Should You Use Recirculation or Fresh Air Mode When Using the Heater in Winter Driving?
3 Answers
When using the heater in winter driving, it is recommended to alternate between recirculation and fresh air modes to maintain better air quality inside the vehicle. Here are the details: 1. In the initial stage of winter driving, use recirculation mode directly to quickly raise the temperature inside the car. 2. Once the temperature reaches a comfortable level, switch to fresh air mode in time to improve the air quality inside the vehicle. 3. If the external air environment is poor, switch back to recirculation mode and slightly open the windows to maintain air circulation inside the car.
I've been driving for over 20 years. In cold winter weather, I'm used to turning on the recirculation mode first to quickly warm up the air, because recirculation allows the engine's heat to be transferred into the cabin more efficiently, and the temperature rises very quickly. However, prolonged use can increase humidity inside the car, leading to fogging, especially on rainy or snowy days when fogged-up windows block visibility, which is particularly dangerous. So I switch to fresh air mode to introduce outside air and prevent blurring. My general advice to everyone is this: use recirculation for the first 5 to 10 minutes after starting the car to warm it up, then switch to fresh air mode to maintain; when driving long distances on highways or carrying passengers, switch modes more frequently to avoid stuffy air and safety hazards. This habit is both safe and comfortable, and it can also extend the life of the heating system.
As a novice driver, I just started driving on my own this winter. At first, I didn't understand the difference between the recirculation and fresh air modes in the heating system. I just kept the recirculation mode on to warm up quickly, but soon the windshield became completely foggy, almost causing me to rear-end another car in panic. Later, I asked a car-savvy friend and learned the reason: recirculation mode heats up the cabin air faster but increases humidity, leading to fogging, while fresh air mode introduces dry outside air to prevent fogging. Now I've learned my lesson—I turn on recirculation for 5 minutes after a cold start to warm up, then switch to fresh air mode for ventilation, and the windshield never fogs up again. This experience makes me feel more confident while driving. Fellow beginners, don't make the same mistake I did at first.
