What Does Max AC Do In Your Car & How Is It Different From The AC?

What Does Max AC Do In Your Car & How Is It Different From The AC?

The AC in your car ensures a more comfortable experience and ensures that you enjoy it while in a jam. However, there’s a lot to learn about how it works. Have you ever wondered what max AC does in your car and how it differs from the AC?

Activating the max AC mode in the car speeds up the cooling process. It activates standard AC and recirculation mode while forcing air through the dash vents to cool your car much faster. Normal and max modes differ in the speed at which they cool the vehicle. 

Your car AC cools and dries air inside. Modern cars can have AC running all the time. It keeps moisture away from the inside of your windshield and windows. This ensures that the driver has a safer experience. 

 What is Max AC?

The Max AC setting allows recirculating air and moisture in your car much faster. It cools but not heat. You can turn on max AC to get cool air on a hot day. Wait for the interior to become cooler than the outside temperature before turning on max AC to enjoy the cool air. 

Your car AC mixes a small percentage of outside air with inside air. When you turn on max AC, it cools your car interior much faster. However, avoid running it for too long to avoid getting a state air syndrome. 

 What Does Max AC Do In Your Car?

Understanding what max AC does to your car is essential before activating it. It turns on the AC compressor if it isn’t on already. The mode also selects recirculated air and the highest blower speed if it wasn’t selected. It also moves the blend door to its coldest setting. 

If you don’t turn on max AC, you would have to turn on the AC manually by pushing the recirculate button and setting the blower to high. Then you’ll have to turn the temperature dial to the highest setting.

No need to worry that max AC consumes a lot of gas. The mode consumes less fuel because it recirculates air using the cooling fan. This is better than normal AC, which works from scratch to cool your vehicle and consumes a lot of gas. 

Max AC makes the compressor work a bit easier. It switches on the air inlet source from the outside to allow fresh air to enter the interior. More moisture comes in as fresh air increases. It becomes more challenging to dehumidify the air than to cool it.

ac

 How Is Max AC Different From Normal AC?

Let’s shed light on how the max AC differs from normal AC. By definition, normal AC causes incoming air to pass through the compressor and condenser for cooling and dehumidification before getting blown into your car. 

Alternatively, max AC activates AC and recirculation mode. It allows air to blow through the dash vents to cool some cars quickly. It’s a more convenient way to turn on your AC, recirculation mode, and air to full blast. 

To learn more about how these buttons differ, let’s go into detail about how they work.

 Normal AC

A lot happens when you press the AC button, including turning the AC on. Not having the AC button engaged but the car is set to blow cool air will only make the system blow freezing air. This is because the incoming air doesn’t go through the AC system. 

After activating the AC button, incoming air goes through the compressor, which cools and dehumidifies before getting blown into your car. It works in recirculation and fresh air mode. The recirculation mode already processes air in the car, while the fresh mode gets it outside. 

 Both modes will cool your car down, but recirculation reduces the temperature of the air being cooled much faster. You can use the AC and heat buttons simultaneously. It’s safe in situations such as when the windows are fogged and must be cleared quickly. 

Air processed through the AC is dehumidified, making it drier. It helps to clear fogged windows since heat and AC functions lead to less humid air inside the car. However, ensure to switch from recirculation to fresh air mode. 

Introducing air from outside bridges the gap between the humidity inside and outside. Using only the recirculation mode ensures cycling the same humid air, which takes longer to clear the fog from the windshield. 

 Max AC

The AC button forces air processing through the air conditioning system to cool your vehicle. One factor determining how fast to cool your car is the air being put out, whether in recirculation or fresh air mode. 

Activating max AC activates the AC and recirculation modes while forcing air through the dash vents to cool the vehicle much faster. Turning the max AC mode and manually turning off recirculation mode turns off max mode. It makes only the recirculation mode function. 

The sole purpose of max AC is to cool the vehicle as fast as possible in conjunction with recirculation mode. Max AC is multipurpose and a convenient solution to cooling your car much faster when scorching outside. 

Both AC and max AC modes are for cooling your car. The difference is the speed each mode takes during the process. However, determining the time difference between each mode is somewhat challenging. It all comes down to your car brand, model, and system design.

 Final Thoughts

The max AC is a mode that activates the normal and recirculation modes while forcing air to pass through the dash vents. Its most significant benefit is cooling the car much faster. The most significant difference between normal and max modes is the speed in cooling the vehicle.

Author

  • Vedran

    Vedran, is a long-time expert in the field of automotive repair. After completing school for car mechanics, Vedran has amassed years of experience working on all types of vehicles. In addition to running Vedran’s own successful car repair service, Vedran is passionate about sharing his knowledge with others and helping people take better care of their cars.