What are the symbols for the internal and external air circulation of a car's air conditioning?
4 Answers
The symbols for the internal and external air circulation of a car's air conditioning are as follows: 1. The internal circulation symbol is a small car shape with a rotating arrow inside the car; 2. The external circulation symbol is an arrow that passes from the front windshield into the car. The usage method of a car's air conditioning is: 1. Turn on the AC switch; 2. Adjust the air vent selection knob—when cooling, direct the air vents upward, and when heating, direct them downward; 3. Adjust the fan speed switch; 4. Adjust the internal/external air circulation switch knob; 5. Adjust the temperature control knob. The maintenance methods for a car's air conditioning include: 1. Clean the air vents promptly; 2. Maintain the air conditioning condenser in a timely manner; 3. Clean or replace the air conditioning filter element regularly.
Last time when chatting about cars with friends, we mentioned that the car air conditioning's internal and external circulation symbols are actually quite easy to recognize. The internal circulation symbol usually depicts a car with a circular arrow inside, indicating that the air conditioning system is repeatedly filtering the air inside the vehicle. The external circulation symbol also features a car-shaped icon, but with an arrow pointing from outside to inside the car, meaning it draws in fresh air from outside. These two buttons are generally placed next to each other on the air conditioning control panel. Some cars use illuminated button designs, where the light being on indicates the internal circulation mode is active. My driving habit is to use internal circulation during rainy days or when passing through dusty areas to prevent fog or dust from entering the car. When driving on highways for air exchange, I switch back to external circulation. Also, when turning on the air conditioning for cooling, I first use internal circulation to cool down the car quickly.
As a commuter who drives to work every day, I frequently use the air recirculation function. The icon designs are actually quite intuitive: the recirculation symbol features a closed-loop arrow inside a car silhouette, representing the circulation of interior air; while the fresh air symbol shows an arrow pointing into the car from outside, indicating air intake from the exterior. I've developed the habit of activating recirculation during traffic jams to avoid inhaling excessive exhaust fumes. When using AC in summer, I'll first run recirculation for five minutes to rapidly cool down the cabin, then switch to fresh air mode to maintain ventilation. Recently I've noticed many new cars integrate this function into touchscreens, sometimes automatically switching modes to prevent window fogging. It's important to remember that prolonged recirculation can make the air stuffy, so regular switching is necessary.
After driving several cars of different brands, I noticed that the symbols for air recirculation and fresh air modes are quite similar. The recirculation button always depicts a car with an arrow circulating inside, while the fresh air mode shows an arrow bringing air from outside the vehicle. These two functions are particularly practical: I use recirculation mode in urban areas during smoggy days to block PM2.5, and switch to fresh air mode on highways to maintain airflow. When using air conditioning in summer, activating recirculation first accelerates cooling. Many modern vehicles now feature automatic modes that switch between these functions based on air quality. The controls are typically located prominently on the climate panel, with some models using toggle switches. Note that prolonged use of recirculation can lead to CO₂ buildup, so it's advisable to switch to ventilation every half hour or so.
