Prevention of exhaust gas intrusion in a vehicle
A method of preventing exhaust gas intrusion in a passenger compartment of a vehicle is provided. Whether a vehicle operating condition resulting in an increased carbon monoxide emission at an exhaust pipe is present is detected. Whether a vehicle component condition is present is detected. The vehicle component condition is an open window or an open sunroof. An HVAC setting is switched from a recirculating air mode to a fresh air mode when at least one of the vehicle operating condition and the vehicle component condition is detected as being present.
1. A method of preventing exhaust gas intrusion in a passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising:
detecting whether a vehicle operating condition indicative of an increased carbon monoxide emission at an exhaust pipe is present during operation of the vehicle, the vehicle operating condition being an air/fuel mixture ratio being less than a predetermined amount or an oxygen level before and after a catalyst of a catalytic converter being the same;
detecting whether a vehicle component condition is present, the vehicle component condition being an open window, an open sunroof, or a rear seat being moved from an upright position;
switching an HVAC setting from a recirculating air mode to a fresh air mode when at least one of the vehicle operating condition and the vehicle component condition is detected as being present; and
preventing the HVAC setting from being switched back to the recirculating air mode from the fresh air mode after switching to the fresh air mode responsive to at least one of the vehicle operating condition and the vehicle component condition being detected until after a vehicle engine is stopped.
2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising
detecting whether the HVAC setting is in the recirculating air mode or the fresh air mode, and
detecting the vehicle operating condition and the vehicle component condition when the detected HVAC setting is in the recirculating air mode.