Heating, air conditioning and ventilation of the passenger compartment (Renault Sandero 1)

The heating, air conditioning and ventilation system installed in the car operates effectively with the windows closed and is a single complex that provides the most comfortable conditions in the car regardless of weather conditions and ambient temperature. The temperature in the cabin is regulated by mixing cold and hot air. The cooling unit of the air conditioning system reduces the temperature and humidity of the air, cleans it from dust. The heater increases the air temperature in any operating mode of the system.

Note: The air conditioning system for the air supplied to the passenger compartment is installed on some of the vehicles produced.

The system provides low-inertia regulation of air temperature, practically independent of the vehicle speed. The amount of air entering the cabin is mainly determined by the fan operating mode, so it should be turned on even when driving at high speed.

Outside air can enter the passenger compartment through the door windows when the windows are lowered and the air blower grille located in front of the windshield. Air from the air blower can enter the passenger compartment of the car through the windshield blower nozzles, side and central nozzles, as well as through the lower nozzles of the heater housing.

Note: Driving with the windows open at 100 km/h increases fuel consumption by approximately 4%.

The quantity, temperature, direction and intensity of air flows are regulated by switches installed in the heating system control unit (air conditioning) and ventilation of the passenger compartment (Fig. 1.13).





1 - regulator for distributing the air flows supplied to the passenger compartment. To change the direction of air supply, use the regulator handle to select one of four options (clockwise):

• air supply to the upper part of the cabin (through the side and central nozzles of the instrument panel);
• air supply to the upper and lower parts of the cabin (through the side and central nozzles of the instrument panel, as well as through the lower nozzles of the heater housing);
• air supply to the lower part of the cabin (through the lower nozzles of the heater body);
• air supply to the windshield (through the windshield blower nozzles).

2 - air conditioner switch (in a variant design). To cool the air entering the car, press the air conditioner button

• a yellow indicator light will light up in it. To turn off the air conditioner, press the button again.

Notes:

• When the air conditioner is turned on, especially in hot weather, the moisture contained in the air entering the heat exchanger condenses on it, flows off the evaporator and is removed from the air conditioning unit through a special opening.
• The air conditioner will not turn on if the fan mode switch is set to position "0" (the fan is off) or the ambient temperature is below 0°C. This is not a sign of a malfunction, but is provided for by the design.

Warnings:

• Turning on the air conditioner while the engine is running under severe conditions (long climbs, heavy city traffic, etc.) may cause the engine to overheat. Monitor the coolant temperature gauge: if the temperature exceeds the permissible value, turn off the air conditioner.
• During long trips in city traffic conditions, the efficiency of the air conditioner may decrease due to the intense thermal conditions of the engine. This is not a sign of a malfunction; when driving in normal road conditions, the air conditioner will work effectively.

3 - fan mode switch. To increase the intensity of air supply to the passenger compartment while driving and to ensure air supply when the vehicle is stationary, use the switch handle to set one of the four modes of operation of the air blower fan.



4 - recirculation mode activation lever. To activate the recirculation mode, move the lever to the extreme right position. When the recirculation mode is on, outside air does not enter the passenger compartment, and the air blower fan ensures air circulation inside the passenger compartment. This mode is used to quickly warm up the passenger compartment in cold weather, as well as when the surrounding air is dusty and polluted with gases.

Warning: It is not recommended to leave the recirculation mode on for a long time while the vehicle is moving, as this usually leads to fogging of the windows.

5 - Temperature regulator of the air supplied to the passenger compartment. To change the temperature of the air supplied to the passenger compartment, rotate the Temperature regulator knob. The blue part of the scale corresponds to the supply of the coolest air, the red part corresponds to the supply of the hottest air. When the knob is in the middle position, air is supplied to the passenger compartment at the ambient temperature.

Depending on the various combinations of switching on the control unit switches in the following main modes.



- the maximum cooling mode is used in hot weather and after prolonged parking in the sun to quickly cool the air in the cabin. In this case, before turning on the air conditioner, it is recommended to briefly open the windows to remove heated air from the cabin. The air conditioner and air recirculation switches must be turned on;





- normal cooling mode is used when driving around town and outside the city in moderately warm weather. The air conditioner switch should be on, the recirculation switch should be off;



- maximum heating mode is used at very low ambient temperatures and for quick heating of the air in the passenger compartment after a long period of parking. The air conditioner switch should be off, the recirculation switch should be on;



- normal heating mode is used in the cold season to maintain the optimum air temperature in the cabin after its intensive heating in the maximum heating mode. The air conditioner and air recirculation switches must be turned off;





- the windshield and front door glass blowing mode is set to quickly eliminate glass fogging in high air humidity. The air conditioner switch can be in any position depending on the ambient temperature, and the recirculation switch must be off.

Note: To prevent the glass from fogging up in rainy weather, turn on the blowing mode with the heater turned off, since the difference in temperature between the glass surface and the supplied air can cause condensation.

Helpful tips:
For more efficient ventilation and heating at vehicle speeds below 50 km/h and when driving on particularly dusty road sections with the windows closed (to create excess air pressure in the cabin, preventing dust suction) we recommend turning on the heater fan switch at low or maximum speed. To quickly eliminate fogging of the rear window and free it from ice and snow, turn on the heated glass switch. If you do not use the air conditioner for a long time, you need to turn it on briefly once a week with the engine running to restore the lubricant layer on the compressor parts and seals.

This note was copied from the resource [RENAULTBOOK.ru]