Apologies, as I know similar topics have come up before, but I'm trying to understand the climate control functionality with remote start. This is on a 2018 F150 Lariat. I don't have the option to select each feature individually and turn it on, or off. My only choices in the IPC under remote start are "auto", or "last".

As I understand it, if you select "auto" in the remote start menu, the truck should attempt to bring the vehicle to 72 degrees, whether that means cooling it down, or warming it up. So, if it's cold in the truck, like it was this morning, that should turn on the heater, heated seats, steering wheel, etc., correct? Assuming that's true, how is it supposed to do that when the climate controls don't fully come on until the ignition is turned on?

Whenever I remote start it, regardless of temperature, until I turn on the ignition, the only thing happening is the fan is blowing at some medium speed, into the foot well only, and that's regardless of whether I select "auto", or "last". If the temperature is very hot, or very cold, remote starting has virtually no impact. Doesn't it kind of defeat the purpose of the remote start if the climate controls aren't fully engaging before you get in? Am I missing some setting I can change in the IPC, or in FORScan to alter this behavior?

 

Something isn't working/setup right. My ac or heat and seats come on when remote staring the truck. How, I don't know - it's like magic.

 

The heater can't start heating until the temp of the coolant is over the temperature selected. The heated seats and steering wheel should come on no matter what.

 

I have my set to "Last"... that works best for me... In Auto, my truck (16 Lariat) usually didn't do much at all as far a climate control. and in the heat of the summer, I wanted the AC to kick on when I remote started it... selecting "Last", seems to work perfectly!

 

Several observations/ questions:

- Did you turn on Remote Start yourself, or did you truck come with it? I ask because when you do it yourself, there are TWO areas in FORScan that need to be changed. You turn it on, and you turn on the menu.

- Remote start does not change the controls in the truck, that's why when you get in before you turn the key you can't use sync, or change the temp or fan speed until you turn the key. It does this all in the computers.

- Once the menu is turn on, you can go in to the dash settings and change a bunch of things,, including duration of remote start, etc.

 

in my XLT the heater fan will be on full when i remote start, even if I left it on minimum when I shut the truck off. As soon as i turn the key it goes to the last setting

 

1) The truck came with it.

2) It doesn't change the controls in the truck, I agree. I'm even willing to concede that it chooses it's own temperature (72 degrees) when you remote start with auto climate control, regardless of what you set it to before you last exited the truck, which seems.....odd. My issue is mostly with the heater when it's cold outside. If it sets itself to 72, and it's, say, 35 degrees outside, it doesn't seem to matter how long I wait, the fan speed is always at what seems like 1 or maybe 2 when I get in the truck. Conversely, when I get in in the summer time, the fan is blowing full blast to cool off the interior.

Someone above mentioned the coolant has to be above the temp selected before the fan increases speed. That makes some sense to me. Although that logic seems backwards to me. It seems like the higher you set the temperature, the sooner it should start trying to heat things up. Anyhow, assuming that's how it works, I suppose it's possible I'm just not waiting long enough. But, it's not even really cold here, yet, and 15 minutes of idle time doesn't seem to budge the temperature gauge. If I'm going to have to let it warm up for 30 minutes or more, that's not acceptable. I'll probably just have to use the "last" setting.

3) See #1. It's been enabled since the day I picked it up, set to 15 minutes.

Thanks for your feedback.

 

*** NOTE ***
I posted this a while back regarding the 2011 - 2014 version trucks and I believe the operational flowchart hasn't varied much to the current generation ,,,, other than the temperature threshold had been raised from 32 to 40 for the Cold ambient temperature. ***********

The climate control system will condition the cabin temperature during
remote start based on the outside temperature. Engine idle may increase
to help with adjusting the cabin temperature.

***** Note: No climate control adjustments will be recognized during remote
start operation and none of the climate function indicators will be
illuminated while the vehicle is in remote start. Once the ignition is
cycled to the on position, the climate control system will return to the
previous settings (last ignition-on cycle) and adjustments can be made
normally. If the previous setting was off, the climate control system will
turn off.
If you previously had any of the following activated: heated seats (if
equipped), cooled seats (if equipped), heated mirrors (if equipped), or
rear defrost, they will not return to their previous settings (on) when the
ignition is turned on and will need to be re-activated if desired.

Manual climate control

For hot weather conditions:
• The climate control system will be set to MAX A/C.

For cold weather conditions:
• The climate control system will be set to provide maximum heating
in (floor/defrost) mode.
• Rear defrost/heated mirrors (if equipped) will be activated.

For moderate weather conditions:
• The interior cabin will be heated, cooled or off, based upon the
previous operating state (last ignition-on cycle).
• Rear defrost/heated mirrors (if equipped) will be deactivated.


Automatic climate control

For hot weather conditions:
• The interior cabin will be cooled to 72°F (22°C).
• The cooled seats (if equipped and if the feature is selected to AUTO
in the message center) will be set to high.

For cold weather conditions:
• The interior cabin will be heated to 72°F (22°C).
• The heated seats (if equipped and if the feature is selected to AUTO
in the message center) will be set to high.
• Rear defrost/heated mirrors (if equipped) will be activated.

For moderate weather conditions:
• The interior cabin will be heated, cooled, or off, based upon the
previous operating state (last ignition-on cycle).
• Heated/cooled seats (if equipped) will be deactivated.
• Rear defrost/heated mirrors (if equipped) will be deactivated.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A while back I came across more detailed information as to the temperature ranges for Cold - Hot - Moderate operational characteristics for the climate control during remote start. Frankly, I'm not sure why Ford didn't include this in the owner's manual for clarification.....*** I haven't been able to confirm , but Ford may have changed the ambient temperature values since this information was available.***
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For cold ambient air temperatures (below 32° F (0° C)):

• the airflow mode is set to FLOOR/DEFROST.
• the temperature is set to full HOT.
• the blower speed is set to HIGH.
• the air inlet mode is set to fresh air.
• the auxiliary electric heater is enabled if needed (diesel only).

**** For moderate ambient air temperatures (between 32° F (0° C) and 80° F (27° C)):

• the airflow mode is set to the last user setting.
• the temperature is set to the last user setting.
• the blower speed is set to the last user setting.
• the air inlet mode is set to the last user setting.
• the auxiliary electric heater is enabled if needed (diesel only).

For hot ambient air temperatures (above 80° F (27° C)):

• the airflow mode is set to MAX A/C.
• the temperature is set to full COOL.
• the blower speed is set to HIGH.
• the air inlet mode is set to RECIRC.
• the auxiliary electric heater is not enabled (diesel only).

Seats
When the vehicle is started using the remote start feature, the driver/passenger climate controlled seat activates in full heat mode when the outside temperature is less than 32° F (0° C)and full cool mode when outside temperature is greater than 80° F (27° C).

Mirrors
When the vehicle is started using the remote start feature and the outside temperature is less than 32° F (0° C), the heated mirrors will be activated.

Rear Defroster
When the vehicle is started using the remote start feature and the outside temperature isless than 32° F (0° C), the rear defroster will be activated.

**** Pay close attention to the Moderate ambient air temperature range since it's not likely you're in the Cold or Hot range at this time ****

 

I think that probably explains everything. Thanks!!

It seems it just isn't cold enough for it to kick on the full heat mode. It also explains why I've only seen the full cooling mode. I got this truck in July, when it was still hot. I haven't been through a winter with it, yet. We'll see what happens when it really gets cold, but I suspect the behavior will follow what you described.

 

Automated systems are set to run low fan speed until the coolant reaches a certain temp because no one wants frigid air blowing on them in the winter. This logic carries over to the climate comfort feature we have with remote start.

If you find the fan speed does not change even after the engine has warmed up, you may have a faulty temp sender, or low coolant level.

I don't know about the F150 as I'm a new owner, but I had at least one Ford in the past that would not have a full heater core in the cabin even though the radiator and reservoir were full. Had to raise the front end and perform a procedure to get the heater core to fill up anytime coolant dropped below a certain level in the rest of the system.