[Noeule]

I am usually the only driver of my Palisade. I am not at all concerned about breathing someone else’s air. For efficiency, I would like to re-circulate already cooled or heated cabin air as the default setting. Even if I set to re-circulate it goes back to bringing in outside air when I shut off and restart the vehicle. Is there any way to set the default to recirculate?

 

[deraj090]

If you use the "Auto" temperature feature, it will typically set the system to be most efficient for maintaining a temperature, which in many cases will start with pulling in outside air. There's also a dehumidify option that will almost always leverage outside air to get the cabin to the right humidity (depending on your climate). Try turning both of those off and see if that does the trick.

 

[Noeule]

If you use the "Auto" temperature feature, it will typically set the system to be most efficient for maintaining a temperature, which in many cases will start with pulling in outside air. There's also a dehumidify option that will almost always leverage outside air to get the cabin to the right humidity (depending on your climate). Try turning both of those off and see if that does the trick.

I turned all automatic controls off, set the recirculation to on eliminating outside air. No change. When I shut the car off and turn it on, I am back to taking in outside air.

 

[someguy]

As far as I know, every vehicle everywhere acts like this. You cannot set recirculate to be on by default. It's just not something people ask for. Most would ask for the opposite, which is what we have. I wouldn't be surprised if today's vehicles seal so well that CO2 build up (from breathing) can be an issue. In fact the manual warns against prolonged use of recirculate.

 

[Nolenski]

Surprising request. I only say that since I and everybody I know far prefer the fresh outside air and the quieter operation of the climate system when NOT using recirculate. About the only time I use recirculate is for defrosting the windshield in very cold weather.
You are gaining zero efficiencies when using the heat and negligible efficiency when using A/C. If you are worried about saving a minuscule amount of fuel, you probably should not have bought a Palisade.

 

[Noeule]

I am usually the only driver of my Palisade. I am not at all concerned about breathing someone else’s air. For efficiency, I would like to re-circulate already cooled or heated cabin air as the default setting. Even if I set to re-circulate it goes back to bringing in outside air when I shut off and restart the vehicle. Is there any way to set the default to recirculate?

As far as I know, every vehicle everywhere acts like this. You cannot set recirculate to be on by default. It's just not something people ask for. Most would ask for the opposite, which is what we have. I wouldn't be surprised if today's vehicles seal so well that CO2 build up (from breathing) can be an issue. In fact the manual warns against prolonged use of recirculate.

The Lexus 300h I owned before this allowed recirculated air as a default. I never used anything else unless I had several passengers. Still, it’s not a deal breaker.

 

[filb23]

Just guessing here... Maybe it's tied to the automatic defogging thing. Try disabling that, and see if the recirculate air sticks.

 

[someguy]

The Lexus 300h I owned before this allowed recirculated air as a default. I never used anything else unless I had several passengers. Still, it’s not a deal breaker.

Apparently Lexus lets in 10% fresh air even when the recirculate button is pressed. So while you can have the recirculate on all the time, it isn't a true recirculation. Hyundai apparently is a true seal with no outside air, thus the limit on how long you can do it before it shuts off.

 

[Noeule]

Apparently Lexus lets in 10% fresh air even when the recirculate button is pressed. So while you can have the recirculate on all the time, it isn't a true recirculation. Hyundai apparently is a true seal with no outside air, thus the limit on how long you can do it before it shuts off.

I’m OK with a 10% recirculation. It just seems like in Texas it’s logical to continue cooling 75 degree inside air rather than trying to cool 105 degrees outside air to 72 degrees.

 

[Noeule]

Just guessing here... Maybe it's tied to the automatic defogging thing. Try disabling that, and see if the recirculate air sticks.

I tried that but no luck.

 

[mharr]

For efficiency, ....

What efficiency? Any heating is done from engine coolant, and any cooling is from A/C compressor which is always going to run (even in cold weather) for dehumidification. I don't think that use recirculated air is more efficient than using outside air. The primary purpose of using recirculated air is to eliminate undesirable outside odors (like when passing a known odorous factory).

 

[Noeule]

Just guessing here... Maybe it's tied to the automatic defogging thing. Try disabling that, and see if the recirculate air sticks.

 

[Noeule]

Tried that. No luck.

 

[Jvan]

I have a stretch of highway that goes past a small Northeast Wisconsin town known for its paper mills. When making that drive over the years is the only time I have ever used the recirculate feature, at that time it is truly a blessing, believe me.