Why does my car’s heater controls have recirculation mode and what does it do?

Many vehicles have one button on the heater controls that looks like a car with a “U” shaped arrow on it which is recirculation mode and another with an arrow going through an outline of a car which is fresh air mode.

When in recirculation mode the air used for the heat or A/C comes from inside the cabin of your vehicle. When in fresh air mode, the air will be drawn in from outside the cabin before it is cooled or heated.

Recirculation mode is most used in hot conditions. This allows the A/C system to operate more efficiently since it is cooling already cooled air from inside the cabin. It can also be helpful when driving through dusty or smoky conditions, preventing those containments from entering the cabin. Fresh air mode is usually recommended when attempting to defog your windows. This allows cooler and drier air to hit the windshield, helping clear the fog faster.

This content was provided by James Hagen at Total Care Care located in rural Preston, MN. For more information, call or text 507-322-4057 or visit www.yourtotalcarcare.com.