What is this button in your car for?
This page is translated from the original post "À quoi sert ce bouton dans votre voiture ?" in French.
- 25/07/2025 13:32
You are certainly familiar with the air recycling button found in the ventilation menu of your car, but how should you use it correctly?
The air recycling button located on the dashboard of most cars plays a crucial role in managing the air quality inside the cabin. Symbolized by an arrow forming a loop inside a stylized vehicle, it allows you to cut off the intake of outside air, circulating only the air already present in the cabin. This function has specific uses that are important to know for effective use.
Why use air recycling?
This system is useful in several situations:
- In case of outside pollution: When driving in a tunnel, in heavy traffic, or behind a diesel truck, air recycling prevents exhaust gases and other pollutants from entering the car.
- In very hot weather: In summer, activating this function helps the air conditioning cool the cabin more quickly. The recycled air, already cooled, makes the air conditioning system work more efficiently.
- In the presence of unpleasant odors: Passing through an industrial area or a newly paved road? Air recycling prevents bad odors from the outside from penetrating.
When to avoid this button?
However, it is not advisable to keep this function activated constantly. Without air renewal, humidity and carbon dioxide accumulate quickly, which can lead to:
- Fogging on the windows, especially in winter or during rainy weather.
- A decrease in the driver’s alertness, due to lower oxygen levels.
That is why some modern cars automatically deactivate air recycling after a certain period.
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To use this function properly, it is better to activate it intermittently, for example in cases of heavy pollution or when starting the air conditioning on hot days. Once these situations have passed, it is recommended to return to normal ventilation with the intake of outside air. This ensures healthier air and limits the undesirable effects associated with confined air. In summary, air recycling is a very useful tool, as long as it is used wisely.
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