[jblackburn]

I had previously read where somebody on cruzetalk said that if the temp knob was all the way on cold that recirculate was automatically engaged without showing the recric button light. As proof for this he said you can hear the damper door open and close when toggling between full cold and not full cold. Well actually it turns out that (in a quiet car) you can hear a valve moving ANYTIME you move the temp knob. Clearly the temperature knob is not mechanically connected to the heater core controls and making a small movement of the temp knob made a short whirring noise and turning the knob a lob made a surprisingly long noise (maybe 6 or 8 seconds?). I'm pretty confident that sound is not related to the recirculate/fresh dampers.

AC button must be on - you can hear it on fan speed 1 when you move the dial 1 click. Once at one notch up, press the recirculate button yourself, and then turn it back off. Same noise - that's the recirculate flap damper motor working - temp damper does not change between max cold setting and next click up.

Yeah, moving the knob from full cold to full hot will move the temperature damper and make lots of noise - those are heater core/evaporator damper motors moving.

I do wonder if your AC clutch is not disengaging though - this seemed to be a problem with the compressors on 11/12 models.

 

[winks79]

If you have the AQS(air quality sensor) on, it will still run the compressor even without the a/c on. The AQS controls the humidity much like when you run the defrost,(which also uses the compressor). If you have the automatic a/c controls you will also have AQS. If you just turn off the a/c it does not turn off AQS, so you must also press the AQS button to turn it off and then you will have fresh air only, without it being conditioned.

 

[Bohdan]

I have had the same problem with my 2012 LTZ RS for almost 2 yrs now. There are times when I just have the outside air blowing thru the vents with the AQS and Air Con. both off and all of a sudden the a/c comes on with cold air thru the vents. I stop and lift the hood up to see the a/c hose sweating and cold. After a few mins. all is well again and the problem may not appear for weeks on end. I have left well enough alone since the a/c does throw off nice cold air. If the dealer was to look at it they need to see said problem and I do not want them to start to tear into the car and now I will even more problems. There has been times when the problem happens after 2 to 3 months. The a/c will turn itself on but no a/c lights or AQS lights are on.