If you look around on www.7thgencivic.com you will find how to override
this. I have done this on my 2002 and it does override the A/C. I don't
think it has anything to do with cutting corners (I'm not even sure what you
mean by that). The A/C does help in defrosting in some circumstances when it
is warmer (40 - 60 deg f), but when it is 0 deg f, the A/C is pretty
useless.
There is more to it than just the light coming on. You can hear the load on
the engine with the light on vs. off, so it's either the A/C pump kicking in
or that is one energy sapping light on the A/C button.

Walt




"Gaetano Pengue" <gaetano.pengue@cae.com> wrote in message
news:bv37jb$5km$1@dns3.cae.ca...
> 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
> 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? 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.
>
> Anyone know if this irrational functionality could be changed or fixed ?
>
>