Did the issue with the air vents blowing hot ever get resolved?
 

I've read complaints about it on this forum for the brz/frs.

Does any one know what causes this? I do not remember my older cars (pre-2000) having this issue. The outside air always blew in cool, but my newer cars (post 2005) are warm/hot air.

Did something change in car design? Seems to affect all the various makes I've had experience with. Why won't they change it back!!

Apologies in advance if this has been resolved in a previous thread. I did do a search although admittedly, not a very thorough one.

I believe that is something you would see on the next model year or later, if ever.

It has been resolved! Turns out there's a button in the middle of the right-most knob that makes it blow cold air. :D

I kid, I kid. Smart-ass answer aside... no, there's no fix for this. Since I've started driving back in the early 90's,I've been in cars where the cold setting is almost as good as AC, and others where it's only marginally warmer than outside air... but none have been as bad as the 86/ BRZ. I'm guessing it's just a quirk of design. Personally, I haven't noticed it getting better or worse over the years; I guess we just drew a bad hand with this design. Maybe the only way they could work out how to get power to the rear wheels was by routing the exhaust through the air-ducts... who knows.

It isn't an issue, its an intensional design, you can change it by the a/c controls.

For this the Miata is infamous.

Here's the Miata cause and solution. It may or may not be related to our problem:

http://www.miata.net/garage/heater_cable.html

When I beat on my car it smells like nail polish not sure why

All you have to do is hit the recirculate air button on the left knob.

+1 the guy above me ^^
recirculate instant fix.

Subaru thing
 

I don't know if this is related, but there is a known gremlin with some WRX's (and other Impreza variants) that is similar. The driver side foot vents always blows hot, unless the AC is on. I have not heard of a TSB or a real fix. Lots of Subaru DNA in the FR-S / BRZ twins, I guess.

pftt u think thats bad i got smoke coming outta my vents when turning air on.

I used to notice it a lot more. I think the more I broke in the car the better it got. Now it shoots out warmish-cool air, but it's also 90 degrees here everyday.

Hm.... I found the air coming from the vents was much warmer with the recirculate air ON (which was on from the dealer). My problem with the air from the vents improved when I turned it OFF.

with the air controls off I turned the temperature control all the way to the left (cold, far right knob) and the warm air stopped.. I don't know if something is still activated when ALL of the buttons are off but it mysteriously worked..sorry if that sounds stupid.

I've had 105+ degree weather here and the A/C works great. Set it on recirc first. I think if the car sits in the heat for awhile the vents get warm. Once the A/C is going they cool off. This has happened with several of my cars.