Cabin Heat

**40valve** · 10-06-2008 06:58 PM

I've seen couple of people mention this but there were no real answers and I only found one thread in A4 forum about it which didn't lead anywhere.
Just driving around with heat off (still hot outside) and there is a lot of heat coming into the cabin through the vents under the steering wheel. On other vehicles I've had before (VW mostly) there is a switch to stop the outside from circulating in. Is there no option on S4 to do this? I'm tolerant of heat but this can get pretty hot. Especially long drives to shows if I am wearing jeans.
And no, I will not run air conditioning

**Swanky** · 10-06-2008 07:05 PM

turn your HVAC on and scroll the temperature settings down to "low", turn the setting to "econ" and this will be the coldest air you can get in the cabin without turning on the a/c... then turn the entire thing off.

why are you scared to use the a/c? on the highway the a/c is more fuel efficient than rolling the windows down due to the reduced drag.

for best fuel economy @ highway speed: no a/c and all windows closed> a/c on with windows closed > a/c off and windows open > a/c on and windows open

**40valve** · 10-06-2008 08:42 PM

Thanks, I'll try that. I don't like using AC. Not concerned with gas mileage. Just feel way better to drive with windows rolled down. Besides AC bothers my eyes.

**B6_Rakete** · 10-06-2008 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by 40valve

Just driving around with heat off (still hot outside) and there is a lot of heat coming into the cabin through the vents under the steering wheel.

I notice the same thing one or twice a week. I live in the SF Bay Area which isn't always ridiculously hot and sometimes the temp coming out of the vents is 5-10 degrees higher than the ambient temperature outside. The only way I've found to get temp down to normal is to kick on the A/C for a minute and then hit "Econ" again. It really feels like the heater is on sometimes and I'm guessing there's an issue with the climate control programming.

**B6_Rakete** · 10-06-2008 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by Swanky

why are you scared to use the a/c? on the highway the a/c is more fuel efficient than rolling the windows down due to the reduced drag.

for best fuel economy @ highway speed: no a/c and all windows closed> a/c on with windows closed > a/c off and windows open > a/c on and windows open

I don't buy that 1980's explanation. Opening the moon roof and turning on just the fan (leaving the A/C off) seems to return the best gas mileage for me. Running with A/C on in my car drops the fuel economy by 1-2MPG, easy.