You would think so, if not why even have a smog sensor? If it's always going going to default to recirc whats the smog sensor for??????? Maybe Carista app can reprogram the hvac. Hey Carista, any chance?

 

I should be so lucky... I am thinking that perhaps the AC does alternate between the two but without the illumination. I can of course engage the circ button manually with illumination but that takes out of the circ/recirc Auto mode.

 

There's a setting about whether or not the recirculate mode should be turned on when the climate control is set to "Auto" mode. However, I don't know if it affects whether or not recirculate mode is on when you turn on the ignition initially.

Also, keep in mind that Carista can only change settings that the car already supports (i.e. that were already made configurable for that model by the manufacturer); it can't "implement" new behaviors for the car.

 

Mine does not stay in recirc all the time. It stays on outside air and then adjusts to recirc when needed. When you first turn the car on and its hot it goes to recirc to cool the car down faster.

Check your smog sensor sensitivity settings.

 

Just one more item the Lexus Committee on Making Steve the Perfect Car nailed! What a great bunch a guys, huh?

 

Huh?

 

Ask your dealer to show you Tech Tip L-TT-0158-14. Then ask him why it's needed.

 

I would assume the dealer already performed "Tech Tip L-TT-0158-14" when they cleaned the system when this happened to me not long after I got it. Like I said before, 20,000 miles have passed since then and it has never happened again.

Perhaps I have misunderstood the point of the forum? Are we all just here to complain and blame the manufacturer and whatever, or are we here to find practical and reasonable ways to address issues we have whether they are common occurrences with the vehicle or not?

People have said their cars stay on recirc all the time when in auto, mine doesn't...hence my advice to check the sensitivity of their smog sensors...lower sensitivity means it will stay in outside air mode more than if the sensitivity is turned up. I think thats pretty practical advice.

If all you want to do is complain about the manufacturer and suffer with your moldy vents until such time as they replace your whole HVAC system with one that can't get musty (read...never) then have at it. When I see people post issues and I think I can lead them to a solution that will work for them I will post it every time. If you don't want to read that...the forum does have an ignore feature.

 

The manufacturer in this case has CREATED a problem where none existed. By changing the AC to recirc-biased, many, many, ...., many, many, many Lexus owners are experiencing discomfort while driving (stale, smelly recirc air), and mold buildup in the system's bowels due to lack intake source cycling. Lexus created this problem - THEY need to deal with it, your HVAC versions of Mom's mustard plasters, hot toddies, and chicken soup home remedies notwithstanding. FYI, the tech tip advises owner action to counter the design change Lexus made in AC system operation.

 

Like I and others have said, the recirculation settings are adjustable. Adjusting the vehicle's settings is hardly a "home remedy" lol.

Mine are set so that it defaults to open air. If anybody is interested in a solution instead of complaining let me know.

 

Mine are set so that it defaults to open air.

Oh? In that case, you should immediately contact Lexus so they can update their ineffectual Tech Tip with Steve's Solution. I'm sure thousands of Lexus owners would thank you for it, including me.

 

With my AC set to auto it stays on open air until it senses smog and switches to recirc. When I start it up and it's not, it starts on recirculation and switches to open air when it cools down. I have no mold or must in my system.

Why would I make this up?

 

Is there a way of changing the sensitivity setting of the smog detector?

 

Yes, its in the user selectable settings in the map settings...

 

Yeah, that one I do remember seeing. But Carista doesn't support it yet. We're planning to add it though. And based on the last comment above, it sounds like it's also configurable via the nav screen.