Hey guys just wondering if i could clear something up in regards to the operation of the temperature settings in the is250 (and probably all other cars).

If i turn on the FAN in the car and set the climate control temperature to a high value, the car will become HEATED. Is there then a HEATING ELEMENT that is used to make this air HOT? or does the heat come purely from excess heat from the engine bay.
- My car will be using energy for power the spinning FAN, but is there also a heating element/coil that the air passes through that is switched on just for heating the air? (such as those found in the seat for the heat warming).

What i have found is that on a cold day, I will turn on the FAN and crank up the temperature setting to MAX and then turn it off immediately (before anything becomes hot, just so the last temperature setting was a high value). Then I turn off recirculation so that air comes through from the outside into the car whilst i'm driving. I find if i'm driving 60km/h+ I will feel a flow of air that is WARM/HOT coming through and i'm thinking i'm not spending energy on the spinning fan, but i'm not sure whether the there is a coil being heated as well?
- The warmth usually correlates with the engine temperature dial next to the speedo, but i'm wondering whether thats just a coincidence and that the time for the engine to heat up could also be the time it takes a heating element to heat up inside the cabin air-system.

Anyone care to shed some light? thanks

 

It's not an electric heater. The heat comes from the water/antifreeze mix used to cool the engine itself. In addition to the big radiator at the front of the car, coolant also circulates through a smaller radiator in the passenger compartment known as the "heater core". The climate system in the car blows air through the heater core once the engine is warm enough to heat the cabin.

 

^^^exactly as he said.

 

wrong There are special plugs for heating coolant - just find usage of DENSO DG-401in your car

 

Thats for heating up the coolant in very cold climates and it will help get the coolant warm faster it is not what works the heater. It is to keep the coolant from freezing when it get super cold.

 

I have the opposite issue. I crank down the temperature to Low and turn on the fans so that outside air circulates the cabin. The issue is that the air is a lot warmer than the outside air, is this normal? I want cold fresh air to circulate the cabin without AC.

Sorry to detour the topic but it seems like the original issue was resolved.

Thanks

 

No, the Denso DG-401 is a glow plug. It's only found in the diesel powered versions of our cars, not the gas ones. It is used for cold starts of the diesel engine, when the temperature of the block is too cold to support self-combustion. It has nothing whatsoever to do with cabin heat.

You are thinking of a block heater.

 

I don't think it's normal, but I never set my AC temp all the way down or up. Why don't you just set the car to the temp you want? In winter, I set my car to 72 with AC off and fan on Auto. It blows outside air temp when it's cool outside and warm air when it's cold outside. In summer, I set my car to 77.

 

If you're in a hot climate, yes this is quite normal. The air that enters the cabin at that point has to go through the heater core, even if you've turned it to its lowest, the hot coolant is still in the core and thus warm air will continue to enter the cabin.

 

My CT200h has plenty of this so called passive heating. I don't turn on the heater unless it dips below 10 degrees! Or if I have passengers . . .

 

my car does the same i think the vent from outside to inside is only in the engine bay. on my old maxima it had vents under the wipers. i miss being able to just open the vent and outside air coming in.