In article <bv37jb$5km$1@dns3.cae.ca>,
"Gaetano Pengue" <gaetano.pengue@cae.com> wrote:

> I have a 2002 Civic LX and am happy with this car with the exception of the
> annoying Heater/AC functionality. It's cold here in Montreal and it bothers
> me that the AC automatically turns on when front windshield defrost is
> selected. Why does a car manufacturer force this functionality?

The AC is on, but is it engaged? It will be engaged as the temperature
allows, but it won't be engaged when the temperature is low.

The goal of the defroster is to get the moisture off of the windshield.
When you breathe out, you blow warm moist air right at the windshield.
The absolutely most effective way to get rid of it is with warm dry air.
The heater makes the air warm, and the AC makes it DRY. That's the
whole purpose of AC, to dehumidify the air--not cool it.



> The
> salesman said it was made this way so that you get dry warm air. It's so
> cold and dry in the winter here so that argument is not valid, why would you
> need dryer air?

If it's that cold, the AC won't actually engage. But the system is on
and ready for it to engage as you need it, as the temperature (and
humidity) rise.

You're worrying about a light being on, nothing more. Don't worry about
it.



> I still purchases the car because it had many other features
> but this one still annoys me and gives me the impression they just tried too
> hard to cut corners.

How is this "cutting corners"?