I'm just curious? How does the cabin temp setting work? If it's at the coldest setting (with AC off), does it actually use up freon? If it's at the hottest setting, does it just use heat from the engine? If it's in between, does it combine freon + heat from the engine?

 

At the coldest setting with the A/C off, you will get no added heat and only ambient air temp (outside air).

When you are between cold and hot (again with A/C off), you get a mix of outside air temp + heat from the car's coolant running through the heater core.

This is how every car works unless it has fully automatic climate control.

 

And I guess if it's set to hottest, it would be all heat from the coolant?

 

yea on the hottest setting u get the heat coming from the core.

 

Thanks all! I learn something new everyday!

 

 

You dont "use up" freon just so you know.

 

well it doesnt "go away" unless you have a leak in the system, but it does lose its cooling ability

 

but does it lose that ability over time or with use?

 

No. Only if contaminated. Refrigerant is strictly a heat transfer medium. You compress it to liquify it and allow it to reexpand.