I do remember a post a while back discussing this and I believe someone may have been able to bypass the A/C. Not sure though.

I agree that manual control would be better. These trucks really act strangely when the A/C is working (lurching, huge idle fluctuations, etc.).

It seems most cars built in the last 10 years have this feature, but Rodeos defrost just sucks, regardless of whether the A/C is on. Even when the A/C doesn't kick in, the defrost is usually no match for the buildup of ice and frost. On cold days I usually have the defrost blasted but it doesn't quite have the output (heat and volume of air) to work nearly as good as my other cars. And I don't know the exact temp where the A/C stops kicking in, but I think it's somewhere below 15 degrees, give or take. I know my A/C won't be engaging this weekend with a high temp of 0.

I just see it as one in a long list of changes in the auto industry that does everything for us and is supposed to make us safer. How many people do you observe everyday driving that cannot walk and chew gum at the same time, let alone steer and work the climate control.
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