AC/Heater Heated Rear Window

[Parky]

Originally Posted by Bungle

Ok, this is getting close to being recycled, this is getting too far OT. To bring this back in line for a bit, I have had no trouble with the heating of the rear window. It says in the manual (i think) that it should not be used to clear rain, ice or snow from the window, only to de-fog the inside. For that purpose it works fine, for me.

On the climate control subject, I have made observations I would like to point out.

With the sytem on AUTO, everything including fan speed, direction, temperature and the use of A/C is controlled and regulated to maintain a steady cabin temperature.
If you overide a part of it, like the A/C, you only cotrol that part while all the others remain automatic. So if you turn A/C on with the button, it only means A/C is constantly on, but all other aspects are still automatic. SO it is still fully climate controled, except the A/C is permanantly on.
If you chose to set fan speed, all other aspects are still automatic, it is just you decided what the speed fans will be at.

Even if you set the criteria for all aspects, the temp, the fan speed, the direction (mode), re-circ, and A/C, the temp you set will be maintained as the cabin temperature, not necessarily the air temperature of the air flowing out of the vents. . It will still regulate the air temp, as the outside conditions change. Remember the temp you chose is for the cabin temp, not the temperature you want the air coming in at. If it is very hot outside, even with temp set on 22 or 23 C, the air from the vents will be much colder. The same 'manual' settings in winter will pump out warmed air into the cabin, possibly a lot higher than the temperature you have specefied until that temperature is reached in the cabin.[/i]

If you do change all those settings but are not on auto it will attempt to match the temperature you have set. If for instance you set the cabin temp to 20 degrees and it is 25 outside and you have set the air con to off, it will not be able to drop the temp down to 20, as the incoming air will be above that temp and there will be no air con cooling available.

Ian

[Ancient Nerd]

Originally Posted by Parky

It is actually a very common type of car theft, and really easy for the opportunist thief. After all they have the keys and a car that is already running, they also will think nothing of running you down as they drive away.

I think the term for this is Icejacking.

[Maldax]

Originally Posted by Parky

If you do change all those settings but are not on auto it will attempt to match the temperature you have set. If for instance you set the cabin temp to 20 degrees and it is 25 outside and you have set the air con to off, it will not be able to drop the temp down to 20, as the incoming air will be above that temp and there will be no air con cooling available.


Ian

All the Climate control systems I have used, as soon as you change anything it gets in a huff and sulks, turning itself off! As you say how could it lower the temp if you have turned off the A/C!

The systems I have seen (an I guess the Civ is the same) don't just use the A/C to lower temps If it's 20 in the cabin and 10 Outside and you lower the internal temp to 16 it just sucks in some of the cooler air from outside

[Bungle]

Obviously, the lowest temperature air the system can pump through the vents with a/c off is the outside air temperature. If you set a temp lower than outside and turn a/c off it will not be able to reduce the temperature. I didn't mention that originally as I didn't want to sound patronising by stating the obvious.

All I'm saying, whatever part of the system you over ride, the remaining parts will do their best to regulate the cabin temp you set. You can obviously make it impossible for it by switching off a/c in a heat-wave, or setting the speed to minimum, but what would just be silly!

[Hartside]

So what happens in the winter when the system shuts off because it's to cold outside. How is the cabin temperature controlled?

[karlak]

Originally Posted by Hartside

So what happens in the winter when the system shuts off because it's to cold outside. How is the cabin temperature controlled?

The system does not 'switch off' - just that the compressor that cools the air is not operating. Bearing in mind that the outside temp will be about 4 degrees or lower then this is not a problem, because if it did need to cool the interior, then the outside air would be used. The auto-temp side of things works normally.

[elfa7]

The climate control is controlled by the temp. you set, and the heat sensor in the cabin.

[Swindon Japster]

Now the cooler weather is here I find driving the Civic more of a van-like exoerience with no way the clear the rear screen external condensation other than with a towel, heater on not. Up until this point I was surprised to find rear visibility as less of an issue than I thought it may be.

I fear it will be a long winter.. oh for a wiper - whatever it may look like!

[pjelsworth]

As mentioned in earlier posts, the colder weather is with us and I have to say that the heated rear window is useless. I am surprised at this; it is a very basic feature of any car these days so you don't expect it to not work.

Could it be that Honda have kept the heat down by design due to the shape of the glass? Maybe with it being so curved it might crack

[Fedorov]

I'm almost at work before it has defrosted a tiny bit.

The only thing I miss on the Civic is the front-heated windscreen I had on my Mondeo - last 2 morning scraping away is not much fun

[Kpow99]

This is odd, I went outside and started the car and went back inside, when I came out my door mirrors had defrosted and the rear window was almost clear....this is odd cos I didn't switch it on, just did it by itself, now is it temp sensitive or has it gone U/S??? When I press the button I can hear the relay click so that is not stuck....any answers?

Oh btw, it cleared really quickly

[Korkut Varol]

Originally Posted by Kpow99

This is odd, I went outside and started the car and went back inside, when I came out my door mirrors had defrosted and the rear window was almost clear....this is odd cos I didn't switch it on, just did it by itself, now is it temp sensitive or has it gone U/S??? When I press the button I can hear the relay click so that is not stuck....any answers?

Oh btw, it cleared really quickly

That is odd-you're right!
Because the electric heater is turned off everytime the ignition is off. Maybe your hand accidentally touched it when you were in the cabin... Otherwise, it is strange as you said.
And, I have no problems in defrosting the ice outside too... A thin layer of ice, (about 1 mm) and minus 3 deg.C outside temp., it took not more than 5 minutes to clear.

[Kpow99]

Did not touch it, I was standing outside the car when i put the key in and pressed the button.

[Andrea]

i have no problems with mine at all, it clears just as quick as the other cars i hav had. (oh sorry, im going on about my "perfect car" again, it cant possibly work can it )

[Meino]

I also have no problems. Maybe it clears a bit slower then my previous car, but it doesn't disturb me.

[3rd Honda]

There has been another thread on this. When its cold, the HRW and the mirrors come on without being switched on - and as far as I know you cannot override this. They stay on for about 5 minutes - about enough to half demist the window, then go off.

[Copycat]

Yeah we had this discussion before. I still haven't seen it happen, but maybe I'm just too quick to scrape the ice off my windows.

[Glass Spider]

happened to me today, got in sat there for a moment to get a signal on my tom tom and noticed steam coming off the mirrors, put window down felt mirror, mirror was warm, and i hadn't turned on the demisters mirror warming up thingy me bob

[pjelsworth]

There is another thread somewhere about the heated rear window and mirrors coming on automatically. It seems to be a feature.

Looks like a trip to the dealer regarding the inability of the heated rear screen to clear.

[basegreen]

They definitely do come on by themselves sometimes.