I live in the desert. It's hot to say the least. I also smoke. I have always noticed that when I first start the truck the air recirculates for a few seconds than switches to outside air.

But as the temps got hotter, the truck stays on recirculate (no recirc light on **** ever, AC not set to max) for a long while. It will even be blowing outside air and switch to recirculate if I have the window down (when smoking) and it heats up in the truck.

Do you others experience this? Can anybody confirm this is normal behavior? It seems like the truck knows it is getting hotter in the cab and automatically tries to cool harder by switching to inside air. For me this is bad, because nobody likes the smell of stale recirculated smoke in a car -it stinks. Would like to know if my truck needs to be looked at or not.

 

I've never seen that happen, but which AC system do you have - the basic one or the fancy one?

 

Basic. I have a '12 express.

 

I have an '09 with ACC. It has never automatically gone to recirc for any reason unless I do it manually. I would think when it is in auto mode it would automatically recirc until cold enough like my car does.

 

Where are you blowing your cold? Feet, feet/vent, defrost? I THINK if on any defrost setting you can not pull cabin air

 

I set on feet/front mix always. Seeing it is the basic AC, there is no automatic temp control...

...unless it does sense the cabin temp. That's what I am trying to find out because until it got really hot it functioned normally. I can hear it switch to recirc after the window is down for a while. It will often return to outside air after the windows are rolled up for the most part for a few good minutes. I should add I never fully roll up the window, I always leave it slightly cracked.

 

Discussion:
The following conditions will cause the HVAC system to enter the Recirculation Mode when the A/C is
turned on by the occupant.
NOTE : This may not occur immediately upon AC request.
If the evaporator temp is deviating from the EVAP targeted temperature.
A/C refrigerant pressure rises above 304psi
Engine coolant temperature rises above 230ºF
Outside ambient air temperature is above 75ºF
This operation is considered normal, and no repairs should be performed.

 

So yesterday, for the first time that I noticed, I started the truck and it seemed that the recirc came on, but the light wasn't lit. I pushed the button and didn't hear a change in blower doors and then after a while it seemed normal after it cooled down.
Not to high jack, but will the recirc kick on automatically and not light the recirc light in auto mode?

 

Ahhh... Thank you! So I am not going crazy. I suspected, but you nailed it.

Thanks again for this.

 

I checked but could find no information that would indicate recirculation would engage without the light.