Hi all. Trying to figure out something about the rear climate control. When the rear temperature is adjusted, it changes the driver's temperature, not the front passenger. I can see how this would work for US cars, with left hand drive, as it would mean the driver is in one "zone" and the passengers are in a second "zone". But surely this should have been switched around for the right hand drive models? Doesn't seem to make much sense to have the rear passengers messing with the driver's temperature?

in it's defence, I would say that yours is possibly that very rare Ls that actually ever has a rear seat passenger   

sorry i can't help 

Malc

No one else? Really?

I could be wrong with this but give it a try. If you go into the climate touch screen display and set the rear climate to manual instead of auto you might be able to adjust the temperatures independent of each other, in the front you can have it set so the driver has control of both sides by pressing the dual button. It should be possible to operate all 3 zones independently of each other.

I don't suppose the rear AC has been capped off at some stage has it?  It's not too uncommon if the rear pipes have corroded.

On 12/22/2017 at 4:10 AM, Antharro said:

When the rear temperature is adjusted, it changes the driver's temperature,

Similar to what mrdoofa said, if you have climate control or tempratures on auto on the 400's then the same temprature goes all round, if you use without auto on then you get individual control

Right, I've had a play. I certainly can't get it to work as three zones. Disregarding the rear for a moment, the front can work as two zones. However when I use the rear controls, BOTH front zones are affected - adjusting the temperature in the rear adjusts both of the front temperatures. If the front zones are set at different temperatures, then the difference between the two will be maintained, however both will be adjusted 0.5 degrees for each press of the rear controls (up or down), and the rear temperature will be the same as the driver's temperature.

So if the front are set to 20.0 and 25.5 degrees, then turning up the rear temperature will adjust the front to 20.5 and 26.0, then 21 / 26.5, etc, and the driver's temperature will show on the rear temperature display. This happens regardless of whether the rear controls are set to manual or not.

The car has its original A/C plumbing - no capping here.

Does this seem right?

When I get a chance I'll go out and play with mine to see what it does.

It is intended to show that the driver is in full control of the car temperatures.  The driver should not be subject to excessive temperatures brought on by rear passengers playing around with the controls. He is the person driving and must be comfortable with the temperature to avoid falling asleep at the wheel.

Doesn't it demonstrate the converse? The rear seat passengers can affect the driver's temperature by virtue of adjusting their settings. The 430s sold in the UK were pretty much the C F spec Celsiors, which were purchased in Japan for people to be chauffeured  in. Perhaps this has something to do with why rear seat passengers have control.