Hi all,

 

Picked up a 2 year old Yeti SE Plus from a dealer in Watford at the weekend and love the car so far. Also driving a Audi S3 and surprisingly I don't have my usual urge to drive that like I did before getting the Yeti!

 

Onto my question: I know there are 2 Auto modes (Low/High) but there is also the A/C button. In the manual all it says is that it enables the A/C and not much more. Comparing this setup to my Audi, I have an Econ mode which disables the need for using fuel to power the Climate Control and essentially running in Economy mode. Am I right in assuming that having Auto Low with A/C OFF has the same effect?

 

I get why I would put Auto to High, but why would I ever want to put A/C on? Does it only work for cold temperatures or hot also?

 

Hope I am making sense.

 

Cheers.

I only use the a/c button to switch off the a/c if for some reason I don't want the a/c on.

I always have it on auto, and let it do its own thing.

The a/c button essentially enables or disables the chiller. In other words, if it is on, the climate control can blend heat from the engine with chilled air from the chiller to get the temperature desired. If it is off, the climate control can still blend hot air with ambient (outside) air to achieve a set temperature but obviously it can only get the cabin down to the outside temperature. At this time of year, that's not a problem but in the summer you will need the a/c on if you want the cabin cooled down.

Additionally, having the a/c on will assist with the clearing of condensation and mist from the windows, since chilling air also dries it.

The high/low auto setting essentially determines the force with which the fans will blow, which will effect how quickly the cabin reaches a set temperature. In the summer I tend to use the 'high' setting so that I can feel the cool air countering the greenhouse effect of sun through the windows.

The 'auto' setting will work with or without the a/c; it will control the fan setting, air direction and air temperature automatically.

The woman's best friend must surely be the integrated demister button.......and yet you still see some driving with fogged up windows.

(I'm off to hide in a corner now)

The a/c button essentially enables or disables the chiller. In other words, if it is on, the climate control can blend heat from the engine with chilled air from the chiller to get the temperature desired. If it is off, the climate control can still blend hot air with ambient (outside) air to achieve a set temperature but obviously it can only get the cabin down to the outside temperature. At this time of year, that's not a problem but in the summer you will need the a/c on if you want the cabin cooled down.

Additionally, having the a/c on will assist with the clearing of condensation and mist from the windows, since chilling air also dries it.

The high/low auto setting essentially determines the force with which the fans will blow, which will effect how quickly the cabin reaches a set temperature. In the summer I tend to use the 'high' setting so that I can feel the cool air countering the greenhouse effect of sun through the windows.

The 'auto' setting will work with or without the a/c; it will control the fan setting, air direction and air temperature automatically.

Fantastic answer, thank you very much! That's exactly what I thought it did and you have confirmed it.

I'm pretty sure the A/C does not work when the outside temperature is below about 3 degrees to avoid components freezing. You can leave it switched on and it'll start chilling again once ambient temperature rises.

 

If you drive with the A/C off (as I tend to do for much of the time in winter), don't forget to run the A/C for 10 mins or so every week to keep the seals & compressor lubricated and avoid hefty bills later on.

I'm pretty sure the A/C does not work when the outside temperature is below about 3 degrees to avoid components freezing. You can leave it switched on and it'll start chilling again once ambient temperature rises.

 

If you drive with the A/C off (as I tend to do for much of the time in winter), don't forget to run the A/C for 10 mins or so every week to keep the seals & compressor lubricated and avoid hefty bills later on.

Yeah I remember that. Found out the hard way in my Golf Mk5, had it for 5 years, never run it out of Econ mode and then the whole aircon stank and had to get it flushed out twice.

 

With the fuel economy I am getting out of the Yeti it doesn't hurt to run it once in a while. Filled it up for the first time last night, £47 for a full tank from the light coming on, range says 600 miles leaving the station, got home and range is 640 miles!! Car is making fuel as I drive!!! :P

On long descents it gives some braking and exercises the AC.

Maybe it could be programmed to be activated that way some day.

Edited 5 January, 201610 yr by Ryeman

I've been used to the type of A/C used by Ford over the years, where the compressor is controlled by a solenoid driven mechanical clutch. As the compressor chops in & out, you can hear the clutch engage and the engine note changes (especially at tickover) as the load increases. On more recent Fords, the compressor is running all the time and on Fiestas, so is the rather noisy cooling fan. As a result, there is a significant deterioration in fuel consumption when running the A/C, and yes it does have a braking effect when decelerating.

 

I've always wondered how the Yeti A/C differs.

I don't know if it's different on cars with climate control (like my Yeti), but there's no noticeable difference in performance, engine note, or engine noise when the A/C is on, unless the cooling fan cuts in, which it rarely does unless stationary. (I know a steady tickover speed can be maintained by the ECU.)

Doe the A/C place an extra load on the engine and therefore affect economy?  In theory it should do because the compressor has to be powered somehow (just like a domestic fridge), but is the compressor particularly efficient on VW Group cars?

One thing I've noticed with the S3 when I am in idle and I disabled Economy mode for the Climate Control my revs go up ever so slightly and sit there, if I turn it back on the revs drop. But thats a different engine and is from 2008, where as the Yeti is diesel and from 2013.

Edited 5 January, 201610 yr by Yega

I've been used to the type of A/C used by Ford over the years, where the compressor is controlled by a solenoid driven mechanical clutch. As the compressor chops in & out, you can hear the clutch engage and the engine note changes (especially at tickover) as the load increases. On more recent Fords, the compressor is running all the time and on Fiestas, so is the rather noisy cooling fan. As a result, there is a significant deterioration in fuel consumption when running the A/C, and yes it does have a braking effect when decelerating.

 

I've always wondered how the Yeti A/C differs.

I don't know if it's different on cars with climate control (like my Yeti), but there's no noticeable difference in performance, engine note, or engine noise when the A/C is on, unless the cooling fan cuts in, which it rarely does unless stationary. (I know a steady tickover speed can be maintained by the ECU.)

Doe the A/C place an extra load on the engine and therefore affect economy?  In theory it should do because the compressor has to be powered somehow (just like a domestic fridge), but is the compressor particularly efficient on VW Group cars?

 

More recent A/C installations are driven electrically.