Air recirculation
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first⇒
Introduction to the subject General information
The air recirculation mode helps prevent outside air from entering the vehicle interior
In very hot outside temperatures, temporarily switch to air recirculation in order to cool the vehicle interior faster.
| There are different types of air recirculation: | |
|---|---|
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Manual air recirculation (Manual AC). |
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The left indicator light under the button comes on: manual air recirculation is switched on (Climatronic). |
| The right indicator light under the button comes on: automatic air recirculation is switched on (Climatronic). | |
For safety reasons, air recirculation is switched off when the
or
button is pressed, and the air distribution switch is turned to
⇒
.
Switching manual air recirculation on and off 
Switching on: Press the button
repeatedly until the indicator light in the button comes on.
Switching off: Press the button
repeatedly until the indicator light in the button goes out.
Switching manual air recirculation on and off 

Switching on: Press the 
button repeatedly until the left indicator light under the button comes on.
Switching off: Press the 
button repeatedly until the indicator light under the button goes out.
Automatic air recirculation 

In the 
setting, fresh air enters the passenger compartment. If the system detects an increased concentration of pollutants in the outside air, it automatically switches to air recirculation. As soon as the pollutant level is back in the normal range, air recirculation is switched off.
Unpleasant odors cannot be detected by the system.
Air recirculation is not automatically activated under the following outside temperatures and conditions:
- The air conditioning is on (indicated by the light in the


button) and the outside air temperature is colder than about +38 °F (+3 °C).
- The cooling system and the windshield wiper are switched off and the outside air temperature is cooler than about +50 °F (+10 °C).
- The cooling system is switched off, the outside air temperature is cooler than about +59 °F (+15 °C), and the windshield wiper is switched on.
Switching automatic air recirculation on and off
Switching on: Press the 
button repeatedly until the right indicator light under the button comes on.
Switching off: Press the 
button repeatedly until no indicator light under the button is on.
It is not possible to activate automatic air recirculation when the outside air temperature is colder than about +38 °F (+3 °C).
Temporarily deactivating the automatic air recirculation 

- Press the

button once to switch to air recirculation temporarily in the event of unpleasant odors. The left indicator light comes on.
- Press the

button again after more than two seconds to resume automatic air recirculation. The right indicator light comes on.
Stale air causes driver fatigue and reduces driver alertness, which can cause accidents, collisions and serious personal injury.- Never use air recirculation mode over an extended period of time, since no fresh air will enter the passenger compartment.
- When the air conditioner is off and recirculation mode is on, condensation can quickly form on the windows and greatly reduce visibility.
- Always switch off recirculation mode when it is not needed.
Do not smoke when air recirculation is switched on. Smoke drawn into the ventilation system can leave residue on the evaporator and on the dust and pollen active carbon filter, resulting in permanent odors whenever the air conditioner is switched on.
Test yourself
A quick Volkswagen Tiguan quiz: every answer comes with an explanation and a link to the manual page.