How to cancel Auto ventilaton?

Is there a way to disable this feature, when you select windshield to defog, it always automatically sets the ventilation to (fresh) ouside air. I live in a dusty and heavy construction area and the air is polluted so I want to switch to "recirculate", but it won't allow me.

On my cheap vehicle, this is enabled by default, but it can be disabled so I can switch to recirculate.

Is there a way to do this on the 4Runner? Thanks

 

No, when you are defogging the windshield, you cannot re-circulate. This is for obvious reasons because you’re a human and you make lots of water vapor when you breathe.

 

I read somewhere on here that these work well for keeping from having to use the defogger. Haven’t ordered them yet but I plan to.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0781BR7V7/?coliid=I23O29I72YM7E8&colid=3NMPIIX2NX38F&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

At least toyota should have made it cancellable.

 

Nope. The air conditioning also comes on with the defogger, and it can’t be shut off either.

 

Of course the A/C should come on so it will heat up... but the ventilation, like in my case, I drive in heavy construction and dusty road every morning. So I will have to suffer because toyota "thinks" outside air is good for me?

 

Doesn't the cabin air filter catch the dust and crap?

 

If you select the defogging and feet vent setting, it’ll allow you to recirculate the air. That’s what I do.

 

Yes that's what i am doing now, but there are times when you want the windshield to defog quickly.

Nope, it's like wearing a mask to prevent covid...LOL.. but that's a different topic

 

This feature drives me crazy too. Like when following a diesel truck and trying to recirc and defrost the windshield fast. Can’t do it.

I had no trouble with my old 2000 3rd Gen. The HVAC was all manual so I could shut out all external air, turn on the A/C, and set it to deflect to full windshield. It worked great in all conditions in cold winter snow, rain, fog, etc. Can’t do that on the 5th Gen.

What *kind of* works for me is setting it to A/C on, fan speed high, recirc, and the diverter set at the halfway point between all floor and windshield/floor. You have to press the button to set the recirc on every time you start the vehicle, otherwise it defaults to outside air.

 

@Old Red has reverse engineered a lot of the 5th Gen electrical, computer, and HVAC systems and has quite a knowledge base. Maybe he has a solution.

 

So how is it supposed to defog with the recirc on?

 

by blowing hot/warm air on the windshield

 

Do you ever see those clapped out shitbox cars from the 80s and 90s that have the manual HVAC controls and some dumbass is wiping the windshield because he can’t see out of it?

That’s because he has the recirculation on and it’s a manual system that doesn’t override you.

 

It’s the A/C that dehumidifies and blows dry air on the windshield.

This was the HVAC panel on the 2000 SR5. All manual controls. Notice the two positions that diverted air to the windshield also had a suggestion to use with outside air. But it would adequately defrost when recirculating once you turned on the A/C. This technique worked for me for 18 years.


As @LandCruiser described the scene, I lost count of how many fogged over people I told over the years about this technique. Whether recirc or fresh air, hot air or cold air, it’s the A/C that does the trick. I guess the car manufacturers eventually figured out that most drivers are stupid so they made it an automatic override.

 

And some may not know that most of the newer vehicles made today can not completely close off the outside air coming in.
It has to do with the threat of asphyxiation, suffocation and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Yeah, lawyers got involved.

 

Let me do some looking. Off the top of my head, I think having recirculation on with the defogger is only possible on the dual zone system and not the manual. I think @ElectroBoy has the best option with the manual settings. Recirculation is automatically enabled with A/C, so setting it halfway between "fools" the system.

Let me do some looking through the manuals/techstream because I believe pre-2020 and post-2020 are different. The ECUs changed, and this is all software enabled vs. the old standard true manual HVAC.

 

I haven't mentioned, where I live, there's always sewer smell and farm smell (animal). Maybe I need to email Toyota to ask if there is a way to make the vehicle recirculate.

 

Than you are really screwed, because even when recirculating, you’re still getting fresh air.

 

nope

 

I drove over a dead skunk on the road tonight, fan on medium speed, HVAC on recirc, A/C off. I still caught a slight whiff of stench. I’m glad I didn’t have any windows open.

 

I'd rather get the faint smell of skunk than follow the Ford Navistar, half burnt diesel fumes.
You know what I mean everybody.

I'll pull off the road before and let that stank muffin roll on down the road.