Please explain to me how to use my 328 A/C climate control knobs and toggles

A/C is simple turn blue dial to max and yellow dial to max ... and grab a cool drink- oh wait, no cupholder!

 

Bring your manual into the car, start up the car and and begin to learn that everything does . The heating vents and A/C vents are different. Once you understand what the levers and knobs do, it easier to control the air flow.

 

The toggles that light up with the red bar graphs control the heater valves meaning they will change the temperature of the heated air coming from the vents by allowing more coolant to enter the heat exchangers. The one closer to the driver controls the driver's side while the one on the right controls temperature of passenger vents.

The toggles that light up with the amber bar graphs control flaps inside the dash. When only one or two are illuminated, the heat is directed to the footwells. As the bar graph increases, more heated air is directed to the top of the dash. The one closer to the driver controls driver's side vents, etc. Footwell vents that are louvered are on extreme left and right facing down. They can be rotated and louvers can be directed.

The volume of heated air for each side is controlled by the two blower knobs, one for driver, the other for passenger. This is outside air.

AC air mostly exits the center vent on top of the dash as well as the two vents in line with the console. It also exits at each console vent which has three adjustments. Two are for direction while the third is volume (which is not a heck of a lot). The AC blower switch, besides controlling the volume of AC air, also controls the AC compressor. AC will not work without this switch somewhere in the on position. AC air does not exit from the louvered footwell vents. Some does exit behind the adjustable louvered vents mentioned above. AC air is recirculated interior air, not outside air. So if you want fresh air in the vehicle with windows up and AC on, an amber bar graph control is used with heat control bar graphs obviously in off position.

 

We have a winner.

 

I always said that you need to be an ingegnere to figure out the ventilation and a/c systems in a 328. It's a good thing that I am one!

 

I still haven't figured out the light stalk in the 10 years I have owned the car! I don't have problems with the AC because I never change the settings!

 

Just don't get "thumb fisted" on ANYTHING in that center console... you break any of the rheostats/switches/LED panels, and you'll probably spend years and $$$$ trying to find replacements. Your few minutes of "comfy climate control clumsiness" could cause you a lot of grief with just a moment of inattention or being thumb-fisted.

I learned this lesson years ago and never did it again.

Jedi

 

With the AC, turn the fan up as high as you like but you should not run the AC control at max - especially if you are running at speed because it may ice the system up. This is referenced in the owners manual I think. I usually set it at about 70%. It will then cut in & out at fairly regular intervals. Essentially it cools down till the evaporators start to freeze & then it turns itself off to warm up a bit, then it cuts back in - rinse & repeat. You'll hear it clicking on & off if its working right. If it goes on and stays on permanently then usually its an early indicator that you are low on gas in the system & its not cooling that well.

 

Use the switch on the door and put the window down. That’s the best ac the car has. Ha!

 

It's really the strangest climate system I've ever seen ... I can't think of another car that offers to provide both hot and cold air to the same vents at the same time.

 

When I'm on the open road on a typical day (as when I drove from GA to NY in September), I leave the roof on the car, turn the A/C on high and open both windows! And park in the shade whenever you can.