Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General AC vs MAX AC

so, does anybody know what the difference is? i suspect max ac to be colder than ac, but what does it actually do that makes them both different?

Max AC is the recirculating mode, that is it continually recirculates the air inside the car, bringing in no fresh air. AC by itself justs cools fresh air that is brought into the cabin. MAX AC can be used to stop unwanted smells from entering the car, it can also be used to cool the car more quickly when it's really hot.

thanks for the info.

question. i probably shouldn't be asking this here, but doesn't anybody know if there's a mod to where u can have an independent switch to switch from fresh air to recirculating air... in case i want to do that with the heat on and without turning on the a/c?

It would be hard on our cars. You'd have to determine which circuit controlled the recirculate mode and tap into it with a switch. On other cars, even ones less expensize than ours, there is a seperate recirculate button that allows you to select recirculate in any mode. On these cars, there is no MAX AC position, but you can change the mode to AC and then press the Recriculate button to activate MAX AC. Ford didn't see it necessary to put such a switch on our cars, and so we only get recirc in MAX AC.

man, that's a big thing i hate about the contours. i used to have a civic before i got the svt, and it had a switch for the recirculate and a switch for the a/c. so i could have air blowing on defrost without it automatically kicking on the a/c, like the svt does.

well, i guess it's just something i'm gonna have to live with.

Didn't some guys figure out how to how to mess with the recirculation?....Maybe on the old boards?


I know some guys have put in a switch for the A/C when using defrost.

on my bronco the recycle/fresh air door is controlled by a simple vacuum canister, if its the same on the tour you could easily make a switch.