I normally drive with the four air vents across the dash closed off. (It looks neater; I am a complete sad @ss)

I have only had the car six months & it's worked fine. The warm air blows on my feet, which is how I mostly prefer it. If I want warm air on my hands I open the vents.

A couple of days ago we had a warm day. It got quite hot in the car despite the Climatronic being on 'Auto'. My first thoughts were: "Oh no! Problem with the aircon" but I opened the dash vents & lovely cool air came rushing out.

So my question is:

If I want to cool the car down do I have to open the vents? Or do I press the down pointing arrow button on the Climatronic (which I think switches it out of Auto) to make cool air come out on my feet. Or should it just work in Auto with the vents closed the same way the hot air does?

I've checked my manual but it doesn't help.

Thanks

Darren

2002 Octavia vRS

Hot air comes in at your feet as it rises and heats the car most effectivley. The cold air is sent out the vents again as this is the most effective way of cooling the car. If you press the down arrow it will direct the air to the foot vents and everything else will carry on in auto. It will however struggle to cool the car on a hot day and you will get very cold feet.

Hot air comes in at your feet as it rises and heats the car most effectivley. The cold air is sent out the vents again as this is the most effective way of cooling the car. If you press the down arrow it will direct the air to the foot vents and everything else will carry on in auto. It will however struggle to cool the car on a hot day and you will get very cold feet.

Yes, that makes sense.

Thanks

Yes but remember that your feet act as the 'thermostat' of your body. If your feet are hot you are likely to feel warm but if they are cold your body is also likely to cool down. That's why you should get your feet warm when trying to fall asleep as your body prefers to feel warm before it can rest.

In the car (where you certainly don't want to be falling asleep whilst driving), you will feel cooler a lot quicker if you direct more of the cold air to your feet first. The way the climate control works to heat or cool the car does not necessarily equate to the way your body controls its temperature.

When I got my Passat, the dealer told me I should always aim to keep at least one of the dash vents open to keep the climate working to it's most efficient. I followed this in the Golf, and now in the Octavia (all three had the climatronic system).

Not sure whether it was an old wives tale or what, but the vent air freshener wouldn't hang on without it being open:rolleyes:

Ben

I always have the two vents nearest to me open. Hardly ever have the foot vents on unless my boots have got soaked.

The windscreen demister stays on with the dash vents as well.