUTO and aiming the central and driver's side vents at my hands to warm them up!

The thing is... I have a friend with a B7 A4 and his vents work the same way as mine do - no hot air from central vents.

Am I cracking up? I'm sure that no hot air from the central vent isn't right? And if it is, I can't see a sensible reason why those damn Germans would have done it?

So back to the question... what does your car do when you press AUTO?

 

[hades-]

what does your car do when you press AUTO?

you answered your own question
what your car does on auto is what every a4 iv owned does
so if you want air from all vents dont use auto
use up center and down

 

[quattrojames]

From memory when you start the car from cold it blows air towards clearing the screen and side windows, I imagine this is probably dependant on exterior ambient air temp, and possible even engine/interior temp.

All a hypothesis however!

 

[benjie]

I do use centre when I need it, but for the past 2 winters it's come out the centre vent on auto?

 

[Brendan12]

It won't direct airflow at you untill its warmed up. The air is directed at the windows in order too demist them first of all. Once the car has warmed up it will start to direct the warmer air at you.

 

[benjie]

It won't direct airflow at you untill its warmed up. The air is directed at the windows in order too demist them first of all. Once the car has warmed up it will start to direct the warmer air at you.

It doesn't give any hot air though. Once the inside has warmed up, and the air con is blowing 'tepid' (just maintaining temp, not warming), then it starts blowing air.

 

[Brendan12]

It doesn't give any hot air though. Once the inside has warmed up, and the air con is blowing 'tepid' (just maintaining temp, not warming), then it starts blowing air.

What temperature have you got it set too?

 

[benjie]

21-23, depending on how chilly it is. Outside temp of 10-13.

 

[Brendan12]

21-23, depending on how chilly it is. Outside temp of 10-13.

At that temperature your never going to get any noticeable heat. Try it on HI and see of you notice a difference.

 

[benjie]

I at 21-23 I get heat coming from the driver/passenger vents and the windscreen vent (until the car's warmed up.) But nothing from the middle. If I put it on max, and the engine's warm, I get lots of noise/heat, but still nothing from the middle vents.