What's the benefit of recycling the air in your car with the AC on? Better MPG or better for the engine?

Answer 1

The question has 2 answers neither help mpg or the engine


it will cause the car to cool down quicker since if the air outside is 90 and the ac can cool it by 10 degrees when it goes thru the process the air will come out at 80 the first time. but then it is sucked back in and comes out at 70 then 60 60 is about as cool as it can come. this is a simplification. Also if you are behind a stinky car or bus or maybe near a landfill on a hot day?

But the car can get stuffy as the air is being recirculated, some new is is brought in too!

Answer 2

As far as MPG, recirculating the air shouldn't have any effect on that unless your compressor (that which cools the air) cycles on and off when you recirculate. I doubt that it does since this would likely wear it out faster than necessary. So leaving the air on recirc (or not) shouldn't have a negative or positive effect on MPG. But below highway speeds, opening windows and leaving the A/C off will have a very positive effect on MPG. On the highway, you automatically get better mileage so put the air on if you want, the open windows will only drag the car down.

Answer 3

For one thing, you aren't breathing the polluted air coming out of the tailpipe of the car in front of you.

But on the other hand, if you had beans for lunch you might want not to recycle the air.

Answer 4

better for you, it will cool the air inside more, instead of having to cool the outside air. it keeps on recycling the air and every time it goes through, it becomes cooler, taking heat out of your car....

Answer 5

AIr cinditioning works by pulling heat out of the existing air. The less heat, the cooler it will be.

Answer 6

i agree with # 2 answer just better cooling