# LTZ Owners - Use of Auto Climate Control



## elwood58 (Feb 2, 2011)

I always use my system in full auto. You can go to config and adjust whether heated seats and defrosters come on automatically with remote start.


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## TSURacing (Jan 1, 2011)

elwood58 said:


> I always use my system in full auto. You can go to config and adjust whether heated seats and defrosters come on automatically with remote start.


I saw the heated seat config, but I missed the defrost! Thanks for the tip, I will try that out tomorrow. I'd rather save the wear and power on the elements, so I will probably turn it off, especially since I park in my garage.


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## 70AARCUDA (Nov 14, 2010)

...for _maximum_ *fuel economy*, *I* (but not my wife) always use "manual" control, that way I can control when it's ON and when it's OFF...such as climbing hills, etc.


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## robertbick (Jan 1, 2011)

elwood58 said:


> I always use my system in full auto. You can go to config and adjust whether heated seats and defrosters come on automatically with remote start.


 Cool... I didn't know that. I was wondering why the heated seats were not on when I got in.


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## elwood58 (Feb 2, 2011)

Please note that Auto defrost control applies to all run times, including remote start. Even if you are parked in the garage, it appears to compare the set point of Auto Climate Control, along with the external temperature sensor, to determine if condensation is likely to form on the inside of windows. If so, defrost will turn on.

For those worried about wear and tear on elements and connectors, you can control front and rear independent of each other, and the rear is the only filament based defroster. I would not worry, as I have never had one of these fail from anything but a broken connector, which was my fault. The one on my 77 VW Bug is still working fine.


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## LARRY01Z28 (Dec 4, 2010)

i love my auto climate control. i hit remote start and the seats and defrost is on. 
one time tho i didnt make out in time and it shut off on me. lol


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## fastdriver (Jan 7, 2011)

TSURacing said:


> Hey LTZ owners, do you choose to use the auto climate control or do you prefer to manipulate the HVAC settings yourself?
> Personally, I really like the feature. This is my first vehicle with auto climate control and I am impressed. My bro-in-law said he hasnt toughed the HVAC controls on his G8 in 6 months, and now I see why. The car does a nice job of keeping me comfy at my 73 degrees and I never have had to worry about the defrost or anything.
> The only part I do not care for is the fact that a remote start always turns on the rear defrost and heated mirrors. If I remember I turn that off when I get in after a remote start. Though this might be a feature of the remote start, and not the auto climate control. Im sure this is only engaged at a given temperature range like the heated seats.


I just picked up my LTZ RS today, but if the HVAC system works like on my Malibu, I set it to manual in the winter so that the compressor doesn't come on. If it's a day that is iffy and the windows are going to fog up, then I'll switch to auto. In the summer, it's always on auto.

Tomorrow I'll get busy reading the manual because there are some new things on the Cruze that my Malibu didn't have.


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## Yama1yzf (Feb 13, 2011)

I seem to have an issue that the A/C compressor comes on whenever I use AUTO. Supposedly at temps under 32 degrees F it is not supposed to turn on but today it was 11 degrees and yup it turned on???? I have the auto defrost set to off. Anyone have any idea why it turns on all the time?

And BTW when it is on AUTO is seems quirky. Like the fan does not go to position 6 when the car is ice cold. It's a nice feature but it is not well executed in the Cruze. The A/C should not come on and the fan should spin at top setting until the car warms up like in other cars with climate control I have had. Most notably a Cadillac CTS where this feature worked flawlessly. 

So I just use the manual controls for now until i get answers for why these things are happening. Hopefully I am just mis-informed.


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## digitick (Feb 21, 2011)

Yama1yzf said:


> I seem to have an issue that the A/C compressor comes on whenever I use AUTO...
> 
> And BTW when it is on AUTO is seems quirky. Like the fan does not go to position 6 when the car is ice cold. It's a nice feature but it is not well executed in the Cruze. The A/C should not come on and the fan should spin at top setting until the car warms up like in other cars with climate control I have had. Most notably a Cadillac CTS where this feature worked flawlessly.


I use Auto, all the time. I do have to adjust my temperature control up or down a couple degrees, depending on whether the sun is beating down through my driver-side window. Other than that, it works great!

My A/C is on 100% of the time, too. I thought it would turn off after the outside temperature got too low, but it hasn't turned off yet. Not even on the sub-zero Fahrenheit days. I'll turn it off manually if I want things to heat up more quickly, but it's not a real nuisance...just an observation.

The fan shouldn't go to max until the engine is warmed up enough to provide heat. Plus, I think there is a setting where you choose the maximum fan speed for Auto to use. I have mine set lower so that it's not so loud.


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## Yama1yzf (Feb 13, 2011)

digitick said:


> I use Auto, all the time. I do have to adjust my temperature control up or down a couple degrees, depending on whether the sun is beating down through my driver-side window. Other than that, it works great!
> 
> My A/C is on 100% of the time, too. I thought it would turn off after the outside temperature got too low, but it hasn't turned off yet. Not even on the sub-zero Fahrenheit days. I'll turn it off manually if I want things to heat up more quickly, but it's not a real nuisance...just an observation.
> 
> The fan shouldn't go to max until the engine is warmed up enough to provide heat. Plus, I think there is a setting where you choose the maximum fan speed for Auto to use. I have mine set lower so that it's not so loud.



Yeah, it's not a nuisance but it's not SUPPOSED to turn on below 32 degrees so why it does is the question. Also, the A/C compressor puts a load on the engine which hurts fuel economy so i don't like to run it with the heat on. I just turn it off which pisses me off. Why have auto if the **** compressor is going to run all the time?

And yes I am aware of the fan speed setting which I have on high. Takes a long time to go to the max setting as it seems to take a long time in general for the car to warm up. But it was 11 degrees this morning so maybe I am asking too much


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## digitick (Feb 21, 2011)

Yeah, it shouldn't be turning on when it's so cold out. I hear that the A/C turns on when defrost or recirc is on. Maybe the AQS always being on forces the A/C to always be on, regardless of outside temperature? I don't know. I'll have to experiment with that.

As for fan speed, I just checked last night. I thought I had mine set Low, but it was actually on High. So you're right, that the fan speed never really gets up to max when Auto is on. Not sure why, but my car doesn't take too long to warm up, anyway.

I saw your other post, this morning...maybe you do have a thermostat issue? I don't know.


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