I've never had a car with air con before and find the owner handbook a little vague regarding the correct use of the climate control system. I have a 1.2 lounge.

1. Am I correct in thinking that the air con should only be used with the air recycle knob set to air intake from outside?

2. Can the air con be used with the air temperature knob set to any temperature? (i.e. summer and winter use).

3. The handbook suggests that the system should be inspected at a Fiat dealership before the summer. Obviously, this is five months off, but should I expect the dealership from where I purchased the car carry this out as a free inspection?

Thanks in advance for your help and advice.

do you have the standard aircon or the optional Climate control? there is a difference I believe.

FireballXL5man said:

I've never had a car with air con before and find the owner handbook a little vague regarding the correct use of the climate control system. I have a 1.2 lounge.

1. Am I correct in thinking that the air con should only be used with the air recycle knob set to air intake from outside?

2. Can the air con be used with the air temperature knob set to any temperature? (i.e. summer and winter use).

3. The handbook suggests that the system should be inspected at a Fiat dealership before the summer. Obviously, this is five months off, but should I expect the dealership from where I purchased the car carry this out as a free inspection?

Thanks in advance for your help and advice.

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1. the air con should normally be set to draw air from outside to keep down moisture levels inside the car (condensation). however, when its really hot set it to recirculate as it will be cooler (it will cool already cooled air).

2. yes, but there's not much benefit to using it in winter, it's more economical to leave it off (aircon increases fuel consumption by about 10%). the air con should be turned on (cold) for about 10 mins about once a fortnight to keep it in good condition.

3. the inspection probably won't be free, but ask them. i believe its just to check coolant level and possibly treat it with an antibacterial treatment. the treatment can be done at home easily, its an aerosol can u set off in the front of the car with the aircon on full and cold, u leave it running till the can is empty. only downside is you can't sit in the car and the engine needs to be left running, so security could be an issue.

FireballXL5man said:

1. Am I correct in thinking that the air con should only be used with the air recycle knob set to air intake from outside?

I have it on recycle for rapid heat and when going pass smelly fields/behind smokey buses

2. Can the air con be used with the air temperature knob set to any temperature? (i.e. summer and winter use).

Any, yes.

3. The handbook suggests that the system should be inspected at a Fiat dealership before the summer. Obviously, this is five months off, but should I expect the dealership from where I purchased the car carry this out as a free inspection?

No you will pay, it wont be checked anyway so dont bother

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EDIT...punto pete beat me to it, but pete you get air-con treatments that is as you say in a can but you leave it on passengers footwell inside car and not outside...this is type I use.

Punto_Pete said:

2. yes, but there's not much benefit to using it in winter, it's more economical to leave it off (aircon increases fuel consumption by about 10%). the air con should be turned on (cold) for about 10 mins about once a fortnight to keep it in good condition.

I consider it to be essential for winter motoring as it will quickly demist the interior a lot faster.

3. the inspection probably won't be free, but ask them. i believe its just to check coolant level and possibly treat it with an antibacterial treatment. the treatment can be done at home easily, its an aerosol can u set off in the front of the car with the aircon on full and cold, u leave it running till the can is empty. only downside is you can't sit in the car and the engine needs to be left running, so security could be an issue.

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T14086 said:

EDIT...punto pete beat me to it, but pete you get air-con treatments that is as you say in a can but you leave it on passengers footwell inside car and not outside...this is type I use.

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That's how I read it first but I think Pete meant in the front (inside) OF the car as opposed to in front OF the car, LOL.

Thank you all very much for your replies. Cheers.

yes, used as T14086 says, inside the car. lol

they're available from any decent motorfactors, maybe even halfrauds if u don't mind paying a premium

One point; the A/C is invaluable in winter for demisting the inside of your car, which is why I hardly ever turn mine off.

And you need to use it regularly since the lubricant for the seals is carried in the gas. People who hardly ever use the A/C often find that it isn't there when they want it because the seals have dried out and the coolant has escaped.

Used properly A/C should give no trouble.

Ulpian said:

One point; the A/C is invaluable in winter for demisting the inside of your car, which is why I hardly ever turn mine off.

And you need to use it regularly since the lubricant for the seals is carried in the gas. People who hardly ever use the A/C often find that it isn't there when they want it because the seals have dried out and the coolant has escaped.

Used properly A/C should give no trouble.

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Yeah you NEED to use the air con in the winter to demist here in the UK.

306maxi said:

Yeah you NEED to use the air con in the winter to demist here in the UK.

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hot or cold?

MissR said:

hot or cold?

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If you have climate, then pressing the demist button results in: HEAT full blast, air con ON and fans set to SCREEN blowing FULL. This process can be copied in a non climate car and demists the car effectively and quickly.

DraigFlag87 said:

If you have climate, then pressing the demist button results in: HEAT full blast, air con ON and fans set to SCREEN blowing FULL. This process can be copied in a non climate car and demists the car effectively and quickly.

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Yeah DF's right

The air con merely helps because it takes the humidity out of the air coming into the car so effectively it dries it out. You still want heat though so you can demist with that and when the heat kicks in you turn the air con off.

Occasionally, on a cold moist day, it's recommended you keep the air con on too, people seem to think that when you've got the heating on, putting the air con on will turn it cold?! Not true, you can mix the heat with the air con. In fact, I use the air con more in winter than i do in summer (not surprising in Wales!) Some people I've been in the car with and they have misty windows, i tell them what they need to do and they're always like "what, you put the heating on AND the air con?"

DraigFlag87 said:

Occasionally, on a cold moist day, it's recommended you keep the air con on too, people seem to think that when you've got the heating on, putting the air con on will turn it cold?! Not true, you can mix the heat with the air con. In fact, I use the air con more in winter than i do in summer (not surprising in Wales!) Some people I've been in the car with and they have misty windows, i tell them what they need to do and they're always like "what, you put the heating on AND the air con?"

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Yep, I had an argument with my parents the other day when they got in on a cold morning! My dad got huffy when I didn't turn it off and then when I turned it off the windscreen was misted up within 30 seconds or so

306maxi said:

Yep, I had an argument with my parents the other day when they got in on a cold morning! My dad got huffy when I didn't turn it off and then when I turned it off the windscreen was misted up within 30 seconds or so

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Bit of a "told you so!" moment was it?! Another thing some people fail to realise is that, when the fans are set on screen, air also blows out the little vents by the side windows, thus keeping them crystal clear too, and then the air carries on to the back windows as well.

Wow, I had no idea you had to put the air con AND heat on. Wondered why I was not able to demist the car very easily. Great – now I know!

DraigFlag87 said:

Bit of a "told you so!" moment was it?! Another thing some people fail to realise is that, when the fans are set on screen, air also blows out the little vents by the side windows, thus keeping them crystal clear too, and then the air carries on to the back windows as well.

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Just a bit

With the air con the air doesn't necessarily need to be blowing on the surface you want to demist to demist it, drying out the air in the car is enough to demist other windows even if the air isn't reaching them. Back when I had my 406 the heater fan didn't work at all for a while and just having the air conditioning on and the little airflow which came through was enought to keep the car demisted.

DraigFlag87 said:

If you have climate, then pressing the demist button results in: HEAT full blast, air con ON and fans set to SCREEN blowing FULL. This process can be copied in a non climate car and demists the car effectively and quickly.

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Also switches on HRW and heated mirrors, truly a "one touch does all" button.

grimwau said:

Also switches on HRW and heated mirrors, truly a "one touch does all" button.

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Unless you have a Pop, then you have to do the mirrors manualy, which scratches them as the plastic mirror surface appears quite soft, GRRRR.