A/C Auto-re-circulation
01-24-2019, 04:44 AM
#1
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
A/C Auto-re-circulation
Can anyone vouch for the A/C Auto-re-circulation actually working? Driving to work yesterday, I found myself behind a cluster of tractor trailers belching diesel exhaust and a couple seconds later I smelled it inside the car. I dismissed it, assuming the auto re-circ was not enabled but when I got to my office and dove into the menu, I found it was already enabled, which suggests that either it didnt work, or I have the wrong expectation of how (or how well) it should work.
Can anyone vouch for the system?
Can anyone vouch for the system?
01-24-2019, 05:11 AM
#2
AudiWorld Super User
I have used it a couple times when driving up on the turnpike through Elizabeth(NJ). Smells like a garbage dump. Other times, like your situation, I was stuck behind a smelly truck or something. I think the system does a pretty good job of filtering the cabin air, as long as you catch it in time.
01-24-2019, 05:51 AM
#3
AudiWorld Member
I’m hitting my Recirc button all the time and if functions well for me in stopping Diesel fumes, etc from entering the cabin. But has been said, it works the best if you can anticipate what is coming at you and you shut off the outside air before any unwanted odors can get in.
As soon as I pass through the “danger zone” I always return the system to normal. I think the system generally does a good job at air filtration.
As soon as I pass through the “danger zone” I always return the system to normal. I think the system generally does a good job at air filtration.
01-24-2019, 05:59 AM
#4
AudiWorld Senior Member
I’m hitting my Recirc button all the time and if functions well for me in stopping Diesel fumes, etc from entering the cabin. But has been said, it works the best if you can anticipate what is coming at you and you shut off the outside air before any unwanted odors can get in.
As soon as I pass through the “danger zone” I always return the system to normal. I think the system generally does a good job at air filtration.
As soon as I pass through the “danger zone” I always return the system to normal. I think the system generally does a good job at air filtration.
And if the odor gets in prior to me hitting the recirculate button, I usually find myself airing out the cabin for 30 seconds to rid it of the odor..
01-24-2019, 06:03 AM
#5
AudiWorld Member
Can anyone vouch for the A/C Auto-re-circulation actually working? Driving to work yesterday, I found myself behind a cluster of tractor trailers belching diesel exhaust and a couple seconds later I smelled it inside the car. I dismissed it, assuming the auto re-circ was not enabled but when I got to my office and dove into the menu, I found it was already enabled, which suggests that either it didnt work, or I have the wrong expectation of how (or how well) it should work.
Can anyone vouch for the system?
Can anyone vouch for the system?
01-24-2019, 07:30 AM
#6
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
Soooo... I know the re-circ button (on the dashboard in the climate contols area) works. But that's not what Im asking about.
In the MMI menu (somewhere under Vehicle or Settings I forget which since Im not in the car this moment) there's an item called, IIRC, Air Conditioning, which contains a checkbox option named, something like Auto Recirculate.
I would have assumed that this implies the car has some sort of air cleanliness sensor which would automatically switch the system to recirculate mode if it senses <badness of some sort> in the outside air. (This is basically how the system works (or at least is supposed to work in BMW's.)
But again, yesterday when I had that MMI option activated, the car did not auto switch to recirc mode when I was behind a pack of smelly diesel trucks.
Nobody knows about option?
In the MMI menu (somewhere under Vehicle or Settings I forget which since Im not in the car this moment) there's an item called, IIRC, Air Conditioning, which contains a checkbox option named, something like Auto Recirculate.
I would have assumed that this implies the car has some sort of air cleanliness sensor which would automatically switch the system to recirculate mode if it senses <badness of some sort> in the outside air. (This is basically how the system works (or at least is supposed to work in BMW's.)
But again, yesterday when I had that MMI option activated, the car did not auto switch to recirc mode when I was behind a pack of smelly diesel trucks.
Nobody knows about option?
01-24-2019, 07:48 AM
#7
AudiWorld Super User
Soooo... I know the re-circ button (on the dashboard in the climate contols area) works. But that's not what Im asking about.
In the MMI menu (somewhere under Vehicle or Settings I forget which since Im not in the car this moment) there's an item called, IIRC, Air Conditioning, which contains a checkbox option named, something like Auto Recirculate.
I would have assumed that this implies the car has some sort of air cleanliness sensor which would automatically switch the system to recirculate mode if it senses <badness of some sort> in the outside air. (This is basically how the system works (or at least is supposed to work in BMW's.)
But again, yesterday when I had that MMI option activated, the car did not auto switch to recirc mode when I was behind a pack of smelly diesel trucks.
Nobody knows about option?
In the MMI menu (somewhere under Vehicle or Settings I forget which since Im not in the car this moment) there's an item called, IIRC, Air Conditioning, which contains a checkbox option named, something like Auto Recirculate.
I would have assumed that this implies the car has some sort of air cleanliness sensor which would automatically switch the system to recirculate mode if it senses <badness of some sort> in the outside air. (This is basically how the system works (or at least is supposed to work in BMW's.)
But again, yesterday when I had that MMI option activated, the car did not auto switch to recirc mode when I was behind a pack of smelly diesel trucks.
Nobody knows about option?
On page 70, regular "Recirculation Mode - In recirculation mode, the air inside the vehicle is circulated and filtered. This prevents the unfiltered air outside the vehicle from entering the vehicle interior. We recommend switching recirculation mode on when driving through a tunnel or when sitting in traffic."
From page 71 of my manual "Automatic Recirculation - When switched on, automatic recirculation crontrols the recirculation mode automatically(DUH!). You must press the "windshield icon" MAX button if fog forms on the windows." This is seltected in the MMI: Menu>vehicle>left control button>air contitioning This should be what you were looking for.
EDIT: Just read a little more "Warning - You should not use the recirculation mode for an extended period of time since no fresh air is drawn in(so if you stink, thats on you). With the air-conditioning switched off, the windows can fog up, which increases the risk of an accident". OK, but if you have the HVAC set to AUTO, that normally keeps the AC on. Is it not possible to have automatic recirculation functioning when the HVAC is set on Auto??
Last edited by HyperS4; 01-24-2019 at 07:55 AM.
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01-24-2019, 09:31 AM
#8
AudiWorld Senior Member
I would have assumed that this implies the car has some sort of air cleanliness sensor which would automatically switch the system to recirculate mode if it senses <badness of some sort> in the outside air. (This is basically how the system works (or at least is supposed to work in BMW's.)
01-24-2019, 09:36 AM
#9
AudiWorld Senior Member
Looks BMW do has some sort of sensor for toxic gases such as CO and NO2. I double it will tell bad smell though.
Here is the explanation copied from BMW web:
Automatic Air Recirculation (AAR).
Automatic Air Recirculation (AAR) protects the driver and passengers by preventing pollutants outside the vehicle from entering the cabin.
The system recognises gases in the air from outside the cabin - carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and other pollutants in the surrounding atmosphere. If their concentrations are too high, the system automatically switches to recirculation for a time. The air in the cabin is processed and filtered by the climate control system. Air from outside is only reintroduced when the system detects that the level of pollutants has fallen.
Automatic Air Recirculation (AAR).
Automatic Air Recirculation (AAR) protects the driver and passengers by preventing pollutants outside the vehicle from entering the cabin.
The system recognises gases in the air from outside the cabin - carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and other pollutants in the surrounding atmosphere. If their concentrations are too high, the system automatically switches to recirculation for a time. The air in the cabin is processed and filtered by the climate control system. Air from outside is only reintroduced when the system detects that the level of pollutants has fallen.
Last edited by minmet; 01-24-2019 at 09:39 AM.
01-24-2019, 09:41 AM
#10
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
Heh heh, fair question! According to the owner's manual of my wife's X3 the vehicle does actually have an air sniffer. That said, Ive personally never actually given it a chance to do its thing. I always manage it manually. I remember the first time I read about it in the manual I thought, There is No Way something like that could implemented properly at that price point. It's a 2007 that she bought new. Maybe I should give it try, LOL!