How do I disable auto a/c defrost?

[SnowDrifter]

I don't necessarily want my a/c trying to dry out the air for defrost. My last car was a subaru and it had this little actuation lever I could remove inside the HVAC controls. Mechanical control, easy easy.

I have auto climate control in my rig now. Not really that simple. I'm loathe to snip wires and try to install a manual switch. Having switches to control my a/c just feels janky as hell.

So... I mean... Is there something I can program? Flash? Solder? What I want, is for the a/c compressor to stay off, independent of anything else, until press the button to flip it on

 

[Tonyrodz]

I don't necessarily want my a/c trying to dry out the air for defrost. My last car was a subaru and it had this little actuation lever I could remove inside the HVAC controls. Mechanical control, easy easy.

I have auto climate control in my rig now. Not really that simple. I'm loathe to snip wires and try to install a manual switch. Having switches to control my a/c just feels janky as hell.

So... I mean... Is there something I can program? Flash? Solder? What I want, is for the a/c compressor to stay off, independent of anything else, until press the button to flip it on

Back in the simpler days of GM, I would just unplug the ac compressor in the winter, for this exact ssme issue. I never understood why GM did that, until someone told me it takes the humidity out of the air.

 

[Doubeleive]

ya the auto systems act as a dehumidifier

 

[SnowDrifter]

Yeah I know what it does but I don't necessarily want that functionality all the time. There are a lot of times it works against me TBH

 

[mikeyss]

I think... If you mode select to defrost and floor, it will light up the A/C button. Just press it and it turns the A/C off but it'll still blow on the windshield and floor. I'm not 100% sure about this, but it's worth a try, haha. My 09 Tahoe has auto climate, I'm gonna try it in the morning.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I think... If you mode select to defrost and floor, it will light up the A/C button. Just press it and it turns the A/C off but it'll still blow on the windshield and floor. I'm not 100% sure about this, but it's worth a try, haha. My 09 Tahoe has auto climate, I'm gonna try it in the morning.

Correct, when you press defrost it defaults to the AC compressor being on, you have to manually toggle it back off. The OP is asking if there is a way to "tune out" the auto-on feature so he doesn't have to manually toggle it back off.

 

[SnowDrifter]

Wasn't aware I could do that. Will give it a try later today.


Having it default to off would be ideal but I can live with toggling it

 

[Justinj360]

So does this mean when you manually turn off the AC it's not actually off? I've always suspected that because even in the hottest months in the summer I almost never have to hit the snowflake to turn it on. It gets plenty cool without it.

 

[SnowDrifter]

I think... If you mode select to defrost and floor, it will light up the A/C button. Just press it and it turns the A/C off but it'll still blow on the windshield and floor. I'm not 100% sure about this, but it's worth a try, haha. My 09 Tahoe has auto climate, I'm gonna try it in the morning.

Verified it works. That's a neat trick!

Wonder what other hidden gems these vehicles have

 

[Fless]

I have heard that the A/C compressor cycles from time to time to keep the seals intact.

If you won't use it all winter, removing the A/C drive belt might be something to consider.