I pried to pull the cover down. It's just the plastic cover that pull down and off. The dials and wire harnesses all stay put. when you unplug the little plug it just dangles a tiny bit.

 

Finally warm enough to get outside.

Obviously I can't follow directions as I removed the very lower panel that holds the power point, USB port etc. But all is good. Between the photo above showing the plug angle & my trusty "dental mirror" to see it better (after removal of the glove box), I was able to use some long nose pliers to grasp & pull the plug.

So I have the desired defrost w/ AC option, easily reversible.

Thanks for your help!

 

pleasure! I must say, since I did this last week I really see an improvement in my fuel usage. Damn stupid of them at Honda to do this, and great of this community to have found the way around it.

 

It's not just Honda, it's pretty much been an industry wide "standard" for many many years now....because, you know, everything has to be dumbed down .....I agree, it is stupid. I may indeed do the disable one of these days, although I really rarely need to use defrost here in east TN.

 

In humid, rainy conditions, having the A/C working in the defrost mode REALLY helps keep visibility OK. Not just the front windows...the side & back windows, too.



Not that disconnecting the plug isn't a good thing. We disabled this mode in both our GD Fit and our CR-V!

 

A stupid question perhaps, but why cut wires when you can simply remove the screw and let the microswitch dangle?

The Fit is the first car I have owned that really needs defog. The windshield fogs all the time, even in SoCal!

 

And that is what was done. As you'll see in the above pic tho, that plug is at an angle and not intuitive to get out. Now I can keep warm air on window and easily add AC if desired by a simple button push. Call it "personal preference" and ~easily~ accomplished, once figured out.

 

I just performed this mod to my new 2017 EX. It's super easy. Took me 5 minutes.

MUCH easier than my 2016 Forester to which I had to disassemble the environmental controls and gut a tiny tiny microswitch soldered to a circuit board.

For the 2017 Fit:
1. Open glove box, squeeze sides and pop it out.
2. Get your head up into the void left by the glovebox and look towards the HVAC controls.
3. You'll see closest to you the yellow and black wires you seek. They are right there.
4. What has been referred to as a "pistol" shaped connector is correct. The two wires go into it.
5. There is a slight lip on the TOP of that white "pistol" connector. This makes it easy. It's hard to get a grip on with your fingers.
6. Use something that will catch on that little lip and gently pry. It'll pop right out.
7. Optional: tape it to something so it doesn't rattle.
8. Pop the glovebox back in.

Done. Easy peasy.

This is one of my favorite mods as I like to direct heat to the windshield in the winter. Easily reversible and lets me decide when to use the AC to cool or dry the air.

 

In the same vein, any way to disable the A/C totally in a reversible way(for a resale or similar situation)? I know I could just do this to disable the A/C during defrost but Im just curious if I could totally kill the A/C quick and easy by pulling a fuse or relay. I literally never use air conditioning. Never have, never will.

 

Just do this. It's only slightly more difficult than pulling a fuse. Then the AC will only operate when you want it to, or never as the case may be.

 

Electrical tape over A/C button?