Air Flow Distribution

AIR FLOW DISTRIBUTION

Fig. 28 HVAC Outlets:

Based upon the system mode selected, conditioned air can exit the standard heater-only or optional heater-A/C unit housing through one or a combination of the three main housing outlets: defrost, panel or floor. The defrost outlet is located on the top of the housing, the panel outlet is located on the face of the housing and the floor outlet is located on the bottom of the housing. Once the conditioned air exits the unit housing, it is further directed through molded plastic ducts to the various outlets in the vehicle interior. These outlets and their locations are as follows:

- Defroster Outlet - A single large defroster outlet is located in the center of the instrument panel top cover, near the base of the windshield.

- Side Window Demister Outlets - There are two side window demister outlets, one is located at each outboard end of the instrument panel top cover, near the belt line at the A-pillars.

- Panel Outlets - There are four panel outlets in the instrument panel, one located near each outboard end of the instrument panel facing the rear of the vehicle and two located near the top of the instrument panel center bezel.

- Front Floor Outlets - There are four front floor outlets, two located above each side of the floor panel center tunnel near the dash panel.

- Rear Floor Outlets - There are two rear floor outlets, one located on each side of the floor panel center tunnel near the front of each rear seat foot well.

The defroster outlet receives airflow from the unit housing through the molded plastic defroster duct, which is snapped onto the unit housing defroster outlet and secured by two tabs to mounting slots in the dash panel. The airflow from the defroster outlet is directed by fixed vanes in the defroster outlet grille and cannot be adjusted. The defroster outlet grille is integral to the instrument panel top cover.

The side window demister outlets receive airflow from the unit housing through the air outlet distribution duct, two molded plastic demister hoses and, on the right side only an intermediate duct. The air outlet distribution duct is secured to the instrument panel with screws and receives airflow through the panel outlet of the unit housing. The airflow from the side window demister outlets is directed by fixed vanes in the demister outlet grilles and cannot be adjusted. The side window demister outlet grilles are integral to the instrument panel top cover.

The panel outlets also receive airflow from the unit housing through the air outlet distribution duct. Molded plastic panel outlet ducts and, on the left side only an intermediate elbow direct airflow from the distribution duct to the outboard panel outlets, while a center air outlet duct directs airflow from the distribution duct to the two center panel outlets. The airflow from each of the panel outlets is adjustable. A knob in the center of each panel outlet grille is used in a joystick fashion to adjust a center diffuser that changes the airflow direction, and a knob on the outer edge of each panel outlet grille opens or closes a shutter to turn airflow on or off through that outlet.

The front and rear floor outlets receive airflow from the unit housing through the floor distribution duct. The front floor outlets are integral to the molded plastic floor distribution duct, which is secured to the bottom of the unit housing. A molded plastic rear seat duct elbow is fitted to the bottom of the floor distribution duct and directs airflow through a molded plastic duct beneath the carpet on the right side of the floor panel center tunnel to the right rear floor outlet. The right floor duct also features a crossover fitting that joins the right floor duct to the left floor duct over the top of the floor panel center tunnel to direct airflow to the left rear floor outlet None of the floor outlets can be adjusted.