Dual or S-Flow Issue
Thread Starter
Pit Crew
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 158
Likes: 13
From: WA
Dual or S-Flow Issue
When the S-Flow button is pushed, air flow is supposed to be only directed to occupied seats (driver, passenger, back seat). When my wife rides with me, she likes it much colder than do I so her temp is generally set at 72 degrees or less. When I'm in the car alone and I turn up my temp to 85 or so and, with the S-Flow activated, cold air comes out of the passenger side vents in the dash. The only way to stop this air flow is to turn off the S-Flow and set her temp to match mine. Is that the way this is supposed to function or do I have a warranty issue?
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 564
Likes: 103
From: Pennsylvania
Not 100% sure what is causing your issue. I will say that S-Flow has an occupancy sensor for the passenger seat, but not rear seats. So I would think that it would realize that there was not a passenger and disregard passenger side settings.
Lead Lap
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 419
Likes: 37
From: TX
My '14 OM has the following. Since you have a Lux package, you fit into the 2nd category (I added italic formatting). It's ambiguous but suggests the set temperature on that side is causing it to send air even though the seat is unoccupied.
Operates S-FLOW mode on/off.
When the S-FLOW mode button is
pressed, the airflow changes as follows.
Without rear air conditioning system:
Air flows to the front seats only.
With rear air conditioning system: Air
flows to the front seats only, and if the
passenger seat is unoccupied, the set
temperature, outside humidity and
temperature inside the cabin are
assessed, and air flows to the driver
seat only.
When the S-FLOW mode button is
pressed, the airflow changes as follows.
Without rear air conditioning system:
Air flows to the front seats only.
With rear air conditioning system: Air
flows to the front seats only, and if the
passenger seat is unoccupied, the set
temperature, outside humidity and
temperature inside the cabin are
assessed, and air flows to the driver
seat only.
Pole Position
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 229
Likes: 20
From: MN
s flow only shuts off the vents to the rear. to normalize the temp up front you would need to turn off the dual climate control so that the temps on both the driver and passenger read the same temperature...
Rookie
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 65
Likes: 16
From: TN
Not exactly. Pressing the S Flow, on a luxury model at least, turns off the passenger temp control and only relies on the driver's side if no one is in the passenger seat.
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Lead Lap
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,320
Likes: 1,233
From: IL
The mnemonic I use is, "think green to save energy". If the Split Flow (S-Flow) button is
pressed it turns green and you are no longer cooling/heating the back seat area. When
you press again and the green light goes out you have defeated the energy and money
saving feature and are once again cooling the back area. RX's go a bit further than the
NX and GS with the addition of the passenger side flow defeat. When the S-Flow is Green (on)
and there is no passenger then the Federally Mandated Air Bag sensor "Air Bag Off" will tell
the HVAC system to shut off the right side flow. You will see the difference on the nav screen
if you press and repress the S-Flow button, you will see "S-Flow Driver" and graphics of the
action. Recap - passenger side uses a sensor, rear seats are manual.
pressed it turns green and you are no longer cooling/heating the back seat area. When
you press again and the green light goes out you have defeated the energy and money
saving feature and are once again cooling the back area. RX's go a bit further than the
NX and GS with the addition of the passenger side flow defeat. When the S-Flow is Green (on)
and there is no passenger then the Federally Mandated Air Bag sensor "Air Bag Off" will tell
the HVAC system to shut off the right side flow. You will see the difference on the nav screen
if you press and repress the S-Flow button, you will see "S-Flow Driver" and graphics of the
action. Recap - passenger side uses a sensor, rear seats are manual.
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Advanced
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 564
Likes: 103
From: Pennsylvania
Ah, interesting distinction. I have a luxury model and I do believe that when I have no passenger that only my temp is taken into consideration. However, that would conflict with the account of OP, so I was unsure. Maybe OP does not have luxury package.
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