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HVAC controls frozen while in reverse?

4K views 20 replies 10 participants last post by  alfa55 
#1 ·
Can someone please confirm that this is "by design" and not a flaw:

When I am reversing my car out of the garage I CANNOT turn off the HVAC fans which are blowing hot air on me at 90mph. It is only when I go into D, hit "accept" on that stupid annoying message, that I can then manipulate the HVAC control. For some reason it lets me change the radio volume and station while in reverse, but not the HVAC controls. It's almost as if the HVAC controls are limited by what is happening on the infotainment display. I have a hard time believing that anyone thought this was a good idea.
 
#2 ·
And by off you mean turning the dial all the way to the left? It should work even with the infotainment off. Can't remember about reverse. I think I always adjust it before I switch into reverse.
 
#5 ·
I know it sounds ridiculous, but when you are just trying to get back out of your garage, I want to hear what is around me, especially if there is a neighbor's child playing near my garage. I cannot hear anything because the fans are blasting and the idiotic parking detection system is getting false positives from a lawnmower parked in FRONT of me even though I am reversing.

The HVAC controls are completely inoperable while in reverse. I cannot silence the fans. Yes, it's a problem. And no, no other car I have ever owned (and I've owned 20+ in my lifetime) behaves this way.
 
#12 ·
I know you were trying to be funny but this might solve an annoying problem I have - a stupid support beam in my garage blocks access to the passenger door making it impossible for my wife to get into the car in cold weather. If I reverse into the garage it wouldn't block it. :laugh:
 
#11 ·
OK, got home and got to play around with this.

-When car is in reverse I **CAN** turn on the HVAC by pushing any of the buttons on the HVAC dials.
-HVAC dials themselves inoperable - I cannot turn fan higher/lower/off.
-If I put car in Park and dismiss the warning message and THEN put the car in reverse and THEN try to turn off HVAC it still will not turn off. Meaning: the controls are not frozen by the warning message.

Long story short - I just need to remember to keep the car in P before I try to turn off the fans. LOL
 
#13 ·
OK, got home and got to play around with this.
-When car is in reverse I **CAN** turn on the HVAC by pushing any of the buttons on the HVAC dials.
-HVAC dials themselves inoperable - I cannot turn fan higher/lower/off.
-If I put car in Park and dismiss the warning message and THEN put the car in reverse and THEN try to turn off HVAC it still will not turn off. Meaning: the controls are not frozen by the warning message.
Long story short - I just need to remember to keep the car in P before I try to turn off the fans. LOL
This is correct. Fan speed cannot be changed when a warning message is on the screen OR when the backup camera display is on the screen. In the 2017 models at least.
Annoying...:|
 
#16 ·
Right I think the control lockout in R was a crude first attempt at preventing driver distraction. This was done to prevent you from messing with controls while going backwards without realizing that the stuck controls would be just as if not more distracting! Mine is a 2018 so I think my controls still work.

One thing I have realized though over the last 30 years of driving...cars really have only 2 HVAC fan speed levels: 1. Loud, and 2. Not High Enough. :D
 
#17 ·
Right I think the control lockout in R was a crude first attempt at preventing driver distraction. This was done to prevent you from messing with controls while going backwards without realizing that the stuck controls would be just as if not more distracting! Mine is a 2018 so I think my controls still work.

One thing I have realized though over the last 30 years of driving...cars really have only 2 HVAC fan speed levels: 1. Loud, and 2. Not High Enough. :D
 
#19 ·
I tried mine this morning. 2017 car. I CAN adjust fan speed while in reverse. Turned the fan way up high, put it in reverse and started to back up. Turned the dial and was able to turn the fan speed all the way down.
Maybe it’s the software level?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#20 ·
I tried mine this morning. 2017 car. I CAN adjust fan speed while in reverse. Turned the fan way up high, put it in reverse and started to back up. Turned the dial and was able to turn the fan speed all the way down.
Maybe it’s the software level? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Interesting.....Will have that checked at my next dealer visit...
 
#21 ·
turn off the parking sensor
 
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