08-10 SS Turbocharged General Discussion Discuss the 2008 - 2009 Chevy Cobalt SS Turbocharged. On sale since the second quarter of 2008.

HVAC always on?

Old Jul 9, 2009 | 10:44 AM
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HVAC always on?

Does anyone else notice that the HVAC blower is Always on regardless of your fan setting?

If I set my fan to the "0" position, the A/C won't engage... but I can feel heat coming through the appropriate vents if I set the temperature knob to the hot position. In a similar fashion, I can feel cool air (ambient temp) coming from the vents if I have the temp knob adjusted to the cold position.

It would appear that my fan is always running regardless of the fan speed knob. Is this the case in your Cobalt?
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 10:46 AM
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Same thing happens to me, it's rather annoying.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 10:49 AM
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I'm starting to think GM makes cars for people that are lazy. First there are the dumb DRL's, then the Auto Light that can't be permanently disabled, the OnStar that tracks your mileage, tire pressure, yaw rate, vehicle speed, and now a HVAC that doesn't completely turn off when you want it off.

My 07 Mustang has all manual controls, and while it seems old school, I kind of desire that level of full control. When I want my lights on, I turn them on. When I want air flowing through the HVAC system, I turn it on.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 10:50 AM
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I believe that is outside air coming in, are you driving while this is happening? Try turning you Max A/C(the button to the far right) and it should go away.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 10:52 AM
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Originally Posted by Rangerondubz
I believe that is outside air coming in, are you driving while this is happening? Try turning you Max A/C(the button to the far right) and it should go away.
agreed, but how is it cooling the air. Is it passing though some type of A/C condenser is already chilled.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 10:54 AM
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Originally Posted by Rangerondubz
I believe that is outside air coming in, are you driving while this is happening? Try turning you Max A/C(the button to the far right) and it should go away.
I'm pretty sure you can only use that button when the HVAC is on, same as the normal A/C button, at least it has to be on in my car.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 10:54 AM
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Originally Posted by umrdyldo
agreed, but how is it cooling the air. Is it passing though some type of A/C condenser is already chilled.
Possibly, not sure exactly but I kept wondering the same thing.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 10:57 AM
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I agree that is just outside air coming in. I agree that it is annoying that it can't be completely closed off, but I don't think it is that big of a deal...
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 10:58 AM
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:facepalm: @ this thread
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 11:00 AM
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Originally Posted by Rangerondubz
I believe that is outside air coming in, are you driving while this is happening? Try turning you Max A/C(the button to the far right) and it should go away.
That would be recirculate, not "max AC."

The air is coming through the vents because the car is pulling in cold air (or hot) as you are driving. If you are stopped there is no air coming in the car through the vents...
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 11:00 AM
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I said it was cool air (ambient temp), not chilled. I could be idling at a stop light or driving on the highway. The fan is still pushing air through the ducts even at the "0" fan speed setting. I can feel the heat through the ducts if my temp knob is on the full heat setting.

On every Ford made over the past 30 years, the ducts are shut when you turn it all off, and the fan doesn't run all the time.

I cannot turn on my A/C at the "0" fan setting though, and while I could hit the recirculate air button (or Max A/C), the blower fan shouldn't be on all the time.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 01:19 PM
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It's just the HVAC providing fresh outside air to keep the interior air from getting stale. If you don't like it, close the vents.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 01:22 PM
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seriously peeps??

really?

EVERY car does this!!

My 1989 Saab 9000 Turbo however, always was ON. There wasn't an off switch for the fan.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 01:31 PM
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Originally Posted by wantedSS/TC
seriously peeps??

really?

EVERY car does this!!

My 1989 Saab 9000 Turbo however, always was ON. There wasn't an off switch for the fan.
Every Ford we've owned for the past 30 years did not do this. When the HVAC control was set to OFF, it was OFF. The ducts/vents were shut and the fan was OFF. My 88 Dodge Aries was the same as well.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 01:33 PM
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the only way to not have air come through the vents when the HVAC is set to 0 is to press the recirc button. Then you won't have anything come through at all.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 03:03 PM
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Originally Posted by metroplex
I said it was cool air (ambient temp), not chilled. I could be idling at a stop light or driving on the highway. The fan is still pushing air through the ducts even at the "0" fan speed setting. I can feel the heat through the ducts if my temp knob is on the full heat setting.

On every Ford made over the past 30 years, the ducts are shut when you turn it all off, and the fan doesn't run all the time.

I cannot turn on my A/C at the "0" fan setting though, and while I could hit the recirculate air button (or Max A/C), the blower fan shouldn't be on all the time.
My Focus operates just like the cobalt as far as the hvac. If you want to stop all air from coming in, turn the knob to 0 and press the recirculate button. It does work.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 03:49 PM
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Originally Posted by metroplex
Every Ford we've owned for the past 30 years did not do this. When the HVAC control was set to OFF, it was OFF. The ducts/vents were shut and the fan was OFF. My 88 Dodge Aries was the same as well.
Every Chevy I've owned for the last 21 one years "has" done this (I've never been with out at least one Chevy). Maybe it's just a Chevy thing. I for one like it that way I always want air flowing around me. Just turn the temp up to the middle or warm if you are too cold. Otherwise you might have to sell the Chevy and buy a Ford to get away from it.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 03:55 PM
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ya why u even buy a chevy if ur such a ford nut? lol
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by chris88z24
That would be recirculate, not "max AC."

The air is coming through the vents because the car is pulling in cold air (or hot) as you are driving. If you are stopped there is no air coming in the car through the vents...
Max AC is recirculate.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 04:06 PM
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Originally Posted by ShortStack
Max AC is recirculate.
^

Americans used to call it "Max," but now we've followed suit with the foreign car companies by calling it "recirc." When did we lose our identity?
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 04:06 PM
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when we realized the rest of the world > america
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 04:10 PM
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Originally Posted by wantedSS/TC
when we realized the rest of the world > america
Hey now, nobody buys **** like we do.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 05:42 PM
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Ford didn't make anything as cool as the SS/TC. The closest thing they have to it is the 300 hp Focus RS, which isn't sold here and would probably have a $30k USD pricetag, but it's still heavier and slower than the SS/TC. The only reason I went over to a GM product this time just for the SS/TC.

When cars didn't have cabin air filters, stuff would get through the ducts (leaves, spiders, dust, pollen) so having it open all the time isn't a great idea IMHO.
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 06:10 PM
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The HVAC blower motor does not run all the time, your just feeling air bleed through the HVAC case due to convection and pressure difference.

The HVAC blower DOES NOT run when in the "0" position. It cant because there is no ground supplied to the blower.

Older vehicles had vacuum operated blend and temp doors.....their natural state is closed, they need to be told to move open, modern GM vehicles use electric actuators for the HVAC doors, they retain the position they were in unless otherwise commanded to move. Turning off the fan doesnt provoke a door mode change

Last edited by Maven; Jul 9, 2009 at 06:10 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost
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Old Jul 9, 2009 | 06:18 PM
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I noticed there is no OFF position for the blend doors on the Cobalt. That is probably why the vents are always OPEN.

Vacuum or electric, the Ford manual HVAC systems always had an OFF position that shuts the vents. Even my 07 Mustang GT has an OFF position for the blend doors / vents.
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