Climate control and Recirc button.

[RedwinGV]

OK, I admit I'm a bit of a detail nerd so keep with me on this.
I own a 2010 AWD Journey w/ premium option and Nav. This has the dual zone temp system. My question is about the recirc button on the climate control section.
Mine has one button with 2 icons and 2 lights on it, one is an outline and the other is solid.
The solid is auto and the outline is manual.

So, here's the question. What does the Auto function do when it's engaged? I read the manual and it basically just says it's there. Now driving home today I kept it in auto and noticed the light under the manual icon would come on and off occasionally. Does this mean in the auto mode that it occasionally puts the air on recirc?

I also noticed that one can run the system with NO lights lit on this button. So the options that one see with the lights are:

Manual recirc on Auto recirc on (this one seems to cycle the manual light off and on)
Manula recirc off Auto Off (I think this one just stays dark all the time) Not sure what this one does
Manual off Auto on (Again, I think this one cycles the Manu light off and on)
Manual on Auto off (This forces one to use internal air only) this one is pretty clear to what it does.

On my 04 G and my other vehicle, the system would automatically switch to recirc at first when the inside temp was high and it tried to cool it down ASAP. Once cooled, it would flip to external air automatically. I understand that option. But I never recall it going back to recirc once that happened. One could also manually put it on recirc.

So my question is, does Infiniti now use some cycle with the system briefly going on recirc under more or less steady state temp conditions?
FWIW, the temps seem fine and the fan speed is stable- so if one wasn't actually seeing the buttons/lights, you would never know that it's cycling up and back on recirc and external air.

Hopefully my comments make sense. Again, this is no big deal, but I'm curios as to what Infiniti is expecting the auto recirc function to do or really when is it intended to go to recirc vs outside air. I get it when one gets in the vehicle and it's trying to get the right temp ASAP, but once that's all set, I would think it would always use outside air.

Any thoughts out there?
TIA

[Rosano]

Actually while I love my EX i find the climate controls totally confusing and unintutitive.You would think that pressing the AC button would turn on AC but it doesn't. It does on every other car I have ever owned. Not sure if its a setting or what it is. I just touch a fan speed button and then it comes on....works well but its realling confusing.

[dale512]

I have a 2010 EX with Navigation but no premium. My AC comes on when I press the AC button. I'll try to be more observant when the AC is running, but frankly, I just hit the AC button and feel cool air and stop paying attention to it. My understanding is that when we press AUTO, the climate control tries to keep the temp it's set to hold, regardless whether recirc or not.

[RedwinGV]

The AC is on if one hits the Auto button if the climate control is off. If the AC is on, the light is on. If the AC is off, the light is off. The switch just toggles this from off and on. This is what my 04 G had (although it also had an "economy" AC mode.) and is also how my Acura MD's worked.

No comments on the recirc then eh?

[OneOfOne]

the recirc is pretty simple if you cycle thru it when the climate is in auto. otherwise it works as it should when its in manual mode. whats so complicated about this?

[RedwinGV]

the recirc is pretty simple if you cycle thru it when the climate is in auto. otherwise it works as it should when its in manual mode. whats so complicated about this?

Well, what isn't clear to me is how/when the setting determines, when in auto, when to recirc and when not to. In my OP, I noted that I understand when the inside temp is way off from outside, that recirc gets it to set point quicker. But once it reaches the set point, why AND when does it go from taking in ext air to internal (recirc) air. Point is, what is the criteria to go to recirc when in auto mode?

So, what is complicated, is when in auto, when does this vehicle go to recirc and why. Got any light to shine on this?

[OneOfOne]

this seems like it should be self explanatory. its like all the auto climate systems I have had in luxury cars in the las 8 years including acura and lexus. when it detects 'dirty' air its recirc. when the filtration system detects 'clean' air then its fresh air intake.

[RedwinGV]

this seems like it should be self explanatory. its like all the auto climate systems I have had in luxury cars in the las 8 years including acura and lexus. when it detects 'dirty' air its recirc. when the filtration system detects 'clean' air then its fresh air intake.

Ok, that makes some sense. But I've owned an acura since 01 and they never cycle fresh and recycle. This includes my 08. On my 04 G35, same thing. It never cycled. Both did however, start with recirc to get to the temp set point and then automatically switch to fresh air.

Now, remember, I'm a bit nerdy, so bare with me. How does the vehicle know if the outside air is clean or dirty when it's recirculating? Are you saying there is small stream that's going by some sensor? Call me Thomas here, but if that is the case, I'm really surprised the owner's manual doesn't point this out.

So no, it's not self explanatory to me. Sorry to be so slow.