Versa Interior Lighting

[Quotacious]

Hey,

I've had my Versa SL (Canadian) about a week, and I'm wondering about some quirky things, most of it concerning the interior lighting. Can you tell me if your Versa SL is the same way?

a) Pretty sure there's no light in the hatch, though the manual mentions one. Maybe it's not too bright, or it's burned out (haven't looked for it yet, to be honest)

b) The driver's side door auto lock: the "lock" side of the button glows in the dark, but the unlock side does not? This seems odd given that on the window control, the up AND down light up.

c) The passenger side window/door controls do not glow at all?

d) The audio/cruise controls on the wheel do not light up at all?

e) The parental window control was engaged on my Versa, and with it engaged, neither the passengers NOR the driver can control their window. In other words, for the driver to raise or lower the passenger windows, they need to disable the lock out! That's certainly different.

f) The AC/ defrost has to be run like crazy in order to keep the windows clear (~-4 C). I suspect it's my fault for not having the exterior air coming in, though I don't understand what difference that makes. If I switch it from the defrost setting, even with partial defrost and vents, or lower it from full (4) to 3, the entire car immediately fogs up again on the sides, and I can't see a damn thing, lol. I'll have to try it with the exterior air vent open, though I dislike having it that way. If that doesn't work, I have a bottle of de-fogger from Walmart.

Thanks for the feedback in advance!

[rwanttaja]

f) The AC/ defrost has to be run like crazy in order to keep the windows clear (~-4 C). I suspect it's my fault for not having the exterior air coming in, though I don't understand what difference that makes.

The primary outputs of human respiration are carbon dioxide and water vapor. If you aren't bringing in outside air, you're just recycling the same moist air, adding more and more moisture with every breath you take. That's why you need to take the air control off the recirculating mode, and set it to bring in outside air.

The amount of moisture that air can carry is dependent upon its temperature. The -4 C air from outside won't have much moisture in it, but if the inside temperature is -4 C (when the car is started), every breath you take adds moisture to it until the air becomes saturated. Then the moisture condenses on surfaces such as the inside of the glass. Having the control in the defrost mode at least blows warmer air on the windshield (and thus preventing fogging) but when the warm air stops, the glass cools and lets the moisture-laden air start condensing.

The only time you want to have the air control on recirculate is during hot weather, to let the air conditioner bootstrap itself and get cooler more quickly.

Ron

[tanostoyano]

Ok..,

a) There is a light in the hatch it is located upper corner/driver side. If you bulb is burned out it fairly easy to replace.

b) same thing.

c) same here.

d) I have only the cruse control not audio, but doesn't glow.

e) same thing.If you lock the windows the only window you can control is the driver's.

...still great value...

[Quotacious]

The primary outputs of human respiration are carbon dioxide and water vapor. If you aren't bringing in outside air, you're just recycling the same moist air, adding more and more moisture with every breath you take. That's why you need to take the air control off the recirculating mode, and set it to bring in outside air.

Ah, I thought that because the AC was on, the car was removing the moisture in the air, including that which we are generating and that introducing air from the outside would only add to the moisture...

The amount of moisture that air can carry is dependent upon its temperature. The -4 C air from outside won't have much moisture in it, but if the inside temperature is -4 C (when the car is started), every breath you take adds moisture to it until the air becomes saturated. Then the moisture condenses on surfaces such as the inside of the glass. Having the control in the defrost mode at least blows warmer air on the windshield (and thus preventing fogging) but when the warm air stops, the glass cools and lets the moisture-laden air start condensing.

Ron, thanks for the explanation. I had the external air vent open last night and it didn't fog up at all. (and yes I do see the symbols now that tell me to do this)

[Quotacious]

Ok..,

a) There is a light in the hatch it is located upper corner/driver side. If you bulb is burned out it fairly easy to replace.

...still great value...

Yes, the Versa certainly is great value; I love it. Just had to ask about those things in case it wasn't standard behavior I'll checkout the hatch later today...

Thanks!

[proxim2020]

b) I noticed this too and thought it was strange. It may have been designed like this because if you're in an emergency situation where you need to lock the doors, it easier. Or it could be a simple reminder to lock your doors.

e) I thought this was totally strange too. When you hit the lock, why do you lock yourself out too

f) I ran into this problem too. If you want to recycle the air and not have it fog up, you're going to have to run the A/C along with it. If you're bring in fresh air from the outside, you won't have to worry about this. If it's raining and you bring in fresh air, it will cause the windows to fog.

[raisincane]

(f) My windows suddenly fog up no matter what postion I have it in. I have had to open the driver's and passenger windows and blast the defrost to clear it up. As of Friday, my air/heater sounds like a jet engine taking off when I turn it on. So I now have no heat/defrost. I have an appointment tomorrow and am praying they don't tell me "it will be four months" for parts because I cannot safely drive the car with no defrost. This is my fourth problem with this car and I am not happy.

[Quotacious]

f) I ran into this problem too. If you want to recycle the air and not have it fog up, you're going to have to run the A/C along with it. If you're bring in fresh air from the outside, you won't have to worry about this. If it's raining and you bring in fresh air, it will cause the windows to fog.

It wasn't raining when I had the air vents set to recycle, and AC was most definitely on. The windows would not clear in this position. It seems like you absolutely must have the air vents set to bring in outside air, something I still don't understand - shouldn't the air that's inside the car be better, because you have AC running and already have removed the moisture from it? It appears the AC does not remove the moisture in the air from inside the car, just the air coming in from outside.

So, be sure to run defrost and AC with the vents open and all is fine.

[proxim2020]

Hmmm. I've tried this out and it appears that you are correct. I've looked at the schematics of the A/C system and I'm stumped. No matter which side the air pulls from (fresh or Rec), both will have to pass across the evaporator.

But I think I may have an answer. The A/C may not run because of the time of year and the windows are defrosting naturally from the cool dry outside air. Most A/C systems have a thermo control on the evaporator coils to the compressor on and off to prevent the coils from frosting over or making the air too cold. I'm currenty located in the same city you are Quotacious, so I know that it's very cold out. Looking through the service manual, the V has a "Thermo Control Amplifier". From reading in the Xterra forums, it appears that this device located on the evaporator coils, is responsible for notifying the ECU of the current air temp. It will not turn the A/C until the air reaches a certain temp, which I'm not sure of.

I tested this out by going out and seeing if I could get the A/C to turn on by pushing the button. To my surprise, I heard nothing and my wife didn't see the A/C clutch move. Normally I'll hear a very faint grind and begin to hear a pressurizing sound. We also tried by putting it on defrost. Although the light came on automatically, the A/C clutch did not engage. I wouldn't say this is a concrete answer until someone else confirms this.

[proxim2020]

One more update. I was out and about earlier today. I let the windows fog up on recycle. I had some heat built up in the interior so I tried to "defog" the windows with the A/C on and the setting to defrost. It did defog the window, but very slowly. It works much quicker with the fresh air setting on.

[Quotacious]

But I think I may have an answer. The A/C may not run because of the time of year and the windows are defrosting naturally from the cool dry outside air.

Aha! That fits perfectly. I agree, there is no discernible noise when you switch AC on or off, so it's just not coming on at all. Nice detective work; that service manual sounds like a great thing to have - though I'm pretty sure I'm not going to fork over $210USD for it though

Now, if that manual answers as how how I could wire a more visible alarm light, let me know in my other thread on that topic

Cheers,...Dono

[proxim2020]

That's the beauty of ebay, that's where I got mine. I paid $14 a few weeks ago. I'm not sure, but I believe it's the same manual that $210. It's heavily detailed, much more detailed than my Dodge service manual. The CD I received had the complete owners manual included and 42 PDF's for the service manual. Here's a link for one up for sale.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...QrdZ1

[kc5f]

I paid $14 a few weeks ago...

Thanks for the link - I just ordered mine for $9 including shipping. Worth a shot at that price!