I have an 08 Sport. When my airflow direction knob is selecting the center dash vent air comes through even if the fan is off. When idling there is no airflow. When driving, the airflows and the faster I drive the more air through the center vent. When going around 60mph I get as much as as if the fan was on in the first position. Is this normal? The dealer says yes but the manual says to turn the whole system off, turn the fan off. Who is right? How does yours work.

 

Yes it's normal. If you switch to recirculate mode you won't get any air through the center vents.

 

Then what's the meaning of "switching the fan to off, shuts the whole system off?"

 

Just semantics, really. Technically the "system" is off if the fan is off, but air can flow through the vent just like air flows in through an open window, unless you switch to recirculate mode.

 

Every Honda I've owned has been like this, it's normal.

 

is this your first car?

 

I think that's a great feature, u can have fresh air coming in without the fan being on, if the thermostat is on heat, hot air comes in. I used it all the time on the hwy in my previous Honda's.

 

It is my first Honda. I think it's a horrible feature here in the North East. In the morning when it's freezing and the engine isn't warm yet, you freeze your $#@ off until it gets warm.

Thanks for replying everyone. You answered my question.

 

Definitely something I've only noticed with Honda. My old Civic did it and my brother's Civic does it. My 325i did not do it.

 

I think it's a safety feature. Fresh air flow through to prevent carbon monoxide buildup.

 

Hi Virtual, I have to say that's a really well-kept Civic~!! can't imagine someone can keep a car like that in Canadian winter!

 

Thanks.

Yearly oil spray underbody and inside every body panel for rust proofing.

Hand car washing once a week for at least the first 15 years then tapered off a lot after that.

Mechanical maintenance done by myself (No garages except when absolutely necessary).

Btw. It's still the original paint but it is starting to show small signs of surface rusting.

It has been a great car. I'll keep running it as long as I can but my new Fit gets all the attention now!

 

im pretty sure every car on earth does this. if youve got your vent open to the outside & youre moving, air is going to come though.

my Z, my lancer & my 64 impala did this.

 

My (soon to be wrecked) '92 Mazda MPV was the same. I (perhaps wrongly) assume that all vehicles are like this.

If you don't like the air coming in you can just switch to recirculate and be fine. AFAIK the switch to recirculate opens a physical vent, thus outside will come in, more so if you're moving.