LE 2011 Recycling Air Malfunction
 

As I recall? there might be some default setting in the climate control system causing this to occur. Maybe found this at the Toyotanation website.

I'm experiencing the same thing now with my 2011 camry.

The recycle switch turns off after a few minutes. Seems to happen when the weather is colder.

Has anyone else seen this or know what the resolution is?

what type of climate control unit do you have? I have Plasmacluster in mine, and that thing has mind of its own no matter what you want it to do. So is my wife's RX 300 one.
Nippon Denso climate control unit, starting 1999, were designed with some very particular samurai "we know better" logic in them.
anyhow, you should never be running on "recirc" for any extended period of time anyway. it's in every user manual. they simply took care of this for you.

Others have complained. As Ukrkoz states this is normal.

I talked to the toyota service rep - "SUPPOSEDLY" the system works automatically - going from refresh to recycle automatically as others have pointed out.

For those that don't want to smell the smog and want to disable this:

On startup. 1) Turn the recycle on, 2) then turn it off and 3) finally back on. Supposedly this tells the system to go into MANUAL mode.

I haven't tried it yet and will let others know if this works.

you still did not tell what climate control type you have. that does not much help others, as features vary.
my 2007 TCH sometimes starts with RECIRC on and sometimes not. turns out to be, it is relevant to internal temp setting (Plasmacluster control) and air flow direction choice. They really made weird. say, you want AUTO - but it will work only in floor mode, and turn off the very moment you direct air anywhere else. there are other oddities not needed to discuss, as they are for Hybrids only.
either way, that climate control is very pre-determined in its functions by designers. designers apparently are guided by corporate lawyers, as entire system is geared towards making it idiot-proof to avoid lawsuits. owner virtually has no control over climate controls, as it is all made to prevent windows fogging with or with-out your permission.

here's few c/p-s:
OAT=outside air temperature

Re: Heat and vents What you are experiencing is the market domination beginning in the early 90's for automatic climate control system designs and production by NipponDenso, Denso US.

A very FLAWED design.

The basic problem is that once the cabin temperature rises to within a few degrees of your temperature setpoint the system will switch into cooling mode, Coolish, COOL airflow, to those side window vents, and NO airflow at all to the interior surface of the windshield to help keep it above dewpoint.

My '01 RX has options that can only be set by the dealer that allow me to turn off the A/C for an indefinite period, plus unlink the A/C from automatic operation in defog/demist/defrost mode. In certain climatic conditions, often occurring here in the pacific NW, A/C operation can prove to be EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS.

Absent having these options set opposite the factory default, your wife should be very diligent in turning off the A/C during the winter months, especially so immediately after activating the defrost/defog/demist mode. I would also suggest diligence in keeping the system in heating mode, footwell airflow, at all times other than those requiring actual A/C cooling. Otherwise the system will ALWAYS shift into cooling mode, absolutely NO warming airflow to the interior surface of the windshield, once the cabin temperature rises to nearby the temperature setpoint.

Additionally, should the windshield interior surface EVER fog over while underway, or even BEGIN to do so, she should IMMEDIATELY raise the temperature setpoint to MAX HEAT and THEN switch to defrost/defog/demist mode. Absent the use of that procedure the system will rely ONLY on the A/C dehumidification capability for defogging the interior windshield surface, a capability that may not exist in certain climatic conditions. Even worse the system itself may actually be at fault for windshield fogging, SUDDEN, unexpected windshield fogging.

The A/C operation will be automatically disabled should you drive into an area of nearly freezing, freezing, or sub-freezing climate, releasing ALL of the previously condensed moisture into the otherwise COLD and DRY incoming outside atmosphere. That's just one of the reasons for keeping the A/C disabled, TOTALLY disabled, during the non-cooling use period.

For yourself I think more modern day Denso climate control systems have about 3 or 4 options which impinge on this same area, even one that prevents the system from switching automatically to cooling mode, and another that changes the overall system operation once the OAT declines to near or below freezing.

Most dealers will deny the existence of these options, you will have to be persistent.

and another:

Yeah, yeah, yeah... I know the party line: A/C=dehumidifier=no fog

And that works great when my windows are fogged on the inside... but what if I wanna use my windshield vent when they're not fogged (which is 90+% of the time)- I'm using the A/C unnecessarily, thus I'm using more gas. My comment was that, I cannot use windshield vents w/o A/C with the BASE manual system- but with the non-base AUTO climate control system it can be turned off. So the auto has more manual controls. How screwy is that!

Feel free to stop reading here, as the following is a bit of a rant.

My issue with this setup is not new:
In 2002, I sent an email to Toyota (re: my 99 4-Runner) about this issue, because that manual (even my 07 Camry's manual doesn't explicitly say it) doesn't state the A/C is on using this vent. It says something about "Fresh air intake", which Toyota has yet to give me a definition of what that actually means. This is based on many emails to Ask Toyota, from which I got MANY different, contradictory replies form them (it's off, it's on, it's this, etc). Oy!

This is one of their replies as to why it comes on:

"In the past we received many contacts from customers inquiring how to operate the front defogging system in the most efficient way. Because most customers were confused about the operation of the old (manual) design, we decided to link the air conditioning to the front defogger as this is the most effective way to defrost the windshield in the shortest period of time."
So because some schmuck didn't know how to defog their windshield (press the A/C button), I can't use the system as I'd like.

Sadly, 2 of my friends are the schmucks. I was driving with them (him & her)and their windshield fogged and they were getting nervous that they couldn't see anything. It went something like this:
Me: Turn on the air conditioner
Them: We don't want the cold
Me: Don't touch the temp, just press the button
Them: We don't want it cold
After a bit of annoying back & forth, they turn it on. And 10 seconds later:
Them: WOW! That's cool.
Me: OY!

and reasons lawyers are having upper hand:YAHOO NEWS -- March 9, 2011 – General Motors Co is recalling recent Buick Lacrosse and Cadillac SRX vehicles due to a software defect that could disable the driver's ability to adjust the heating, ventilation and air conditioning.

GM said 10,179 vehicles for the model year 2011 were affected by the recall, which may prevent the defrost system from clearing the windshield.

The vehicles fail to comply with federal standards for windshield defrosting and defogging, the automaker said in a notice to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Wednesday.

tell me what you want, GM and Toyota are in corporate kahutz, they simply do not advertise this. just like Ford and Mazda, or Chrysler/Dodge and Mitsubishi.

sorry for lengthy posting, but it hit my sensitive tune, as I do have stinks from the outside sucked into my Camry too.
so I found solution:
Amazon.com: NPN ACC Cabin Filter for select Lexus/Toyota models: Automotive

charcoal is charcoal.

I'll check with dealership today. appears, charcoal is standard Toyota filter. I had mine replaced few months ago with aftermarket one, it's junk, I smell every exhaust from in front of me car now.

I have the climate control type that exists in 2011 Toyota Camrys. I haven't looked up the specific type.

As I mentioned - I called up the toyota service rep and when I told him that I had a 2011 Camry, he gave me the response I outlined. He didn't ask me what type of climate control type I had.:)

Hold the recycled button in for 5 seconds it will then stay on as long as you want it to