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AC back vents blowing warm air
- Thread starter elplawn
- Start date
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- ac controls heater hvac
WileyTheMan
Peanut Gallery Member
This doesn't sound normal and is not how my car behaves. Did you make sure the rear vent is open on the AC menu? (Working off memory, I think it's one of the buttons on the right column of the extended AC controls menu.) Sometimes the rear blower gets disabled in auto mode. Even when it's disabled, I can feel some warmer air going through the rear vent, but when it's enabled, it's obviously cold.
@SDKoala yeah, tried everything. Made sure the rear vent was open in the menu, and physically. I can feel the cold air on the front and warm blowing on the back. I put my hand directly on the vent and yes, warm air was coming out.
My kids made quite certain that I knew it was hot back there.
My kids made quite certain that I knew it was hot back there.
When you demonstrated that to the service center, they said it was working the way it's supposed to? It's pretty obvious that if cold air is blowing out the front, it should be reasonably cold out the rear vent too.
I can see their point is that the source of the air conditioning is the same for front and back so it shouldn't be possible to feel cold air out of the front and hot air out of the back, but that assumes it's working correctly. It sounds like there could be something physically wrong with the connection between the blower and rear vent because the software shouldn't be able to do that. They need to do a better troubleshooting job. You should keep persisting by phone.
wesley888
Member
I experienced the same thing last week when the weather was a bit warm, and people in the back complained it was hot back there. I tried different controls and couldn't get the rear vent to have cool air. Ended up I just turn up the fan speed and have the cool air blow from the front to the back to keep the back a bit cooler!
flashflooder
Member
My car was delivered in May and I experienced this for the first time just yesterday. I check periodically because I was aware of this issue.
Goosby
Member
When I drove friends around last Saturday they complained about being hot in the back as well. After messing with the controls a bit it seems like airflow is very limited/not sufficiently cooled when blown from the back vents if you have the driver/front passenger footwell airflow turned on; I think that’s what it’s called, but it’s the icon in the temperature settings with a down carrot next to the seat. Turning off said icon drastically improved performance.
I was expecting to be the most uncomfortable as the driver/front passenger with the sunroof over my head (back window has a ceramic tint that’s supposed to help with heat rejection), but it is actually the rear passengers I am more concerned about now. Seems like the best routine to get into would be to cool the vehicle a decent time prior to travel to keep anyone in back comfortable; otherwise, it’ll take a few minutes of driving around before their side of the cabin cools down sufficiently.
I was expecting to be the most uncomfortable as the driver/front passenger with the sunroof over my head (back window has a ceramic tint that’s supposed to help with heat rejection), but it is actually the rear passengers I am more concerned about now. Seems like the best routine to get into would be to cool the vehicle a decent time prior to travel to keep anyone in back comfortable; otherwise, it’ll take a few minutes of driving around before their side of the cabin cools down sufficiently.
We noticed a similar issue the other weekend when we were showing my parents the car. Mom and I were in the backseat, and it was definitely warmer than the front. The rear vent was on, as it started blowing cool/cold air once the A/C temp control was turned down to 64-65. That meant my husband and Dad in the front seats were almost freezing though.
I'll have to try turning off the front foot well setting next time and see if that helps.
I'll have to try turning off the front foot well setting next time and see if that helps.
Same problem. Thought I was alone. There definitely is trend here. Most prominent when the ac is set to a moderate low temp (75 with an external temp of 83 for example). When the ac is on a colder setting it goes away. I’ve also seen the watthr/mi jump a bit when this is happening and perhaps the heater for that zone is being activated. It’s coming out as if it is heated.
AnarchyEOD
Member
I tested this last week on a hot day. I could tell a noticeable difference in fan speed and cool air temp once turning off the front foot wells. It's a bit of a pain as it takes climate control off of auto, but the dogs are much happier in the back seat now.
Brenzo
Member
Count me in as well, although I tested the other day and didn't appear to be hot air, though was definitely warmer than what was coming out of the front vent.
I also couldn't see any dial/switch to shut the rear vent unless it's buried in software or I simply missed it when fumbling from the driver's seat.
I also couldn't see any dial/switch to shut the rear vent unless it's buried in software or I simply missed it when fumbling from the driver's seat.
favo
P3D+ owner
Rear climate is only supposed to come on when the rear seat sensor detect weight. There is a button on the climate control screen.
Brenzo
Member
Good to know, but I think mine still comes on because it detects weight/pressure from the car seat strapped in.
Mine does this as well. I just called service today and they're doing whatever on their end and will reach back out to me. I've had the car a month and I noticed it first two weeks ago or so, when my four year old asked why the air out of the vent was so hot (it was over 90 degrees outside with climate set to 73 inside). It was really blatant again this morning (and I now have V9 software) where outside was cool (47 or so), and inside was set to 72. There was cold air coming out of the front vents (car was in the garage before, so interior was already warm), but HOT air was coming out of the back. This needs to be fixed.
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