... or unless the fan switch is OFF.

 

To verify I am looking at the correct wire: When looking at that switch assy is the "yellow wire" a very thin, low gauge wire? Running very tightly against the switch housing?

 

Yeah those photos are not great, but there's only one thin yellow wire in that area. Before doing the cut, you can increase your confidence by putting your finger on the yellow-wire-plug and twisting the mode control knob back and forth. You'll hear the limit switch clicking and feel it snap on/off through the connector for the yellow wire.
Post a better photo if you can get one !

 

Thanks. I made a similar "fix" on my Tacoma, but it is a bit more "returnable" to stock. Just wanted that touch of more confidence .. .. ..

 

Part of what I dislike about the always-on A/C on defrost isn't just the wasted power, it's that once you start blowing a/c on the windows, the moment you switch over to any other option, the condensation comes back really quickly. I always used to just use the blower with some heat if needed, and a/c if I needed it to be done instantly. I'm just not clear on why the connection is needed, if you want to switch it on, there's a big-old "a/c" switch there anyway. It's just a matter of making cars just a little more idiot-friendly, which I'm ambivalent about at best

 

The AC on during defrost works just like your frost free refrigerator. To remove the icing in your freezer, the system cools and heats at the same time to remove the moisture in the air, therefore, no icing. So, it's really not an option if you want to remove the moisture from the windshield, that's why the AC is on when you turn on the defrost. There is another feature that you may want to take up, that is backup lights. It's there for you to see when you are backing up at night. The question is why turning on the light is not an option because during the day you don't need it.

 

The lights I think are probably legally required, so people behind you know if you're about to back up as well, aren't they?

I've had no trouble with cars I've had in the past getting the condensation under control with just windshield/feet combined (where they usually don't automatically put on the A/C) or on cars that simply didn't turn on the A/C for you, they worked pretty well as well, just not as quickly. So, I know how the physics works, and that it doesn't mean I'm too cold, or whatever... but I'd rather not burn extra gas and throw away a bit of power if I can just run a blower with what I found to be adequate effect when I don't need the aircon to pull additional moisture out. Again, once you decide to switch off the a/c and defrost, I have found that condensation returns with a vengeance, which was also something I never experienced when just blowing outside air over the windshield with sometimes a bit of heat to help address the condensation and temperature.

YMMV and all, but I've always disliked the automatic connection between the two. I do think, as noted, that the backup light comparison is perhaps a BIT inaccurate ;D

For the record, I'm also a grumpy old wanker about daytime running lights... though I know that ship has totally sailed.

 

I usually crank down the front windows, faster than what the AC can do. I mean push that electric window button, no more cranking.
Hey, I had a thread about how to turn off the DRL permanently, but in the end, I decided to leave them on.

 

I think it's also the option that raising the heat does do the same thing, with respect to relative humidity, and removing condensation, also... I also just like having an A/C free windshield defrost setting because sometimes it's a nice thing to have heat or fresh air coming in through those vents, and not blowing directly on you... I get it, I get it, but it's still silly that someone forces me to play by a set of rules that is nominally more effective, but at a certain cost.

I too, figured there was a way to get rid of DRLs, but I also just kind of forgot about it after a bit... life is busy

 

anyone know if this mod works on first gen? I've hated this since I got the car.

 

There's a dead simple mod in this thread....

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...lutions-3.html

Check out the picture.....works perfectly on first gen, just takes a few seconds to do

 

wow MelR thanks a million. Dead simple is right!

 

It appears that the wiring connector for the Defrost/AC Switch is a simple plug, mounted at an angle. Has anyone had luck unplugging the connector versus cutting the yellow wire?

 

yup, I did it two days ago, took 10 minutes start to finish. You just have to trust that it will unplug and not break. Didn't cut anything. You need a shorter screwdriver to undo the screw, cuz a long one hits the cupholder. then you need a couple of flat screwdrivers to pry the cover off, pull it straight down from the sides. Unplugging the switch is the easy part.

 

Ahh, let my ignorance shine! What screw and what cover?

I was looking to pull the plug from the passenger side, looking in with the glove box removed.

 

The climate control is three round dials. Right below the dials there's a plastic piece that covers the bottom of the dial assembly. The plastic piece is shaped like it could hold two eggs. There's a single Philips screw in the middle bottom of the plastic piece, pointing upwards into the innards of the dial assembly. If your screw driver is longer than about four inches it won't let you unscrew that screw cuz the driver handle will bang into the cup holder . Remove that centre screw, then pry a couple of flat screw drivers into the front of that plastic piece so you can get your fingers a grip and pull it straight down toward the cup holder. That's the*hard* part. You think you'll break the plastic piece, but it's sturdy. It clips in with friction clips on each side. Just pull it straight down. Then, once it's off get your head down there, like you're looking for your wedding ring in the drivers side cup holder, and behind the temperature selector dial on the drivers side there's the cheap looking plastic clip that has two parts, like a pistol grip, that holds a yellow and a black wire. Just unplug that white plastic 'pistol' and you're done. Pull it out. It's a plug holding those two wires. Leave it dangling, it dangles a half inch, and put your cover back on. And enjoy no AC in the middle of the winter. smh

 

Do you have RH drive, perhaps? As in the photo above, I see that plug behind the selector knob on the passenger side, not the temp knob . . . . . .

 

I'm in Canada. I'm pretty sure it was driver's side, but now that you mention it why would the plug be on the temp selector side and not on the defrost side? In any case, you really can't miss those two wires, thin, yellow and thin black connected to a plastic pistol like plug. I put my phone with flashlight on the cup holder, shining upward into the wire harnesses. Lemme know when you do it which side it was after all. But don't worry, there's nothing else under there that looks like a thin yellow and thin black wire sticking out of a plastic plug. This is the first *mod* I did to this car, and here I am teaching!! when you're sticking those flat screwdrivers into the little crack to open it up to get your fingers into it to pull the cover down, once I got one blade in and realized the friction clips are on the side I stuck the other blade on the side, to apply more direct pressure to unclip it. It *cracked* and I was scared I broke it, but I didn't, it just clips in pretty tight. Wedge that screwdriver blade in there and wiggle it to loosen the clip. Like I said, that's the hard part.

 

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...lutions-3.html look at post #44 for a better pic. and he says it on the passenger side, which makes sense.

 

Yes, I saw Toronto so I didn't really think RH drive. (had a great weekend in T some years ago. Took the train from Detroit or Windsor, I forget now).
That plug is definitely on the Pass side. I can see it from the glove box.
So those clips pry to the rear of the car and then the panel pulls down?
It would be nice if I could just pull it accessing from the side.