[adriantevan]

I just purchased my 2005 Maxima SE and have a silly question about auto climate. I live in CT where it is currently 18 degrees. So when I start the car and activate auto climate (i typically set it for 75) it heats up and then after a while I notice it switches to winshield defrost and the AC automatically comes on. Is this normal? Why would it put the AC on when it's below freezing outside? The air that comes out however is still hot/warm. Also the air coming out of the center console vents, for rear seat passengers is cold most of the time, has anyone else experienced this?

 

[brianw]

When defrost goes on, the AC goes on in order to help more rapidly defrost the windshield by removing moisture from the air (that's a side effect of what A/C does).

Compare it sometime with forcing into defrost mode with A/C on and A/C off... with A/C on it clears faster.

 

[adriantevan]

Great thanks! Have you noticed anything about the rear passenger heating as well?