Why does the recirculated air light keep going out?

[zBernie]

I like to always have the inside air selected because the air is filtered. If I have the A/C, inside air, and in your face buttons pressed, the inside air button remains lit. But if I press the defroster button, or the feet button, the inside air light goes out after several minutes.

Is this normal? Ideally I'd like it to remain on.

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[zBernie]

I like to always have the inside air selected because the air is filtered. If I have the A/C, inside air, and in your face buttons pressed, the inside air button remains lit. But if I press the defroster button, or the feet button, the inside air light goes out after several minutes.

Is this normal? Ideally I'd like it to remain on.

I finally found the answer in the manual:

 

[Lump lump]

I noticed the air circulating light turns off when the windshield defrost is on

 

[SLINGSHOT]

Manual? What is this "manual" that y'all speak off???

 

[RobN]

I've had multiple cars where you could not have defrost and recirculate on at the same time - one or the other. I think that's normal.

This is the first I've had that turns off the recirculate after a few minutes and leaves it off. I find it an annoyance - but had already found that same statement in the owner's manual. I guess it's something we just have to live with.

Manual? What is this "manual" that y'all speak off???

It's that shrink-wrapped white brick in the glove box. You're allowed to open it!!!

 

[RichardCranium]

When the front window defrost is on, the vehicle only draws from the outside air. This is because recirculated air becomes very humid. The outside air is dried by the ac, then heated before blowing on the windshield. This is to reduce the amount of moisture. I believe all modern vehicles do this.
Save gas in winter by not leaving the defogger on at all time because it runs your AC compressor.
My blend door motor died on my Pontiac vibe, so I locked it in the recirculating position. I learned very quickly that the windows defogger was less efficient in this mode

 

[volksnuts]

It’s a Ford thing
My Hondas would stay in recirc forever

 

[Waterick]

I like to always have the inside air selected because the air is filtered. If I have the A/C, inside air, and in your face buttons pressed, the inside air button remains lit. But if I press the defroster button, or the feet button, the inside air light goes out after several minutes.

Is this normal? Ideally I'd like it to remain on.

You have a cabin air filter made to filter the air coming in from outside. When you recirculate, your just recirculating the air that already came in before. Recirculate is good if encountering extra dusty or smelly areas, like behind a sooty, smelly diesel. This prevents extra dirty, smelly air from having to be filtered which has it's limitations.

 

[Ozarkbeard]

...It's that shrink-wrapped white brick in the glove box. You're allowed to open it!!!

It's a zoom-able, searchable .pdf on my PC, phone & tablet.

As for the cabin filter, doesn't it filter both Recirc. & Fresh air?

 

[Space]

I too find it frustrating that the recycle air mode is almost unusable. Far to many system configurations turn it off. My personal reason to keep recirculate air mode on is allergies and ambient air on our now over crowed roads are more often than not undesirable. Constantly trying to keep it on can be unsafe as you are driving. Never noticed this on our Toyota Autos, except on defrost mode. Something is different? Just another Ford Maverick undesirable quirk.

 

[CD_SM]

Defrost *always* turns off recirculate on every car for at least 30 years. The actual purpose of defrost is to stop moisture from condensing on the windows so you can see, full stop. Your breathing adds moisture to the air, and except in very very rare conditions (like fog but 90 degrees) this means there is much more actual water in the interior air than the exterior air. So recirculate is counterproductive for defrost.
If you want A/C but recirc, use the dash or floor vents instead.

 

[zBernie]

Manual? What is this "manual" that y'all speak off???

I have a PDF manual among others. I don't recall where I got it but I'm sure you can search for it.

 

[zBernie]

I noticed the air circulating light turns off when the windshield defrost is on

 

[zBernie]

When the front window defrost is on, the vehicle only draws from the outside air. This is because recirculated air becomes very humid. The outside air is dried by the ac, then heated before blowing on the windshield. This is to reduce the amount of moisture. I believe all modern vehicles do this.
Save gas in winter by not leaving the defogger on at all time because it runs your AC compressor.
My blend door motor died on my Pontiac vibe, so I locked it in the recirculating position. I learned very quickly that the windows defogger was less efficient in this mode

From the manual:

 

[Sergio]

Another thing about recalculating butten. When AC is off Fan also off. When I want to just turn on the recirculating butten without using AC or fan.,Fan going on by itself. Is this normal? I never had FORD car. Until this Maverick. It kinda stupid.

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