Corolla 2023 automatic air conditioning problem?

[Johnsoloman]

Hi guys!

I'm a new Toyota owner here and have recently got a new 2023 Toyota Corolla 1.8 hybrid excel.

Ever since i bought the car, around 6 months ago, I've noticed that the air conditioning always seem to switch on automatically every time i switch the car on with the green light switched on (first photo).  Even when I switch it off with the green light off, the white symbol is still showing (second photo) and I can still feel gentle hot air blowing through the air conditioning vents. I can't seem to find anyway to switch this off completely so no symbol is showing and no air is coming out through the vents.

In the winter months it isn't too much of an issue but just thinking ahead to the summer as the weather starts warming up it will unnecessarily warm up the cabin of the car and also may be hampering my fuel economy.

I wanted to ask is this normal?

Or is this some sort of software glitch or problem with my car?

Thanks in advance!

[Stopeter44]

You are over thinking. 

Just run A/C all the time on auto at a suitable temperature, say 20°-21°C in winter, and 25° wish in summer. Except, maybe, for very short runs. Running A/C in winter will avoid fogging on the inside of windows on cold days.

The mpg hit is negligible.

 

[Dylanfan]

Agreed with above, switch to auto with a/c on or off. You can also set it to eco or fast, on eco the fan runs slower with less/no noise.

[Stopeter44]

8 minutes ago, Dylanfan said:

You can also set it to eco or fast, on eco the fan runs slower with less/no noise.

Yes, I forgot that. My usual setting is ECO in winter and normal in very hot weather. I don't recall fully what happens in ECO mode, but in hot conditions, I believe that it cuts the cooling to save on MPG. I would still always use A/C, essentially for the dehumidifying.

[Dylanfan]

I don’t really like a/c ‘cos I have permanent hay fever & don’t like the air too dry. I still use it to be-fog in winter & cool down the car in summer then open the wonderful sun/moon roof for fresh air.

[fred88]

The car should be a nice environment for hayfever sufferers.

1. It has a pollen filter

2. The A/C keeps the air cooler

Of course opening the windows negates both of these.

[Trewithy]

John,

what you have described in your opening post is normal.  when you press Off the AC is not on and the fan is not on.  The symbol you see just shows the vent that was being used when you switched off, and it remains open even though the heating / ventilation is not working.  When you drive you then get a natural flow of air through the car, in through the grill at the base of the windscreen, into the car through the vent that is open and then out of the back of the car.  The air may feel warm because it still passes through the heater matrix.

I leave mine on Auto and only occasionally adjust the temperature.

[Johnsoloman]

Thank you everyone for the help and reassurance!

[Darth Erik]

I just had my 2023 Corolla car a/c fixed. They stated the recovered refrigerant was 525 grams and car specifies 450. Overfilled at factory. Works great now!

[sportse]

The a/c is also used to cool the Battery pack - cooled air from the car interior goes into the pack through the vent in the rear seat area.

On a very hot summers day there is a chance of the pack overheating and giving reduced performance if you don't use a/c.