Grille mystery solved: What those car dashboard vents really do

The interior of a car is filled with various elements whose functions may not always be obvious to everyone. One such element is the grille, which can be noticed in different places on the dashboard. There is a good chance that your child will ask what it is, so it's worth knowing the answer.

Examining the car's interior, one can find various unusual elements, such as protruding plastic at the top of the dashboard or grilles in various places in the cockpit. While those mounted at the top near the light often conceal a microphone, those placed by the steering column or in the middle of the center panel have different functions.

In most cases, behind such a grille is an internal temperature sensor that works with automatic air conditioning. The sensor sends information about the temperature inside the cabin to the controller, which in automatic mode adjusts the air conditioning's intensity accordingly. Additionally, the air conditioning also relies on a sunlight intensity sensor located on the dashboard.

How do you identify the temperature sensor grille? Often, there is a small fan behind it—if you hold a light piece of paper to the grille, it should stay in place. However, it's important not to cover the grille or stick anything to it in the long run, as it may negatively affect the air conditioning's performance.

It turns out that identical grilles can also be found in cars without automatic air conditioning. This may be because it was cheaper for the manufacturer to produce one design of the given element (in this case, the grille) rather than create two different designs.