Auto Climate Control question

[Razorbil]

I am trying to figure out why, when it is hot in the cabin and I turn the Auto Climate control function on, the heater light illuminates. I have the temp set at 67 degrees Fahrenheit, so I assumed the A/C would turn on, not the heater. When I turn the A/C function on manually after activating the auto function, the Auto control turns off.

What am I missing?

 

[iamwjh]

What is the outside Temp? What is the 'actual' Temp inside the car?

 

[Razorbil]

It was one of those are the days where it was 58 degrees outside but very warm inside the vehicle. I am assuming that this is what triggered the heat. I had no way to measure the temperature inside the cabin other than knowing that it was uncomfortably warm from the sun.

 

[mwalsh]

Any chance the sun-load sensor (top of dash, passenger side) was in the shade? That might have made something funky happen.

 

[iamwjh]

Check out what mwalsh posted and hopefully it is just a freak happenstance. If it continues to be an issue, it may be a problem.

Hopefully, far less serious than my recent experience where I drove to work in the morning (40F outside) without the heater and used the seat heater ( which I refer to as the Bacon Warmer) and then, on my return home in the evening (70F Outside) with the AC on 69F, I could not get comfortable. After several miles, with the AC blasting, I noticed that I still had the bacon warmer on high. LOL. -> embarrassing...

 

[Deleted member 3147]

I'm assuming that the OP has a MY'13 Leaf as those are the only ones with a "Heat" button/light. I don't know exactly how it works, but I'd assume that the light ALWAYS comes on when you press Auto and that it indicates that the heater is enabled to come on, not that it is on. This would be the same as with the A/C button on the 2011/12.

Am I wrong?

 

[adric22]

This is an often complained of issue on the 2011-2012 models. I encounter it all of the time. It will be 45 or 50 degrees outside, but the sun is shining brightly, making it uncomfortably warm in the car. I try to just get the vent turned on, but you can clearly see in the energy monitor that the heater is drawing power. The only solution with the 2011-2012 models is to crack the windows (or modify the car). The 2013 has supposedly fixed this.

 

[Razorbil]

I'm assuming that the OP has a MY'13 Leaf as those are the only ones with a "Heat" button/light. I don't know exactly how it works, but I'd assume that the light ALWAYS comes on when you press Auto and that it indicates that the heater is enabled to come on, not that it is on. This would be the same as with the A/C button on the 2011/12.

Am I wrong?

I do have a 13. I have yet to figure this out.

 

[Razorbil]

This is an often complained of issue on the 2011-2012 models. I encounter it all of the time. It will be 45 or 50 degrees outside, but the sun is shining brightly, making it uncomfortably warm in the car. I try to just get the vent turned on, but you can clearly see in the energy monitor that the heater is drawing power. The only solution with the 2011-2012 models is to crack the windows (or modify the car). The 2013 has supposedly fixed this.

I would like to know what the "fix" is. Right now the auto function spills heat into the cabin. At this point I can only assume that the sensors are reading that the outdoor temp is cold, so I must want the heat on, even though it is super toasty warm inside.

 

[thankyouOB]

under the conditions you describe, you should open the windows and vent/cool the car for a few minutes that way.
i would think the AC would run fine, once you established equilibrium with the real outside conditions.