Ok folks......

First, I noticed that my HHR does something that my wife's old Olds Alero did which I thought was cool. With the fresh air vent set to recirculate and the fan turned on, it blows out very cool air. The A/C is not turned on, at least the light isn't on. My wife rarely if ever actually turned on her A/C.

Has anyone else noticed this on their HHR?

I noticed it this Saturday. It was 80+ out and didn't need the A/C.

Another thing that happened on my trip; at high speeds, the windshield wiper fluid didn't work. When I slowed down it was fine. I thought I was getting low on fluid, but I haven't had a problem with it since.

Any others have this happen?

 

As to the first part, it's not physically possible to blow cooler air than the outside temp without some mechanical system being involved, so, with all due respect, I don't think I believe your claim. I would sugest a measurement of temperature is in order.

 

No offense, but before passing judgement, how about giving it a try. It was not with outside air either, my post said the vent was set to recirculate. I also didn't say that there wasn't a mechanical system involved, I said that the A/C light wasn't on. That doesn't mean that there isn't something that GM has done.

If I didn't think it was unusual, I wouldn't have even brought it up.

I know what is coming out of mine and what happened in my wife's car, also a GM product. I don't need to take a measurement. Maybe you could try one to confirm your disbelief.

Mind you I'm not a gear-head, but I'm also not stupid.

 

I've noticed that my vent air seems quite cool as well. I still ran the AC the other day but that's been the first time I've really needed it.

I dunno what's up with the wiper thing, however?
Possibly a feature to keep fluid from splashing everywhere at high speeds?

 

Remain calm. I'm an anal-retentive engineer, so I respond analytically to questions about physical systems. Let's put it this way, the vehicle has an A/C system. It's either ON or OFF, meaning that the compressor is compressing gas or not, it doesn't run part ON. To control air temp it mixes hot and cold air. So, either the A/C is running when the operator has commanded it to be OFF, or another mechanical system is involved. Since I've never seen or heard mention of any system that cools air in any vehicle other than a standard A/C system, and also never heard of a claim like yours, I am rightly skeptical. That is why measuements of air temps is in order, for that is how we analyze the physical world. However, I will also try your experiment on the way home after work.

 

Sorry about that but I tend to get a little touchy sometimes when someone implies that I don't know what I'm talking about.

I do know how systems work even though I'm not an engineer. Don't have to be one to know ON is on and OFF is off. I also know that sometimes OFF is on!

As you can see at least one other owner has noticed the same thing.

This may well be something that GM has done without it appearing that the A/C has been turned on, ie. the light not being on. Doesn't mean that its not on, just that the light not being on means I haven't turned it on.

 

Perhaps I can clear things up a bit. From my experience, it appears the HHR's A/C compressor is "always" on when in recirc mode. I have tested it with the A/C button both on and off with no differing results. In fact, with the A/C fan's center button "off" (not illuminated), you can see the idle speeds on the tach change visibly when switching the fan from "off" to "on."

We have very warm spring and summer months here in SoCal, and I most always run with the windows up and A/C on. Never do I push the center of the A/C button to illuminate it. The A/C always works fine (plenty cold!), this way. (and it should not!)

Two things I'd like to see GM change:

1) "Fresh Air" default when starting car. This makes it impossible to cool your car with remote start. Also, here in SoCal, freeway driving with "fresh air" on
is a death sentence! Carbon monoxide poisoning in 30-seconds or less! Owners should have the option to let the fresh/recirc stay in the selected position.

2) Make the A/C compressor "switchable" - as it should be. With "recirc" on, the A/C compressor should not turn on unless the center of the A/C fan switch button is on and illuminated blue. It's on anytime "recirc" is on and the fan is running.

Just my

 

I too have noticed that the air seems cool without the A/C being turned on. Unless it gets very hot or humid I don't find the need to turn the A/C on.

Haven't had a reason to use windshield washer while on highway, but next time I'm on the freeway, I'll check it out.

 

I thought I was going NUTS. I feel the exact same thing with the A/C. It is very cool. No pun intended. I do like that do. Especially during the HOT Texas days.

 

So for my experiment you say do the following:

It's 90 deg outside today, and you say leave the windows up, recirc on, and no A/C light on (do not push the button). The hypothesis is that I will feel cooler air than 90 deg blowing out the vents. Is that correct?