have a 99 xj that came with no srvice manual. what are the settings from left to right on air conditioner ****? starts at off. next is recirculating air i think. last is defrost. what are ones in middle? basically i want to know difference in why some have little snowflake and some dont. assuming it has to do with some being created air/heat. and some vent only?

 

All of the ones with a snowflake turn the A/C on, the ones without do not, except for the 2 defrost ones which use the A/C system to help dry the air. The positions are:

Off
Recirculate/Max AC
A/C out dash vents
A/C out dash vents and floor
Regular air out dash vents
Regular air out floor
Defrost out defrost vents and floor
Defrost out defrost vents

 

As stated, 5 vent selector positions engage the a/c compressor, 2 don't. The temp selector will increase/decrease heat regardless of what position the vent selector is in. Turning the heat selector to the red does not turn the compressor off.......only the off position and the 2 white vent positions (not circled) disengage the compressor.

Engagement of the compressor also engages the electric cooling fan except for '00/'01 models.......efans on those engage only at 218F coolant temp.

 

thanks. that is what i suspected. i noticed when its on a setting that uses the compressor it seems to have some strain on the motor which is not present using the vent settings. thanks though.

by the way...what is the button you have circled down at the bottom? beside rear wiper? i have a blank spot there.

 

That is a power door/tailgate lock/unlock switch that operates the servos in the doors/tailgate that the PO installed. No power anything on our plain jane simple SE model XJ. Sure makes it easy to lock/unlock all the doors from the drivers seat. Certainly not factory keyless remote but sure beats climbing over/walking around.