97 LXI, defrost and A/C question
 

I have a 97 Sebring LXI and when I turn the heater control to defrost the A/C light comes on and blows cold air from the dash vents. The windshield and door vents blow hot air. I push the A/C button in and out but it won't go off. Winter is coming and I don't really want to be blowing A/C when it is 20 degrees out.

RE: 97 LXI, defrost and A/C question
 

Try turning the temp knob up. The defrost coming on may be because the system is running the A/C to dry out the air. Your defroster is more effective in drying the windows with the A/C running. The heater should always be able to overwhelm the A/C to get the temperature up but in warm outside temperatures the problem is humidity, which the A/C can help with. Usually, the A/C won't come on in really cold (below freezing) weather, so what you experience now probably won't occur in the dead of winter.

RE: 97 LXI, defrost and A/C question
 

My 97 has a standard manual type of control system, not an automated one (I'm not even sure if climate control was available), but if your getting air out of your dash while the defroster is on, there is a problem with the dampers that control the airflow. Those 2 systems do not operate together in defrost mode. The dash vents should close, sending the air into the heater/defroster system, which then can be controlled to go up, or up and down, but not in your face. There is also a "blend door" that controls the mix of heated and cooled air. These are all vacuum operated (Except maybe the blend door). You may have a leak. Most commonly you'll find one of those under the hood, but under the dash is also possible. Also, my AC runs regardless of what I want, regardless of temp, when in defrost mode.