Why can't the AC be turned on in winter?
1 Answers
In winter, the AC cannot be turned on because the low temperature prevents the air conditioning compressor from operating. When defrosting in winter, the AC light will turn on when the heater is activated. The reason lies in the defrosting function. After turning on the heater, if the windshield defrosting function is also activated, the car's system will automatically engage the compressor. When the windshield is not fogged up or the outside air is relatively dry, the AC can be manually turned off. The AC switch does not need to be turned on when using the air conditioning in winter, but it is required when activating the cold air in summer. Turning on the AC switch will consume a certain amount of fuel. The AC button activates the compressor, which pressurizes the refrigerant (Freon). To use the heater, there is no need to turn on the AC; simply adjusting the fan speed button will blow warm air. This warm air utilizes the car's internal heat cycle, transferring heat dissipated by the radiator into the cabin without increasing fuel consumption. The heater requires preheating; when the vehicle is first started, the antifreeze temperature is low, so it takes some time before the blower can deliver warm air. The AC is the cooling button and the most energy-intensive and fuel-consuming function of the air conditioning system. The heater, however, does not require "cooling," as the car can fully utilize the heat generated by the engine to operate the air conditioning.
