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'18 Heater Blower

Fen

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I'm looking for some input on how the heater blower works, specifically on an '18, though it's likely not different on '16 & '17 cars.

When the heater is set to auto, the roof is down and the temperature set reasonably high (say 24.5 degrees) it is still sometimes cold in the car if the outside temperature is low (say 11 degrees). In that situation, if I manually increase the blower speed it warms the cabin up nicely, so my thinking is that the blower in auto isn’t working as I’d expect as it doesn’t push the warm air into the cabin effectively.

The car was in for its 3,000km / 3 month check over today (at 4 months / 1,000km as we were overseas when the 3 months came up), and the dealer says the blower is working as expected. Before we disagree with them, can anyone confirm if the blower speed on your car varies when the heater is set to auto and the requested temperature is a lot different to the cabin temp.

Thanks.
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radar

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I think you’ve got the orange vert. Heater warmth is critical as I’ve also got a vert - and it is a shortcoming after a previous MX5.
I have my top down all the time. In the Mazda on a 3 C morning I would have to turn the heater down cos the cabin was too hot after 8 minutes. That was with roof down.
I know that’s a small 2 seater v nominal 4 seater.
I have experimented every way in my 17 and find the best way is to

set the heater to HI, not 29 C, but HI
Leave it on Auto, both sides.
No AC
Air on Recirculation, not flow through
All warm air out through dash vents
I close off far left pax vent
Direct vents where I want them to warm me up eg hands, chest, feet
Footwell vents are virtually useless with roof down - super hot though with roof up. I suspect aerodynamic swirling air flow into footwell compromises warming there with roof down.
I find windows up or down makes minimal difference.

That’s what works for me on some of the cooler mornings. Be interested in what you find and you’ve got heated steering wheel.
 
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Fen

Fen

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Thanks for the reply. Yes, we have a heated steering wheel, and we also have a wind deflector which should help reduce the wind swirl considerably.

It's interesting what you say about the MX5 - I've had three of them (NA; original and best IMO) and never had a heater issue. I've also had an MR2 Roadster, e46 330Ci convertible, 944 S2 cab, Mini JCW Roadster, Wrangler TJ and 987 Boxster S. Only the Boxster was inadequate at heating the cabin with the roof down - all the rest worked well, and in auto mode (where they had one), significantly because they would increase the blower speed to push the warm air out.

The Boxster simply couldn't heat the cabin at all, but the Mustang can, it just doesn't in auto. It's not the end of the world to have to turn the blower up manually, but if it's not right then I want to get it fixed. In the meantime I'll try some experimenting as you suggest to see if that changes the auto setting behaviour.

BTW, if you don't have a wind deflector I can thoroughly recommend them (I've had them in all my open top cars), and the one we have from Love the Drive (https://www.lovethedrive.com/catalog/Ford/mustang-convertible-wind-deflector-fits-2015-to-2020) works really well, is well made and crucially doesn't involve making holes in the rear side panels like the Ford one does. The salesman we bought through was going to get one for his '18 rather than the Ford version he could get at a discount for that very reason.
 

radar

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I’m away myself so cannot test my car heating.
What I outlined above works best for me on coldest of mornings.
(Have vert = roof down) except rain
I’ll try it sometime with blower set to manual.
Pretty sure “flow through” is useless with roof down.
Never tried AC/heater on with roof down. Enough reports of AC failure without stressing it.

Less keen on the deflector - Prefer free flow look.

Are the headlights much better in the new model?
Not upgrading the vert - wouldn’t mind FN coupe to pair with soft top - when prices stabilise.
 
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Fen

Fen

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I can’t really comment on the headlights as it’s my wife's car and I don’t know if I was ever even in the '16 after dark. I certainly don’t remember the lights well enough to compare if I was.

I barely drove it as I bought a Walkinshaw VF Ute for my own fix of V8 shortly after she got it, and then a few months later did my Superman impression off my mountain bike and couldn’t then drive either (as they were manual).

I’ve yet to drive the '18 also as I haven’t bitten the bullet on hand controls for it, probably because my focus has been on trying to find something fun with 2 pedals that can fit both me and a wheelchair inside for myself, now I realise and accept that that the advice I was given by the 'specialist' driving occupational therapist to get a station wagon not only put me in a turgid, boring appliance but was also utterly inaccurate (something with 2 big doors and tip forward front seats so I can put the chair in the back seat is actually what works best for me).
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