Auto climate control, I hate it, more than words can describe

[cyanggg]

when im getting too cold or too hot, i like to turn off the airflow in the car by pressing the 3 buttons to the left of the temp nob (with forward, up, and down arrows). While doing this, I leave the AC on (when im hot, but don't feel like freezing) or the heater on (vice versa). It gives the car the perfect amount of temperature control when you need an in between temp. But don't forget to turn those buttons back on when you need them! Sometimes I forget to turn them on again, and I'm like wtf why won't my AC work! haha, silly huh.

[sparoz]

Originally Posted by imported_mega

I HATE automatic climate control, more than words can describe

when it's cold and I don't want to wear a jacket, this thing seems to have 2 settings, burn me, or cold air and freeze me

is there any way to get this thing into dumb mode where it just blows the air temp you want, regardless of what the cabin temp sensor says?

Lately I want to drive my jeep instead, because the heater just works, you set the temp and that's what it does

I don't have much problem with my wife's 120d - full auto mode and dial it to approximately the right temperature. Adjust temperature with the temp settings. Never have problems with my 3er either. It works perfectly for me.. I do make tiny adjustments, but just with temp gauge.

My wife turns off auto mode, and I can never set the temp right. I much prefer full auto.

[TagMan]

If you've got the iDrive, you can go to the ventilation system's climate control automatic program screen and select the "automatic program" you prefer.

You have three choices... You can preset the "automatic program" to be either soft, medium or intense. That way, after you have finished pre-setting the program, when you later select "auto" climate control, the system will then run at the level of intensity you had previously programmed it for.

Also, be aware that the 'verts have an extra convertible mode setting, so that when you are pre-programming the automatic program, you can choose to include a convertible mode. That way, when you normally select the "auto" climate control button when the top is down, the system will compensate for top-down driving.

Of course, check your dash vent settings, but definitely try those three different automatic program settings to see which one you prefer.

TM

[raisemyrent]

Originally Posted by imported_mega

mine blows hot air after a couple miles

I wish! it was -40 (celsius and fahrenheit) last week.

and then the next hour of my drive I'm screwing around with the temp setting and how far my window is down to regulate the air temp the heater is blowing

You shouldn't have to do this if you turn off auto (turn fan up or down to deactive auto setting)... because this makes the air temp match the displayed number

Originally Posted by jbenington86

sounds like there is something wrong with it mine takes a long time to warm up well longer than most people say it takes for there 1ers to warm up

this depends on your driving style; turbos take longer to warm up if you're not making them spool much (i.e. flooring it)... I drive to work and it's a 30 mins city and highway combined drive, and when it is well below freezing outside, my temp gauge makes it about a third of the way only. no flooring it, though. Unfortunately, there are over 999,000 idiots in the city at any given time.

Originally Posted by imported_mega

maybe I'm not explaining well enough

it turns on HOT, then cold then HOT, then cold, this is with the temp number set between 75 and 80, the computer regulates how hot it should be, it does not give me any way to set it to stay warm

there's no way to set the air temp to warm and have it stay that way

It alternates because you are not supposed to monitor the temperature of the air directly in front of the vents, but to consider the fluid system as a whole. That is what the car does by means of the thermostat. The vents are aimed to flow air pass you, not directly at you (this is considered more efficient).

It would soundlike either you are not usccesfully deactivating automatic mode, or it is faulty. When deactivated, the temperature you choose is exactly the temperature that comes out of the vents (within reason, lol).

Originally Posted by amybang

What I don't like is the angle of the vents. In my last car, I used to point the two driver facing ones so they'd blow right on my hands on the steering wheel. I tend to have cold extremities and that was just about perfect to make me feel toasty all over. But in the 1er, the one on the left of the steering wheel doesn't point in far enough. I end up alternating sitting on my hands (seat warmers) until the whole car warms up enough for me.

amy!

They designed it like that on purpose. The vents are aimed partly to aid in defrosting under almost all circumstances, and partly to flow air pass you, not directly at you. This makes the car's air system more efficient (by regulating the overall temperature better), instead of concentrating on a limited area of your body, which also requires your body part to be within reach/aim of the vent (which doesn't necessarily coincide to where your hands would be for normal driving). Over here in the north pole (almost), we all cheat every now and then, though, and reach over to the centre dash vents.

Originally Posted by imported_mega

it's not set full auto

setting the temp still sucks, the computer is constantly turning the heat on HOT, then cold, then HOT

I just want a mixer like almost every other car has

If auto is off, it shouldn't do that. I don't see a difference between a classic mixer and a temperature number; one's a value, the other is a graph.

Originally Posted by silv135vert

Is there anyway to turn off the passenger control? When I am alone in the car, I hate having to set both dials.

I WISH. I experiment with this... on super cold days (welcome to Alberta), I set the other side much hotter, and vice versa. To be honest, it only makes a difference if I am carrying food that needs to be refrigerated on the passenger side...

[rocketpop]

Same here, set it and forget it.

[Mega Man]

I don't mind the automatic climate control at all. Worked well on a drive down to San Diego with the fam.

What I don't like is the dual climate control. I don't even understand why you would need it. Where in the world would you be, where your passenger and yourself would want to be at different temperatures? It's a pain in the @$$ to adjust both of them when you're driving solo; or when your passenger is like, "No, I'm fine," and you get that feeling that they don't really understand that me changing my side of the climate control won't change theirs.

[Tom K.]

Originally Posted by Mega Man

I don't mind the automatic climate control at all. Worked well on a drive down to San Diego with the fam.

What I don't like is the dual climate control. I don't even understand why you would need it. Where in the world would you be, where your passenger and yourself would want to be at different temperatures?

My wife generally is comfortable when the temp is at least 5o warmer than I like it, so the dual temp controls make sense for us - especially when the top is down in cooler temperatures.

But I agree that there should be an option to link the two controls together when only a single setting is desired.
Tom

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by Tom K.

My wife generally is comfortable when the temp is at least 5o warmer than I like it, so the dual temp controls make sense for us - especially when the top is down in cooler temperatures.

But I agree that there should be an option to link the two controls together when only a single setting is desired.
Tom

I think it would have been cool if they would have linked the passenger side seat sensor to the climate control and used it to disable the second control when no one was in the seat.

[singular]

Originally Posted by Mega Man

I don't mind the automatic climate control at all. Worked well on a drive down to San Diego with the fam.

What I don't like is the dual climate control. I don't even understand why you would need it. Where in the world would you be, where your passenger and yourself would want to be at different temperatures? It's a pain in the @$$ to adjust both of them when you're driving solo; or when your passenger is like, "No, I'm fine," and you get that feeling that they don't really understand that me changing my side of the climate control won't change theirs.

Love the dual control. My wife likes extremes more than I and can tweak to her hearts content.

Why would you need to adjust temperatures when your solo if the side your on is the temp you like?

[TagMan]

Originally Posted by singular

Love the dual control. My wife likes extremes more than I and can tweak to her hearts content.

Why would you need to adjust temperatures when your solo if the side your on is the temp you like?

Exactly.

Dual zone has been around for years in luxury vehicles, and I've always loved it.

Between that and the 3-stage individually heated seats, there really isn't much room to complain. Each passenger is happy.

Also, as I posted earlier... the pre-programming for the "auto" climate control allows it to operate at one of three pre-programmed intensitiy levels... which even further sets the system to near perfection.

But, no matter what... unfortunately some folks are never happy and it's never good enough.

Personally I think it's plenty good for this car.

TM

[MOCKBA]

I would never buy a car without automatic climate control. I owned one car without auto and I was sick all time since it was too cold or too hot and driving conditions didn't allow to fix it quickly.