I can explain the logic, but to me it still doesn't make any sense. My 1981 Civic 1500GL had a separate A/C switch that actually turned the A/C on or off. If I wanted to defrost with A/C, I hit the switch. If I didn't, I left if off. Simple, yet efficient, and I was in control. I guess humanity has lost enough intelligence and common sense in the last 25 years that these decisions have to be made for us.

 

When in Defrost Mode, dial up the heat a little. The frequency and duration that the compressor runs is less, and sufficiently does its dehumidification, at least in these months. I live on an island and don’t use a garage so each morning I awake to dew point. The A/C feature addresses the interior dampness but heat is still required to warm the glass: Gota hit that latent heat of evap. or no work gets done. Still, I too wish that I could manually select the compressor duty and yup, I know a switch is doable but it doesn’t bug me too much.

 

Honda has in the past had a big problem with the windows fogging up. Both my 90' Civic HB and my parents' '83 Civic Wagon always fogged up. I was glad to see that Honda had fixed this in my '02 Civic. Yes, it is a pain to try and remember to turn the air and defrost off, but it's better than the car fogging up all the time.

 

My Civic works the same way. It pulls the moisture out of the air. You can still have the A/C on and have warm air coming through if you turn up the heat.

 

If ya'll are worried about a lil gas milage go to Wal-Mart and buy a can of compressed air found in the computer section. Just blow it on your window! LOL ~ now on a serious note, I do believe that may be slightly poor design, but after all - it's a honda - and you can't beat a honda.

 

Is there some compelling reason you're using the defrost vent settings? Hawaii can't be THAT cold and frosty, especially in JUNE!

Now that you have realized the AC comes on in the defrost positions, just switch the vent to another position. BAM! The AC is off!!

(I bet it's annoying. My current car will turn on the AC if you switch the vent to the defrost mode, but you CAN hit the AC button to turn off the AC but leave the fan on)

 

I can understand why it does this, and it's great that it does it by default; I just think you should be able to override it.

My old Mazda 626 doesn't do it, and I'm glad it doesn't. I normally ride now with the fan in the defrost mode, because I don't happen to like having the fan blowing directly on me thru the dash vents, and for some reason I don't like it coming thru the floor much either I'm going to change my habits now, just do the dang A/C isn't on all the time....

 

When using the A/C on old Honda's you had to make sure the switch was set to fresh air and not recirculate. Moving the switch would have taken care of the fogging up on your inside windows. Honda now makes most of the units turn the a/c on when you have defrost to work as a dehumidifier so the windows fog up less.

 

Yes Civic's do - but just like CRV's (did the reset on my 02) you can reset them to NOT run AC during defrost. (do an online search - just holding 2 buttons and turning the key on) I've yet to find out or figure out how to turn Fit's off

 

Thanks!! I hope there is some way to do this on the FIT, too!!

 

My old '85 Civic wagon and my '95 Accord gave me a choice, but the windshield also fogged like crazy. Clearing the fog -- choices included running the defroster while letting fresh air in with a winter temp in the 30s, and going back & forth between blasting the a/c and the heat. After awhile everything equalized -- until I crossed a river. If my Fit does a better job, I won't mind not having to fuss with controls while I'm dodging other drivers. I'll have to wait until next Dec. or Jan. to find out. No fogging problems in warm, rainy weather.

 

Right. So why even have an AC button if it's on all the time?

My '90 Civic Si has an on/off for the AC and you can definitely tell when it's on. lol

So, if I'm following... it doesn't matter if you have the button pushed in or not, because you'll get the same gas milage either way?

 

If the a/c button is off and you have any of the other modes selected except defrost, it functions as it should. Confusing and unnecessary, isn't it?

 

ah. okay. weird.

thanks

 

Ok i was driving yesterday with 4 people in my car (myself and 3 friends) and it was pretty hot outside. As all you fit owners know this car is noticably slower once you start adding weight. Well i didn't want to turn on the A/C because i was driving on a hilly road so i selected the defrost mode on the panel, my A/C button was off, temperature was all the way on blue (cold), and i had the vent selected on outside air. Well it had to of been at least 90+ degrees Farenheit outside and with the windows rolled up it was blowing cold air from the defrost vents. The a/c was off but the vents were blowing cold air which was supposed to be air from outside but it was 90+ degrees. And i noticed my car performed just like it did with the a/c on. So what i did then was select the mode that only blows air to the upper body (first selection on left on the control knob) and the air started to get noticably hotter until it wasn't cold anymore and it felt like the air was finally coming from the outside. I left the knob on the selection for about 10 min (warm air blew throughout that cycle) and then i changed it back to the defrost mode. And then again it started to blow cold air like if the a/c had been turned on. NOTE: The A/C button was off the whole time i was turning knobs.

The previous day coming home from work i noticed this situation occuring as well and when i got home and parked my car was dripping water from the bottom like when the A/C was on for a long time and the compressor collected a lot of condensation but my A/C wasn't on and only my defrost mode was selected.

So my question is: Has anyone else seen this phenomena occur to them? I thought i was losing my mind when this was occuring but i seriously think my A/C somehow turns on when i select the defrost mode.


OH... and one more thing. My car seems to be tilted more so towards the driver side. When i drive its very noticable because my car seems to wanna veer to the left. One other Fit owner on here also had the same problem with it going to the left and he had the same exact car as me: Storm Silver Metallic Manual transmission.

So if anyone has any feedback it would be greatly appreciated oh and i encourage you guys to try the defrost thing... i might not be the only one.

 

Your A/C compressor will operate in defrost mode. This is so it can dehumidify the air.

 

haha that was a simple enough answer. thanks : )

 

From the Fit inside subforum:

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/showthread.php?t=5847

Looks like there is a "fix" possible for those who do not want the compressor on in this mode.

 

All is normal. Moisture on the inside windshield is removed by dehumidifying the inside air via the A/C, which is why it comes on automatically. Condensation tanks all drip to various degrees. My Tundra pisses like a race horse. I wish I had a dollar for everytime someone has told me i had a leaky hose. Can't comment on the tilting.

Cheffy Dave
BOM FIT

 

The only problem with the Accord, CRV and Civic fix are they require the holding down of the 'Air Recirculation button'. Unfortunately, the Fit doesn't have this button as it's a slider, so I doubt either of these will work.

Thing is, if there's a way to adjust this in those cars, there's probably a way to do it in the Fit. It's just a matter of finding out.