4-series F32 - not doing things that I'm sure it oughta

[fattiereturns]

Not particularly M sport related so thought this forum would be best.

Recent purchase of 2013 428i, huge fan of it as a piece of drivable car, but somethings are weird after coming from an '07 325d. Not really getting used to the stereo staying on after ignition off but will have to suck that up as it seems to be standard.

What I can't live without though is my courteousy light when I switch off ignition. I needs that light to gather up all my crud off the passenger seat before exiting precariously. I'm sure there's a setting but I can't find it. Please help.

Other things - is there a sync function to copy driver's temperature to the passenger side? Under the hazard and door lock switch, there's a side to side red blue thing - what's that all about?

Thanks folks

[PSRG]

Assuming the 4 series is similar to a 2 series, then to kill the stereo just hit the ‘start/stop’ button twice instead of once when you turn off the engine. Or have it coded out - I’ve never bothered. Irritatingly there’s no synch function for the climate control in the 235, and I’m afraid yours might be the same. The red/blue dial doesn’t directly affect the climate control temp, but does vary the temperature of the air coming out of the centre vents. So you can have a warm car with cool air directed at your face if you like. Or, I assume - I’ve never tried - a freezing cold car and warm hands

Edited to add, also check that courtesy light is actually switched on (centre position from memory on the light by the rear view mirror)

Edited by PSRG on Saturday 16th March 16:23

[4rephill]

PSRG said:

......The red/blue dial doesn’t directly affect the climate control temp, but does vary the temperature of the air coming out of the centre vents. So you can have a warm car with cool air directed at your face if you like. Or, I assume - I’ve never tried - a freezing cold car and warm hands........

The red/blue centre vent dial on BMW's has been misunderstood by owners all around the World for decades! (Many thinking that it's an overcomplicated/unnecessary system for adjusting the air-con temp of the upper vents).

Here is what it is meant to do, and how it works:

The idea of the dial is to help prevent drivers from becoming drowsy, and falling asleep at the wheel when the rest of the car is being heated, by blowing cold air into the drivers face (when switched to the blue side), independently of the heating/air-con.

It does this by adding external fresh air, to the air coming from the air-con system, reducing the vents output temperature.

When turned fully in the red direction, the external air is cut off, and the maximum temperature that can come out of the centre vents is that set by the air con system (on most models, between 16~32°C).

When turned fully in the blue direction, the air-con is cut off from the vent, and only the external fresh air comes out of the centre vent. In this situation, the vent temperature will be @ the external temperature.

Adjusting the dial changes the mix of air-con air, to external fresh air in the centre vents, thus adjusting the output temperature of the vents.

In the winter, when it's freezing or below outside, you will want the air-con/heater to warm the car up to a nice, cosy temperature. The downside to that is, warm, cosy temperatures inside the car can become too cosy, and make drivers feel drowsy, especially on longer drives. Studies have shown that, by having cold air blowing on the face in such circumstances, driver awareness increases, and the affects of feeling tired at the wheel are reduced.

On a scorching hot sunny day, it might be possible to have the car cooled down to a low temperature by the air-con, and have warm fresh air blowing at your face (and hands if you place them by the vents), by having the dial turned to the blue side, but aside from curiosity value, I can't see why you would. Added to that, by the time the fresh air had moved through the vents, and then moved through the cooled cabin, the air would not be that warm.

In reality, it's not possible to have the cabin chilled right down, and have very hot air coming out of the vents.

And that's basically it - The dial's main function is to help make the driver feel more comfortable, and help prevent them falling asleep at the wheel

[fattiereturns]

Thanks guys