I've searched the forums and found no direct answers, so can someone tell me what the top-down vent setting on the AC dial does? I know that it directs air through the vents over the radio, but how does that change anything? Specifically, my questions are:

1. Is this setting supposed to be used with the fan turned off or on? At first I thought it should be used with the fan off so outside air could just flow through. But if the fan is off, it seems to have no air flowing, so I tried it with the fan on. Even with the fan on, I don't see any real advantage.

2. Should the AC compressor be on as well so this setting can cool your feet or something?

3. It may sound crazy, but could this setting be designed to increase air pressure inside the cockpit so that there is less wind buffeting with the top down?

Someone reveal the secrets of this setting for me........

 

The "top down" setting for the climate control is more for "heat" during those cooler times when you still wish to drive the car topless. When you push the A/C button, you activate the A/C compressor. Whether or not you use the fan will change nothing with the compressor except when it is completely off - this over-rides the compressor and turns it off too. However, if you are going to have that parasitic drag on the engine anyway, you may as well maximize the efficiency of the "cooling" process and have the fan turned on as fast as you need even if it means having it full blast on those really hot days. During such hot days, I feel that the setting on the climate control that is most useful for cooling the occupants down is the one that selects both the vents and the footwells. If you don't care to cool your feet then use just the vents setting.
If you don't use the fan, you are dependent upon your car's forward speed to push air through the ventilation system and since this car has a filter at the beginning of the system, you need a good deal of forward speed to actually push air through. The use of the fan is way more effective in accomplishing this task.

 

I've not paid attention to what the vents and compressor are doing but I have found that it works well. I live in the Inland Valley in Southern California, and we have 100+ days. It was about 103 today I think. When I drive in hot weather with the top down I turn on the AC and it keeps the cockpit comfy.

 

works great if you're wearing shorts. Otherwise I stick with the main vent outputs for AC.

 

What does the owner's manual say?



(sorry, I had to do it)

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by DaveZ
[B]What does the owner's manual say?

 

What this is REALLY for is when you have the top down in traffic, you turn the A/C on this setting so you don't get carbon monoxide poisoning. It works too. I was sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic and was about ready to put the top up because I was getting a little dizzy from the fumes. I turned it to the top down setting and immediately the fumes were blown away from my face. Believe it or not?

 

With the top down, it tries to keep the cold air (AC on) lower on the body than the normal A/C setting. Having spent many days at 100+ with the top down, I think it's a matter of personal preference. I like the normal A/C position sometimes (dash vents only) to blow cold air directly on my hands and the left over goes into my face/chest area. Other times, the top-down position is outstanding, cooling off my legs with the foot vents, and my (and pax) thigh area. This works exceptionally well high speed and windows up (top still down). In this selection, the drivers top-left vent also works. Experiment. Whenever I use the A/C, I have the fan on high to move as much cold air as possible--as long as I'm paying for the compressor to be cycling. If you read the owners manual, it recommends always having the fan on (at least lowest setting) for ventilation and to keep the system from getting musty.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Molly W
[B]What this is REALLY for is when you have the top down in traffic, you turn the A/C on this setting so you don't get carbon monoxide poisoning. It works too. I was sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic and was about ready to put the top up because I was getting a little dizzy from the fumes. I turned it to the top down setting and immediately the fumes were blown away from my face.

 

wow.....thats amazing......lol