How to set the ventilation to the cold without turning on the air conditioner?

The modern automotive HVAC system offers a number of different features to help keep drivers and passengers comfortable in hot or cold weather. There is an air conditioning system, a heater and a ventilation system (which uses neither heat nor air). If you're wondering how to set the vents for cold without turning on the air conditioner, it's pretty easy (although probably not what you think).

To set the vents to cold but not turn on the air conditioning system, all you have to do is make sure the temperature switch is set to cold. Now turn on the fan to the desired level. Depending on the interior and outside temperatures, it may be necessary to adjust the recirculation/fresh air setting. By keeping the system in "recirculation" mode, air will be drawn out of the passenger compartment and flow back again. When switching to fresh air mode, air from outside will enter the passenger compartment.

However, understand that if you do not turn on the air conditioner, your car will not cool the air. Adjusting the temperature selector to cooling when the air conditioner is off only turns off the heater. The air blown out of your vents will either be the same temperature as your car's interior (recirculation) or outside air (fresh air). Your vehicle cannot actively reduce the temperature of the air inside or outside without turning on the air conditioner.