BMW has perhaps the WORST climate control - BMW Forum

04-28-2003, 09:54 AM

I dont know if somethings wrong with my climate control or what, but i have NEVER heard of a freakin digital/auto climate control system that you have to MANUALLY turn on the air conditioning for cool air, in the winter, i had to jack it down to 60 degrees JUST to get it at the right temp. at 72 degrees id fry, and in the summer, i have to manually take it up to 70, then turn on the air, etc. In my dads benz, he said he hasnt really changed the temperature since he's bought the car, he hasnt even touched the climate control settings, same thing went when my mom had her 99 acura tl...is everyones e46 like this? because it pisses me off that i pay this much for a freakin car and things like this arent the way they are supposed to be....i mean i have freakin auto windshield wipers, id rather have auto climate control....you guys experience this too?

FruityOne · 04-28-2003, 12:13 PM

i havent once touched my ac or anything in my car so i dunno...i prefer driving with windows down when i want some cool air or something...colder i want the faster i drive :lol:

MrM3 · 04-28-2003, 12:46 PM

i hated the auto feature in my dads e46, but had no beef with the a/c system. usually i would keep it around 66 and only adjust the fan speed. but its just pushing buttons, i dont see what ur mad about, it should stay at wherever u last left it.

SoonerE39 · 04-29-2003, 12:17 AM

I agree. The air conditioning/heating system works OK, but the controls arent logical. Setting the automatic temp control only gets air from the under dash vents. Using the upper vents cant be done on 'auto'. And the dial on the center vents for warmer or cooler air just complicates things. I have it figured out for my needs fine. But my wife still hasn't figured t out.

woobiee · 04-29-2003, 12:26 AM

my vents are auto, top and bottom, it knows when to turn on/off the upper vents/lower vents accordingly. The center wheel thingy is the only thing i dont like. Why would they design two different temp settings. I think having the AC manual is good. If it was made in auto, it would turn on when we won't want it to, maybe it auto turns on too late, or too early. And having it manual conserves gas, letting YOU control the AC whenever you want it on or off.

04-29-2003, 04:46 AM

ill go out for a drive then, and see what works best BUT, in the winter i had to keep it at 60 degrees, because at like 72 it would get incredibly hot, last summer, i would set it at 70, but cold air wouldnt be comming out of the vents...i know you guys all drive bimmers, and they are great cars, but you drive a acura for example (one of the best climate control systems ever)...everything was automatic, the vents which the air came out of, the fan speed, and temperature of the air, and wehter the a/c was on or off...All BMW's system is really a version of a basic a/c system (turn knobs) because it obvisouly doesnt keep it at the temp its supposed to....

maybe there is something wrong with it, but the way you guys explain it, there is driver involvement with the climate control, that shouldnt be, ive never really heard of that.....especially in a car of this caliber...

04-29-2003, 08:25 AM

that sux man....all of my parents volvo's have very nice AC systems too.

Fox · 04-29-2003, 08:32 AM

I havent used mine yet... thats in like 2 months, Of florida weather. I just like my windows open all the time. My dad always complained about his 320 having a crappy AC though.

donutchow · 04-29-2003, 08:36 AM

audi's are really nice. i'm writing my paper now, the dual zone was easy to use, press up for warmer, down for cooler. bmw has "automatic climate control" but it was more difficult to use.

woobiee · 04-29-2003, 09:02 AM

i revisited my cars manual and the only thing i can suggest trying is this: On the center console there are two vented areas. This is where the themometer for the cabin. If you block this area the climate controls goes haywire. That could be your malfunction? I dunno

Try doing what I do. Set your temp at 68F and on Auto. Have the center rotery dial at the white line. If that is too hot for you, get the center rotery dial at coldest. If that still isnt cold enough, hit the AC button. If even that still doesnt satisfy you, get some heavy window tints lol. Right now with this type of temp/weather, I have mine at 68F on auto, when im hot (during the day), i have my rotor dial at cold, and when im cold (during the night) i have mine at hot. Usually I dont touch it. I dont touch the air button, AC button, nor temp button.

MrM3 · 04-29-2003, 10:41 AM

yeah speedster ur problem is probably with the wheel thing between the vents. when u want A/C then u should keep it on 3 blue dots and never touch it again cuz it throws the whole system outta wack. at least thats what i was accustomed to.

04-29-2003, 10:42 AM

but andy and i concluded something was wrong, because in the winter i had to set the system at 60 degrees, and i left it there the whole winter, just for it to feel comfortable in the car. my thermostat might not be calibrated right...

MrM3 · 04-29-2003, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SpeedsterBMW@Apr 29 2003, 09:42 AM
but andy and i concluded something was wrong, because in the winter i had to set the system at 60 degrees, and i left it there the whole winter, just for it to feel comfortable in the car. my thermostat might not be calibrated right...

but what was the dial set at? if it was on 3 red dots then maybe it would take 60 degrees to keep the car a decent temp.

asiangear · 06-14-2003, 02:37 PM

yeah, i have some little qualms with my a/c system, but generally speaking, it's not that bad. I usually keep the temp at 69. For me, it seems to work pretty well, during summer or winter. And if it gets really cold during the winter, i just pump it up to 70-72, and I manage to keep toasty and comfy. as for the fan speed, I always leave it on auto. AUto seems to work perfectly fine for me and as for the A/C, it's good being manual control, cuz obviously you don't want it going on when it's 50 degrees outside while it's raining and in the middle of winter. but during the summer when it gets hellish hot, even while the temp is still at 69, turning on the A/C actually kools my car down really fast. and then it maintains a nice kool that doesn't get frigid at all. I guess maybe i'm not too sensitive to the climate control system, or it just works to my likings. ^_^

Jim P. · 06-18-2003, 11:59 AM

My 99 328 has decent AC but I can't say it's the best. It has worked properly for the two years that I have owned the car. I think it could be colder (I live inTexas). As for the rest of the car I have had it in the shop six times in 26 months of ownership. From window problems to engine problems.

My 96 Collector Edition Vette has the coldest AC I have ever felt in any car. I have never had this car in the shop. Runs rings around the BMW and it was 5K less.