[DMZadony]

Yes I've read the poorly written manual atleast 30X over and I'm still sort of ticked over this feature.

I know the 6 has fogging problems with the windshield but spinning the compressor for this to me is baffling. I drive in the summer with the windows down for a reason but now I cant defrost the windows without spinning the compressor that I dont want to?

For those in the know, is the compressor being spun just as if ac is on? Am I losing power with efrost on? Even more interesting, should we now not drive hard when our defrsot is on in the cold? I've lit up headers on a car just because the ac was on when hot rodding, can the same happen in theory because the defrost is on in my ms6?

I know it's healpfull for the daily casual driver but this feature seems a little too much for me. I hate just idiling in a parking lot with defrost on and feeling the compressor beginning to spin.

Any more info on this feature??

 

[braindrainer]

Any more info on this feature??
[/b]

Most modern vehicles have this feature... AC is a pretty good dehumidifier!

 

[DMZadony]

Most modern vehicles have this feature... AC is a pretty good dehumidifier!
[/b]

Yes it is, but I cant tell you how many times in my previous cars I've had the defrost on and drove with a lead foot. So then driving fast in cold becomes a no no...

Unless they use a different compressor setting for defrsot where it's barely being pushed. (Which I doubt since compressors naturally take a few hp to spin anyway).

 

[Keith_MS6]

On the Mazdaspeed6 GT with automatic climate control, calling up defrost or feet/defrost activates the a/c, whether you want it or not ... and yeah, it cut gas mileage.

However, running the a/c clears the windows, trys out the inside of the car.

 

[digger10t]

In both the mazda3 and mazdaspeed6 (other vehicles, too, I would assume) WOT inputs from the accelerator will cut the a/c temporarily. I am not sure if this happens with non-WOT heavy throttle requests, but I am sure of it for WOT.

 

[brandcd]

This is a pet peeve of my, i hate the A/C auto engaging :irate: :swearin: . there are times specific times when the A/C is an asset but just to defrost the front window in the cold it is worthless the heat from the heater core drys the air as well and doesn't kill your mileage :huh: . The only time i found A/C on with defrost to be an advantage is during temperate weather rain storm and the windows fog up :yesnod: .
You can set the vent to on and activate defrost and feet mode then kill the fan this works as long as you don't have passengers, and the other option is to set your dash vents to extreme angles so they force air across the wind shield and that works on foggy windshields on a cold morning. :sarc:
Just my 2 cents.

 

[digger10t]

I've also found it works aiming the outer most vents at the windshield as Chris said. Given that there are shoulder-level vents on the dash, it's pretty easy to do this and still keep it comfortable for passengers.

 

[KevinK2]

Yes I've read the poorly written manual atleast 30X over and I'm still sort of ticked over this feature.

I know the 6 has fogging problems with the windshield but spinning the compressor for this to me is baffling. I drive in the summer with the windows down for a reason but now I cant defrost the windows without spinning the compressor that I dont want to?

For those in the know, is the compressor being spun just as if ac is on? Am I losing power with efrost on? Even more interesting, should we now not drive hard when our defrsot is on in the cold? I've lit up headers on a car just because the ac was on when hot rodding, can the same happen in theory because the defrost is on in my ms6?

I know it's healpfull for the daily casual driver but this feature seems a little too much for me. I hate just idiling in a parking lot with defrost on and feeling the compressor beginning to spin.

Any more info on this feature??
[/b]

The engine load is not an issue.

Search compressor in this forum.

Based on 04-6S:

To keep compressor off (not is special max defrost mode) click acc off then on, and turn off the AC button (light goes out). Don't touch mode and compressor will stay off, day after day. Idle and listen to verify.

 

[brandcd]

i think the studip climate control comp is to smart to fall for that on a speed 6 gt, but i'll try it tomorrow morn.

 

[FreeRider]

My Probe GT had this "feature", where the AC kicked on automatically when the Front Defrost setting was chosen on the combo fan/airflow control (note this setting is totally separate from the rear defrost switch, which has it's own separate button on both the Probe and MazdaSpeed6). No separate AC on/off button so there was no way to feed air to front windshield without having the AC on.

On the MazdaSpeed6, there is a button to manually turn the AC on and off. To keep the front windshield clear while driving, I don't activate the auto climate control, I make sure the AC button is off (not lit up) and I select the front windshield (defrost symbol) and footwell setting on the air distribution button (bottom half of middle control in the set of 3 big round controls). Setting it up this way keeps the windshield clear because there is warm air flowing it to it (but no dehumdifiied, which is what the AC does) while keeping the AC off.

If you hit the front windshield defrost buttion (think it's the top half of the same middle control - I'm not in the car at the moment, obviously), it will engage the AC. I use this only in the morning to get rid of heavy fogging. Once it's clear I switch to manual to keep it clear, as described above.

 

[DMZadony]

I swear the compressor turns on and off when on defrost/foot mode. And the AC light is off and no luck.. grrrrr

 

[rdandy5875]

On the MazdaSpeed6, there is a button to manually turn the AC on and off. To keep the front windshield clear while driving, I don't activate the auto climate control, I make sure the AC button is off (not lit up) and I select the front windshield (defrost symbol) and footwell setting on the air distribution button (bottom half of middle control in the set of 3 big round controls). Setting it up this way keeps the windshield clear because there is warm air flowing it to it (but no dehumdifiied, which is what the AC does) while keeping the AC off.

If you hit the front windshield defrost buttion (think it's the top half of the same middle control - I'm not in the car at the moment, obviously), it will engage the AC. I use this only in the morning to get rid of heavy fogging. Once it's clear I switch to manual to keep it clear, as described above.
[/b]

+1, exactly as I do.

If the window starts to get foggy with the a/c off, I just switch the a/c back on for a few seconds literally 5-10 seconds, and I'm good for another 10-15 minutes.

 

[DennisW]

For those in the know, is the compressor being spun just as if ac is on?

Am I losing power with efrost on?

Even more interesting, should we now not drive hard when our defrsot is on in the cold?

I've lit up headers on a car just because the ac was on when hot rodding, can the same happen in theory because the defrost is on in my ms6?



Any more info on this feature?? [/b]

Yes.....that's how a/c works. without the compressor its just a fan.

Yes, a little

Other than some performance loss, there should be no disatvantage to "driving hard". If you mean full throttle driving, there is a cut-out for the compressor when the throttle is open full.

doubtful

what more info do you need?

I swear the compressor turns on and off when on defrost/foot mode. And the AC light is off and no luck.. grrrrr [/b]

yes it does...........DEFROST uses the a/c to take the humidity out of the air, a common feature of just about al automotive a/c systems.

 

[KevinK2]

I swear the compressor turns on and off when on defrost/foot mode. And the AC light is off and no luck.. grrrrr
[/b]

This is my 6S experience too. If you looked at the H&V repair section in the FSM, it's extremely (and overly) complex logic.

If you select def+feet, you get AC and no AC light (meaning you can't turn it off directly.

You do have a "window" to turn off the compressor with this mode. Have temp set at least 30F above ambient, or outside temp below 40F or so. Hit ACC soon after car is started, feet+ def will be the default mode acc selects, and you can turn off ac and ac light and compressor will go off. As cabin warms and clock tics, this mode will automatically switch to feet only, which of course means big arrow to feet, small arrow to windshield, and ac and compressor will stay off, as long as you don't toch mode switch.

 

[yellowmp5]

anyone know if there is a way to disable this "AC on" function when blowin' to windshield? cuz there was a write up in msprotege.com, and i got it done on my previous P5.......worked perfect! no AC when blowin' to the windshield!

 

[Dekz]

Why don't you guys just leave it alone and let it do its thing? :headscrat:

 

[Confuc1ous]

The engine load is not an issue.

Search compressor in this forum.

Based on 04-6S:

To keep compressor off (not is special max defrost mode) click acc off then on, and turn off the AC button (light goes out). Don't touch mode and compressor will stay off, day after day. Idle and listen to verify.
[/b]

Interesting, one must try this tomorrow on the way to work!

 

[DMZadony]

You do have a "window" to turn off the compressor with this mode. Have temp set at least 30F above ambient, or outside temp below 40F or so. Hit ACC soon after car is started, feet+ def will be the default mode acc selects, and you can turn off ac and ac light and compressor will go off. As cabin warms and clock tics, this mode will automatically switch to feet only, which of course means big arrow to feet, small arrow to windshield, and ac and compressor will stay off, as long as you don't toch mode switch.
[/b]

ACC as in automatic climate control?

I tried this and heard the damn compressor start going while at a light.. Hit the off button which stopped the compressor pretty much instantly.

Thanks

 

[yomama69]

Why don't you guys just leave it alone and let it do its thing? :headscrat:
[/b]

I agree with Dekz. None of us bought the MS6 because we were so concerned with gas mileage. If that were the case, we'd all be trying to figure out how to add more photo cells to the Prius battery packs right now.

The compressor is not going to put any extra strain on your engine.

 

[fullmetal6]

Any time your defrost is on your ac will be on...

All cars do this, they have for years... You all are crazy...