Does auto a/c try to work with top down?

934 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by lattehiatus, Feb 4, 2005

flibmeister

Discussion Starter · Feb 2, 2005

I just ordered my MCC (May delivery), so naturally I keep coming up with questions about how various things are going to work on it. Since I don't have the production number yet, I can't get into the Owner's Lounge to read the online manual, so I have to ask here!

The question on my mind today is: I'm getting the automatic air conditioning, and I'm curious if I'll have to turn it off each time I put the top down, to keep it from trying to cool the car down to the preset temp. Seems like these are pretty smart cars, so I was just wondering if perhaps they're smart enough to know that the top's down-- so the auto air should take a nap, then wake up again when the top is up.

Thanks!

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rainbowdreamer

· #2 · Feb 2, 2005

My mother's convertible, (not a MINI) switches from auto climate to normal aircon if the roof is lowered. Would guess the MINI would be the same.

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Gr8Dain

· #3 · Feb 2, 2005

Based on your question, I paid attention on my ride home. My auto air cond stayed in auto mode the entire trip. I had it set at 70 degrees F, yet it was 26 degrees F outside. So the heat was on. It did not try to blow me out of the car (fan speed), so it must not have gotten very cold in the cabin. I usually manually set it to high spped and hot, but let it be to test the system.

I am not sure what it will do in the summer. I will have to wait to find out though

Dain

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lattehiatus

· #4 · Feb 3, 2005

Just as a FYI for you, flibmeister - you can download the '05 owner manual from the Owner's Lounge through a direct link on Gabe Bridger's MotoringFile.com site:

https://ol.miniusa.com/publications/OwnManual/download_pdf.asp?file=2005MINIAllModels.pdf

The answer is no, the auto AC isn't smrt.

On cold nights, I just leave it at the highest temp and manually adjusted to blow hard while driving with the top down.

As a non-sequitor, the way the vents are positioned on the dash prevents them from being adjusted to warm your hands if you don't have your hands on the wheel. If you have a nasty habit of keeping one hand on the wheel and one on the shift knob all the time like I do, the hand you have on the shift knob can get mighty cold.

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flibmeister

Discussion Starter · #5 · Feb 3, 2005

Thanks for the all the replies!

In particular the link to the manual-- I should have time to have it memorized before the car arrives.....

Sorry to hear that the auto a/c isn't smart. Where I live (Phoenix), the outside temps will often be much higher than the normal temp setting on the auto a/c, so I anticipate that when I put the top down, the a/c will try to run at max all the time (if I don't either adjust the temp way up or turn it to manual).

Fortunately, keeping warm isn't usually an issue here!

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lattehiatus

· #6 · Feb 4, 2005

flibmeister said:
Thanks for the all the replies!

In particular the link to the manual-- I should have time to have it memorized before the car arrives.....

You do have plenty of time until May (don't worry, it won't be as bad as you think it is) to read the manual, and you'll want to do it before you take delivery of your new Mini, because you'll be so busy motoring around once you've got her, you won't have time to read the manual. I am, of course, speaking from personal experience. Since taking delivery of my MCC in November, this is the second time I've perused through these forums.

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