|
|
|
Post Reply |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
11-27-2009, 12:41 AM | #1 |
Major General
265
Rep 5,018
Posts |
Is your automatic climate control like a hot/cold switch too?
Didn't move the dial from 60 until now. Took my car on its first cold trip a few days ago, and it was 14º in the morning. My daughter set the temp at 72. All my other cars (past and present) blow fully hot air until interior reaches set temperature, then it's maintained; not this car. Apparently air comes OUT at the set temperatures, but we didn't know. At about 27º ambient temperature, all of a sudden cold air starts to come out. What? Daughter cranks it up to about 78 and it starts coming out warm again. At around 35º, BAM!, cold again. Crap. All the way to 83, and THEN it feels and stays somewhat hot, but never remotely close to all other cars.
Remember reading that auto climate control system on BMWs were crap, and I have to agree. With near freezing temperatures outside, HVAC is not supposed to blow cold air all of a sudden at a 72 setting. The system obviously works, but only seem to have 2 temperatures: hot and cold. And they only work consistently at the 2 extreme settings: 83 and 60, respectively. All other settings just switch between hot and cold at much lower temperatures than set. Had the system in manual because auto throws the air just at the feet, and I like the front vents too. At least the stupid thing has dual settings, as my daughter wanted it hot and me cold (well, wanted it warm, but no such luxury ). Not a big deal, but curious if it's 'normal'. Or am I missing anything? Comments welcome. Take care. EDIT: Now that I remember, the stupid 'wheel' in the middle of the dash is on 'cold', but that should just affect the middle vents, not everything, right? |
11-27-2009, 01:17 AM | #2 |
Captain
49
Rep 637
Posts |
I'm guessing the wheel control is causing the fluctuation. In the summer I just keep the wheel at full cold. In the winter I keep the wheel at the halfway point. I find the car gets too warm with the wheel at full hot.
Experiment with that wheel as it seems to affect more than just the vents. |
Appreciate
0
|
11-27-2009, 02:05 AM | #4 |
Lieutenant
47
Rep 420
Posts |
Mine is set at 68, no matter what the outside temp is. It works fine for me. When its cold out, it wont blow any air until engine warms up so you wont be hit with cold air.
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-27-2009, 02:08 AM | #5 |
Major
232
Rep 1,281
Posts |
No issues on mine. Seem to work fine, and better than our Toyota's system.
__________________
2022 M4 Competition ConvertibleDravit / Tartufo Full / Carbon Fiber Exterior...loaded
2020 X5:MW/Coffee Extended Merino, M Sport, B&W....loaded 2007 X3: Sapphire Black / Black loaded 6 speed Gone: M3 E93 Silverstone II over Bamboo |
Appreciate
0
|
11-27-2009, 03:35 AM | #6 |
Colonel
63
Rep 2,426
Posts |
mm, i leave mne at 66 all the time and it's fine, but then it's always hot here
__________________
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
- John 3:16 |
Appreciate
0
|
11-27-2009, 04:48 AM | #7 |
Lieutenant Colonel
366
Rep 1,887
Posts
Drives: '20 M5C, '09 M3 DCT Coupe
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Eastern Oregon... They call 'em rigs here
|
Yes, it just affects the middle vents, making them a little colder or a little warmer relative to what the other vents are doing. Don't forget you also have the same kind of wheel on the rear center console vents (for those of you with the E92). I throw mine over to the red side in the winter and leave it there. Blue side in the summer. Never feel the need to mess with it beyond that.
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-27-2009, 07:04 AM | #8 |
Major
72
Rep 1,171
Posts |
I keep mine at 24 Celcius during winter and 22 during summer. During winter what I also do is to adjust the wheel in the middle vent from half-way cold/hot when the engine is cold to fully cold when the engine has warmed up properly.
That does it for me perfectly! |
Appreciate
0
|
11-27-2009, 10:17 AM | #9 |
Lieutenant
15
Rep 432
Posts |
I've found that little wheel to be pretty important for adjusting temp. When it is on cold the car will blow cold air even though it is in the low 40s outside and the climate control is set at 76. If I move it to the middle things feel great. I agree with a previous poster that it gets too hot if the wheel is all the way on red.
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-27-2009, 01:43 PM | #10 |
Second Lieutenant
30
Rep 251
Posts |
I agree with the OP that the climate control in my M3 coupe sucks. First of all, when it's cold outside, it starts blowing cold air before the engine has warmed up. Our Toyota is clever enough not to do this and to wait until it has some warm air to blow. Secondly, I always have to adjust the temp away from the desired temp to actually get to the desired temp. Never had to do this in my 997S or our Toyota.
__________________
Gone but not forgotten: 996Targa6MT, 997C2S6MT, e92DCT, e926MT, F826MT
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-27-2009, 03:40 PM | #11 |
Major General
265
Rep 5,018
Posts |
Thank you for all the replies gang. And the tips . Will play with the auto setting (as long as it doesn't turn the compressor on), the temperature, and the 'wheel'. Nothing seems to be intuitive on this car, but that makes us 'bond' with our cars more, right?
I like to blow cold air in my hands while driving, but have the car warm in winter, and that's exactly what the wheel is supposed to do, but I think it might affect the temperature in all the vents. Will check that out. But the idea of turning the rear wheel to fully hot was great, since that might keep the car warm. Thanks again for all your help, and keep enjoying your Thanksgiving weekend . |
Appreciate
0
|
11-27-2009, 04:47 PM | #12 |
Major
33
Rep 1,007
Posts |
I find the fan is a little weak on full fan setting.
__________________
E90 Interlagos Blue, (Winter Beater) Bamboo Beige, M-Drive, EDC, PDC, USB 6MT.
Mods to date; Curb rash, Scraped front spoiler, Installed RAC Monolite RG63 Silver 1984 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe (ROW) |
Appreciate
0
|
11-27-2009, 08:32 PM | #13 | |
Lieutenant
31
Rep 436
Posts |
Quote:
__________________
2008 Sparkling Graphite e90 M3 6spd
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-27-2009, 09:00 PM | #14 | |
Lieutenant Colonel
366
Rep 1,887
Posts
Drives: '20 M5C, '09 M3 DCT Coupe
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Eastern Oregon... They call 'em rigs here
|
Quote:
There is another button that determines where the air comes from. It toggles through 3 positions... normal (which is filtered outside air), recirc, or auto. I just leave mine in auto. btw, I also leave the air conditioner button on all the time, for obvious reasons in the summer, and to help keep the windows (and myself) dry and fog free in the winter or rainy conditions. |
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-27-2009, 09:01 PM | #15 | |
Lieutenant
31
Rep 436
Posts |
Quote:
__________________
2008 Sparkling Graphite e90 M3 6spd
|
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-27-2009, 09:09 PM | #16 |
Lieutenant Colonel
366
Rep 1,887
Posts
Drives: '20 M5C, '09 M3 DCT Coupe
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Eastern Oregon... They call 'em rigs here
|
Supposedly, it's designed so you can keep the cabin comfortably warm but still have cool air blowing on your face to keep you alert, or as someone mentioned, cool air blowing on your hands to keep them from getting sweaty.
|
Appreciate
0
|
11-28-2009, 12:25 AM | #17 |
Private First Class
6
Rep 194
Posts |
Interesting. I was wondering last week why the center vents seemed to be blowing cooler air compared to the other vents.
|
Appreciate
0
|
12-02-2009, 11:02 PM | #18 |
Private First Class
6
Rep 122
Posts |
I am glad that others think that the climate control system on the M3 is suboptimal. I asked my SA to check it out too but she told me that it was normal operation. I have the old I-Drive on my 2008 M3 and it has the annoying low-med-high setting for the fan everytime you mess with the temperature. I know that the system on my wife's old Lexus was much better.
|
Appreciate
0
|
Post Reply |
Bookmarks |
|
|