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A/C / Heat Always On?


Tjmarchand
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Hey everyone, I did try searching for this issue so if this is something I missed I'm very sorry.

 

Anyway, I have a 93' Pathfinder and I've noticed that it tends to always blow air on my feet if I don't have anything selected on the control unit. The fan speed is set to off, but I can feel air and I don't think it's truly turning off. I also found that if I play with the temperature slider it'll get hot or cold, leading me to be concerned that something is wrong. I made sure that when it happens none of the fan buttons are lit. I've been told sometimes older cars never really shut off the climate controls so maybe someone can set me straight on this. Thank you!

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It sounds like you have the auto climate control, correct?

Oh wow, for some reason I never thought that could be the case! https://www.dropbox.com/s/2mbo5t77zxitbck/20130430_014451.jpg I just took a quick picture I'm not sure if that's the automatic controls? Is there anyway to disable that feature? If not do you think it hurts my MPG's a great deal?

 

Thank you for helping me out

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It sounds like you have the auto climate control, correct?

 

I think that Trogdor had the same sneaky suspicion as I that you had a bad fan amp but, it looks like you have a manual climate control. Do you still feel the air when you have the air selector set to "re-circulation"?

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Yeah, that's the auto. Is this while the truck's moving or while it's parked? Unless the recirc is on with mine it'll blow a little air when I'm driving, not because the fan motor's spinning but just because air's getting rammed into the intakes.

 

I doubt it hurts your MPG too much, though if it's running the AC compressor it's not helping it any.

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that is not the manual hvac controls.

Really? Wow, that looks way different than mine.

 

 

Unless the recirc is on with mine it'll blow a little air when I'm driving, not because the fan motor's spinning but just because air's getting rammed into the intakes.

That is what I was eluding too.

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The auto for the WD21 are sort of a rare thing, I've seen them in 93's more than any other year. I'm with everyone on it blowing a little at all times, but I'm not familiar enough with that to know it works like the manual version.

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that is not the manual hvac controls.

 

If you press the defrost button, far right, does the air still come out at the floor??

I didn't feel anything with defrost on.

 

Yeah, that's the auto. Is this while the truck's moving or while it's parked? Unless the recirc is on with mine it'll blow a little air when I'm driving, not because the fan motor's spinning but just because air's getting rammed into the intakes.

 

I doubt it hurts your MPG too much, though if it's running the AC compressor it's not helping it any.

It's while it's moving, not in park. You are right I think that it's probably air in the intake cause I really noticed it last night coming home on the highway.

 

The auto for the WD21 are sort of a rare thing, I've seen them in 93's more than any other year. I'm with everyone on it blowing a little at all times, but I'm not familiar enough with that to know it works like the manual version.

Okay, thank you. I never realized it had automatic controls.

 

As long as your AC compressor is not cycling on and off (keep it off the defrost and defrost/foot mode) it will not affect MPG.

That is very good to know. I don't think I've heard the a/c compressor coming on, I leave the bar in the middle on 75. I never run into the style of buttons on these and I've noticed you kinda have to press two of the buttons together to make one of them pop off so that no air mode is on. I know that isn't the clearest description but should I be driving with the fan in the off position and the blower set to anything but defrost ? Thanks again everyone I really appreciate the help. Trying to get these little things all sorted out.

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I think a lot of Pathfinder owners would be shocked to see the auto controls. WD21 anyway.

 

I got an auto control panel I was gonna swap into mine but is far not worth the effort to make it work when the manual setup works JUST fine for me :lol:

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Would it be a big project to swap in the manual controls? I'll get used to it, but it would be nice to have it on only when I want it on. I'm wondering if it's more than plugging a manual unit if I could find one in the junkyard. Auto controls are really weird to me!

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For what it's worth, the manual controls look like this:

 

P1010003-18_zps71ea418d.jpg

 

It's dead simple to use and it works just fine. (Ignore the torn apart dash, long story.)

Does sound like you're just feeling air that's blowing in from outside. If you set it to recirc it shouldn't do that. Personally I don't mind it, it's like having a window open but without the noise. The fan/AC/etc aren't being powered, though you can still get heat (the heater uses the hot coolant from the engine, so it's just a matter of which baffles are open). If you turn the slider to the cold end, maybe it'll shut the baffles?

I'm not sure how much of a project you'd be in for switching for manual controls. I would assume that they both attach to the same things, and the only difference would be an unused plug for an air temperature sensor. Assumptions like this usually leave me swearing at Nissan for changing small things that didn't need changing (and marveling at the number of sharp things under the dash) so take this with a couple bags of salt.

 

@Trogdor, that's funny, the only one I've ever seen was in a 93. Maybe they didn't sell well and Nissan gave up on them?

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Turn the fan to off it shuts it off.

 

Yeah, that was a dumb question! Thank you.

For what it's worth, the manual controls look like this:

 

P1010003-18_zps71ea418d.jpg

 

It's dead simple to use and it works just fine. (Ignore the torn apart dash, long story.)

 

Does sound like you're just feeling air that's blowing in from outside. If you set it to recirc it shouldn't do that. Personally I don't mind it, it's like having a window open but without the noise. The fan/AC/etc aren't being powered, though you can still get heat (the heater uses the hot coolant from the engine, so it's just a matter of which baffles are open). If you turn the slider to the cold end, maybe it'll shut the baffles?

 

I'm not sure how much of a project you'd be in for switching for manual controls. I would assume that they both attach to the same things, and the only difference would be an unused plug for an air temperature sensor. Assumptions like this usually leave me swearing at Nissan for changing small things that didn't need changing (and marveling at the number of sharp things under the dash) so take this with a couple bags of salt.

 

@Trogdor, that's funny, the only one I've ever seen was in a 93. Maybe they didn't sell well and Nissan gave up on them?

Thank you for the picture. For some reason I had a lot of trouble understanding the difference but I think I'm better off just leaving everything the way it is. I'll set mine to recirculate if it starts to bother me.

 

Really appreciate all the help everyone.

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