Heater settings and diagnostic mode. Now understood!

[Konrad C]

Sometimes when I switch the car on, the recirculation light illuminates. That means I have to press the recirculation button to turn it off, and before using the heater ventilation.

I found this in my search: http://www.cardiagnostics.be/-now/Self%20Diagnose%20Toyota%20Corolla%20ECC-panel.htm

Out of interest, I tested this on my car and it works. 

Back on the subject of the recirculating light illuminating on every start up, the car did it at first during the first few months, then the heater system stayed in the last settings used. I think I must have disturbed something recently as the recirculation light is illuminating again on start up. 

I took most of the centre console and dash trim to plug the AUX extention cable into the original AUX socket, tucked away under the console. No other cable was touch or disturbed as farn as I know. I took removed the four dash/console panels and checked all connections again but no joy. 

The manual states that the system may switch to recirculating mode when set to coolest temperature in summer. This may be the answer as I did lower the temperature recently!

Will do more checks to confirm how the heater functions.

The manual is very poor in explaining that if the temperature setting is lower than 18c, recirculating mode will come on. Above 18c the recircuation light will not come. This is regardless if the system is in manual or auto mode. Also changing the temperature higher whilst in use will switch off recirc and visa versa.

So this is normal function of the heater.

[alan333]

I found that if the temp inside the car is a fair bit hotter than the temp you select on the dial, then the recirc would come on automatically.  To test my theory turn the dial temp up and see if it still puts recirc on itself.

Edit...there was a thread about this a while ago...