Defrost w/AC on

I just had a remote start package installed in my '01 focus. It's great!! I love it, especially in PA where some mornings can be quite cold. I like to keep my car pre-set on window defrost with the fan turned on medium to high and the heat turned on. The only problem is that the car automatically turns the AC on when in the defrost mode unless you manually turn it off. Does anybody know if you can do something to dis-engage this feature of the AC turnng on in the defrost mode???


Thanks!!!

If your talking about the litle A/C light on the A/C button, then that's supposed to be on. If cold air is actually coming out of the vents, I would go to the dealer and ask for help.

I never really checked if cold air comes out of the window vents with the heat turned on fully while in the defrost mode while the AC light was on. I just thought that the AC light shouldn't be on with the heat turned up. I know that sometimes it is best to have the actual AC on (with temp gauge all the way on the Cool side) while defrosting the windows in humid situations but not with a "frosting" on the windows. I also thought that with the AC light on and temp gauge all the way on the "Red" setting worked against one another.

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From my understanding, the A/C light is on as long as some sort of climate control is being run. The temp gauge should never be in the red...then you're overheating, and the having the cold air blown into the passenger compartment would only make it worse as it's more of a load on the engine. If the temp gauge goes into the red zone, then you should have the heat on full blast to draw away some of the engine's excess heat. I hope that this made some sense.

I think I confused you. I was talking about the temp control in the climate cluster not the temp of the colant. As for the AC light on the AC button, it comes on automatically when the defrost first comes on. Then you can manually turn it off. My Focus does not have a coolant/engine temp problem ot a thermostat problem with throwing hot air. I never really checked it out to see if it throws hot air when the defrost and AC light is lite. I always thought that when an AC light is turned on when the temp guage is set on full heat it was actually bad for the car.

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I think I confused you. I was talking about the temp control in the climate cluster not the temp of the colant. As for the AC light on the AC button, it comes on automatically when the defrost first comes on. Then you can manually turn it off. My Focus does not have a coolant/engine temp problem ot a thermostat problem with throwing hot air. I never really checked it out to see if it throws hot air when the defrost and AC light is lite. I always thought that when an AC light is turned on when the temp guage is set on full heat it was actually bad for the car.

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That has to come on. It "dries" the air making it more effecient in defrosting the windows. Not all cars do this though or atleast you don't notice it. I know my Silverado automatically switches to bring in outside air when I hit the defrost.

i had the same question when i first got my car, and ti seemed to be quite agravating, This is supposed to happen. Ford made it so that when the defrsot is turned on it blows clod air at the same time, it defrosts your windheild faster, it is annoying but it worx

This is s'pose to happen, if the ambient temp is above -4C. A/C 'conditions' the air as well as cools it...in cold temps, it's basically drying the air which helps defrosting much better.
My 2000 ZX3, the A/C light would come on (and I could switch it off) On my '02 SVT, the light does not come on, and Ican not switch it off manually...
The thing that really sux about this, is when you turn the knob off the defrost, it seems like all the moisture comes pouring back out again!