The Recirculate Air Button does nothing?

[Boosted1one]

Okay so for every other car ive driven, including my old Prelude and Integra.
A number of things would noticably happen when pressing ON the RECIRCULATE button.

These are what i used to expect the recirculate button to do:
1. The force of air from the air vents are noticibly stronger.
2. The vents usually make a faint but audible closing sound indicating cabin is now sealed from outside air.
3. The AC (if lucky enough to work) gets cooler, due to the system now recooling the recirculated previously cabin cooled air.

HERE IS WHAT I USED TO USE IT FOR AND WORKED IN ANY OTHER CAR:
4. If on the freeway uphead there happened to be a smogging smoking car up ahead, or a semi slammed on his brakes and smoke up all over the place, or passing by a known stanky area, or we have one of socals regualar widefires. I could just close the vent preventing any smell to come in.
This is not the case with my car, even with windows up, vents closed, smells of a smoggy cars and everything else get in. It doesnt do anything ive listed 1-3 either.
Pressing the button it lights up orange but dont do nothing.


Is this normal for this car???? What are you guys experiencing?

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[calonzo]

I would expect the same thing. I don't use mine that often, so I haven't noticed if it really does anything or not. I'll will have to try it out next time I am in the car.

 

[jtrader]

Okay so for every other car ive driven, including my old Prelude and Integra.
A number of things would noticably happen when pressing ON the RECIRCULATE button.

These are what i used to expect the recirculate button to do:
1. The force of air from the air vents are noticibly stronger.
2. The vents usually make a faint but audible closing sound indicating cabin is now sealed from outside air.
3. The AC (if lucky enough to work) gets cooler, due to the system now recooling the recirculated previously cabin cooled air.

HERE IS WHAT I USED TO USE IT FOR AND WORKED IN ANY OTHER CAR:
4. If on the freeway uphead there happened to be a smogging smoking car up ahead, or a semi slammed on his brakes and smoke up all over the place, or passing by a known stanky area, or we have one of socals regualar widefires. I could just close the vent preventing any smell to come in.
This is not the case with my car, even with windows up, vents closed, smells of a smoggy cars and everything else get in. It doesnt do anything ive listed 1-3 either.
Pressing the button it lights up orange but dont do nothing.


Is this normal for this car???? What are you guys experiencing?

I use that feature for the same exact reasons as you and it has always worked to perfection. My wife has no idea why I push that button occasionally. She just doesn't get it...but we do. Anyway, I can't offer any suggestions (I drive an Odyssey for the time being) but I hope you can diagnose the issue and get it resolved quickly. Good luck fellow timely air circulator.

 

[shoegazer]

It's my understanding (and I may not understand that well) that, even with the system recirculating cabin air, there's still *some* outside air mixed into the... mix. So far as the changes in air velocity and differences in the sound; it wouldn't surprise me if Honda has dialed in some compensation for that. Also... check the AC 'auto' button thread currently going 'round.

 

[Lazylahma]

It defiantly blocked out the coal rolling truck in front of me in traffic the other day coming home from nashville

 

[Boosted1one]

It defiantly blocked out the coal rolling truck in front of me in traffic the other day coming home from nashville

This is almost EXACTLY how I pretty much validated my suspicions. I closed the vents as I approached the suspect vehicle thinking I am good, but NOPE! Vents wide open.

Also, do understand it doesn't completely seal the cabin, but the difference is night and day. so im not referring to the normal minor air leak.

Good point, my car currently going through the AC bullsh right now. So far experience hasnt been great with the dealer, gotta go back for condenser. Hopefully its related and they not lazy and fix it.

 

[NHCivicGuy]

This is almost EXACTLY how I pretty much validated my suspicions. I closed the vents as I approached the suspect vehicle thinking I am good, but NOPE! Vents wide open.

Yupp I close mine usually a few times during the day when I get stuck behind a diesel bus or truck, works like a charm. Hope you get it figured out.

 

[Boosted1one]

Now, i know its a definate problem for sure.

Thank you everyone for the responses and help!!!

 

[James3spearchucker]

Now, i know its a definate problem for sure.

Thank you everyone for the responses and help!!!

Did your Civic air circulation get fixed? Mine has the problem of not sealing outside air at all.

 

[SamPhrotus]

Did your Civic air circulation get fixed? Mine has the problem of not sealing outside air at all.

As of 6-15-2021 --->For those who are looking for an answer/solution...........I had the same problem with my 2011 CRV due to Chipmunks and here's what I did to fix it... I'm not a professional auto mechanic or much of a technical writer either but will do the best I can
First of all, outside air should NOT be entering the inside when the 'recirculate' button is pushed.
Here's what I did to diagnose my problem;
1) Drop the clove box by pressing the plastic tabs on either side of the top of the 'box'.
2) Remove the air filter.
3) When looking inside the orifice you should be looking at the on/off air flap.
4) Turn on the ignition and activate the 'Recirculate' button and you should see the flap move
away from you ( toward the front of the car) to stop outside air. When you push the
'Recirculate' button to let in outside air the flap should move toward you.

I found that, in the 'Recirculate' position, my 'flapper' was not moving into the fully closed position--fully forward (to the front of the car). It was just hanging straight down.
If you look to the right of the flap--outside the air filter enclosure-- you should see a white plastic mechanism, one part is a plastic arm that is supposed to fit on the shaft ( about 1/8" steel shaft) . My plastic arm had somehow been pushed off of the shaft, leaving the flap to hang down, not sealing off the outside air. It will be hard to get into that small area but I happen to have small diameter arms and with a liberal amount of Vaseline on my arm, I was able to get up in there and spring (bend) one of the arms away ( to the right) enough, without breaking it, to place the detached arm back onto the flapper shaft. ...Forgot to mention....you will need flashlight to see up in there. I used a small LED light.
Side note.....I also removed the fan and fan motor but found that was not necessary.
Also, a dead giveaway that something is amiss in there is when your "Recirculate' light does not stay ON like it should. Mine did that for awhile before I realized I had the 'air' problem, now it operates like it did when new.
Well I hope that helps anyone who might have the same problem.....
Take care,
Tom

 

[imboredasf]

As of 6-15-2021 --->For those who are looking for an answer/solution...........I had the same problem with my 2011 CRV due to Chipmunks and here's what I did to fix it... I'm not a professional auto mechanic or much of a technical writer either but will do the best I can
First of all, outside air should NOT be entering the inside when the 'recirculate' button is pushed.
Here's what I did to diagnose my problem;
1) Drop the clove box by pressing the plastic tabs on either side of the top of the 'box'.
2) Remove the air filter.
3) When looking inside the orifice you should be looking at the on/off air flap.
4) Turn on the ignition and activate the 'Recirculate' button and you should see the flap move
away from you ( toward the front of the car) to stop outside air. When you push the
'Recirculate' button to let in outside air the flap should move toward you.

I found that, in the 'Recirculate' position, my 'flapper' was not moving into the fully closed position--fully forward (to the front of the car). It was just hanging straight down.
If you look to the right of the flap--outside the air filter enclosure-- you should see a white plastic mechanism, one part is a plastic arm that is supposed to fit on the shaft ( about 1/8" steel shaft) . My plastic arm had somehow been pushed off of the shaft, leaving the flap to hang down, not sealing off the outside air. It will be hard to get into that small area but I happen to have small diameter arms and with a liberal amount of Vaseline on my arm, I was able to get up in there and spring (bend) one of the arms away ( to the right) enough, without breaking it, to place the detached arm back onto the flapper shaft. ...Forgot to mention....you will need flashlight to see up in there. I used a small LED light.
Side note.....I also removed the fan and fan motor but found that was not necessary.
Also, a dead giveaway that something is amiss in there is when your "Recirculate' light does not stay ON like it should. Mine did that for awhile before I realized I had the 'air' problem, now it operates like it did when new.
Well I hope that helps anyone who might have the same problem.....
Take care,
Tom

I haven't yet noticed odors getting in the cabin but my issue is when the AC is set to auto the recirculation shuts off I don't know if that's normal because occasionally when I turn the car on autos set with recirculation but sometimes for the life of me I cannot get both to work simultaneously.

 

[James3spearchucker]

As of 6-15-2021 --->For those who are looking for an answer/solution...........I had the same problem with my 2011 CRV due to Chipmunks and here's what I did to fix it... I'm not a professional auto mechanic or much of a technical writer either but will do the best I can
First of all, outside air should NOT be entering the inside when the 'recirculate' button is pushed.
Here's what I did to diagnose my problem;
1) Drop the clove box by pressing the plastic tabs on either side of the top of the 'box'.
2) Remove the air filter.
3) When looking inside the orifice you should be looking at the on/off air flap.
4) Turn on the ignition and activate the 'Recirculate' button and you should see the flap move
away from you ( toward the front of the car) to stop outside air. When you push the
'Recirculate' button to let in outside air the flap should move toward you.

I found that, in the 'Recirculate' position, my 'flapper' was not moving into the fully closed position--fully forward (to the front of the car). It was just hanging straight down.
If you look to the right of the flap--outside the air filter enclosure-- you should see a white plastic mechanism, one part is a plastic arm that is supposed to fit on the shaft ( about 1/8" steel shaft) . My plastic arm had somehow been pushed off of the shaft, leaving the flap to hang down, not sealing off the outside air. It will be hard to get into that small area but I happen to have small diameter arms and with a liberal amount of Vaseline on my arm, I was able to get up in there and spring (bend) one of the arms away ( to the right) enough, without breaking it, to place the detached arm back onto the flapper shaft. ...Forgot to mention....you will need flashlight to see up in there. I used a small LED light.
Side note.....I also removed the fan and fan motor but found that was not necessary.
Also, a dead giveaway that something is amiss in there is when your "Recirculate' light does not stay ON like it should. Mine did that for awhile before I realized I had the 'air' problem, now it operates like it did when new.
Well I hope that helps anyone who might have the same problem.....
Take care,
Tom

Hi, I did not respond but still have the problem and I had thought about purchasing a smoke generator and then I dunno, filling the car with smoke and see where it comes out of or vice versa the other way. I did not do it. I may look again behind the glove box because I did it once and all seemed to be kosher as far as the door there operating as intended.

Anyways thanks for your tips. I have not forgotten and will reference them if I go and try to really fix this problem once and for all.

Cheers,
James

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