AC switches Off, when climate control in auto

[Daniel815]

Hi all, 

I have an auris touring sport 1.6 petrol. I'm used to have the climate control in auto mode and the AC on all the time. I have noticed in the last couple of days that when I start the car, the AC is on for one minute or sometimes less and then it turns off, despite that I left the ac on and climate control in auto mode, when I switched the engine off. I should though mention that we have had a very cold weather in the last couple of days, but I don't understand, why the ac turns off, when the climate control is in auto? This is my first car with auto climate control, so I would like to hear whether this a normal behaviour or not?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[Heidfirst]

Hi Daniel, welcome to TOC 

Car ac typically doesn't actually do much below  ~4 or 5C. In Auto the car will work out the quickest way to reach the temp set & adjust various parameters accordingly.

[Daniel815]

Thank you for your answer . The temperature has been way below zero, so this might explains. 

[mrpj]

The a/c should also not operate at e.g. 4degC or below, to prevent the evaporator freezing up.

However, on my Yaris with climate control on auto and a/c on, the a/c indicator light always remains illuminated whatever the outside temperature. Do you mean the light extinguishes after a short time or the light remains lit and you know the a/c switches off?

Of course the system as fitted in the Auris could be different?

[Daniel815]

Yes exactly. The AC light indicator extinguishes shortly after I start the car. We have had cold weather before where the temperature was below zero, but I don't recall that AC light indicator extinguished after the start of the car and as I remember it was always on. I have had the car for only 6 months, so this the first winter, with this car. When I drove this evening back from work, the AC indicator light did not illuminate at all. The temperature was -6 degree.