BMW Heating/Cooling system design (mini-rant)
Discussion
Why, when they seem to design everything else fairly well, do BMW manage to cock-up the design of their heating and cooling systems.
For example, on my old E36, when you turn the knob to direct the venting to 'face only', it only allowed you get cold air. Why?
(see knob on the right)
And why, on the E38, with digital climate control (allowing you to select the temperature in 0.5 degree increment) is there a knob that allows you to select whether you want hot or cold air? Shirley that's the point of the digital selector??
hot/cold roller switch between top two vents -vs- full digital temperature selectors on the LCD panel below
Either of these things on either of these cars pissing anyone else off?
(Please. It will be like therapy for me)
For example, on my old E36, when you turn the knob to direct the venting to 'face only', it only allowed you get cold air. Why?
(see knob on the right)
And why, on the E38, with digital climate control (allowing you to select the temperature in 0.5 degree increment) is there a knob that allows you to select whether you want hot or cold air? Shirley that's the point of the digital selector??
hot/cold roller switch between top two vents -vs- full digital temperature selectors on the LCD panel below
Either of these things on either of these cars pissing anyone else off?
(Please. It will be like therapy for me)
ETA pics
Edited by monthefish on Monday 26th May 20:30
I just bought my first BMW (an E90 330iSE) and was a little baffled by the "red" to "blue" thumbwheel on the vent (front and back).
It seemed as though the A/C was struggling a little to keep the temp comfortable in the sun so I moved the wheel over to blue. Much better!!
Does any other manufacturer have this?
It seemed as though the A/C was struggling a little to keep the temp comfortable in the sun so I moved the wheel over to blue. Much better!!
Does any other manufacturer have this?
I don't know about the E36, but I thought the heating & cooling in the E32, E34, E38, E39 & E60 are wonderful.
In most cars, you just get to chose the temperature for everyone. BMW (and a few others) give you the choice to set different temperatures left & right. They can be "digitally" set to 0.5 oC, which I think is overkill, but nomatter.
The temp control on the vents allows you to set a different temp for face and feet. This is just a difference control, so that the "face" temperature tracks up and down with the "feet" temp, and maintains a steady difference.
Many cars give you same temp in your face as your feet, which many people (like me) find undesirable. I very much prefer cool face and warm feet, and I think most people do to some extent. BMW give you that option, and allow you to adjust it.
Not only that, but the face temp for driver and passenger can be different. If you wanted, you could have everything set to say 20 degrees, or you could have something like this:
Left face: 18 degrees
Left feet: 20 degrees
Right face: 19 degrees
Right feet: 21 degrees
BMW must have gone to considerable trouble and expense to implement this flexibility, but I think it really is an extravagent and desirable luxury.
regards, Nick
In most cars, you just get to chose the temperature for everyone. BMW (and a few others) give you the choice to set different temperatures left & right. They can be "digitally" set to 0.5 oC, which I think is overkill, but nomatter.
The temp control on the vents allows you to set a different temp for face and feet. This is just a difference control, so that the "face" temperature tracks up and down with the "feet" temp, and maintains a steady difference.
Many cars give you same temp in your face as your feet, which many people (like me) find undesirable. I very much prefer cool face and warm feet, and I think most people do to some extent. BMW give you that option, and allow you to adjust it.
Not only that, but the face temp for driver and passenger can be different. If you wanted, you could have everything set to say 20 degrees, or you could have something like this:
Left face: 18 degrees
Left feet: 20 degrees
Right face: 19 degrees
Right feet: 21 degrees
BMW must have gone to considerable trouble and expense to implement this flexibility, but I think it really is an extravagent and desirable luxury.
regards, Nick
That hot/cold wheel on my E90 annoys me too. I can see why you might want some cool air to your face, whilst the rest of the vents are kicking out warm air, but for me it's just another thing to fiddle with when the outside temperature changes or when the sun goes in. The 6 series doesn't seem to have this feature.
The hot/cold wheel or its lack is my biggest complaint about iDrive on my car - you have to do it via the Climate menu now. It is a great control that allows you to have cool air to the face while the rest of your body gets warm air.
Other complaints about the E60: the temperature dials are impossible to read.
Other complaints about the E60: the temperature dials are impossible to read.
Webber3 said:
That hot/cold wheel on my E90 annoys me too. I can see why you might want some cool air to your face, whilst the rest of the vents are kicking out warm air, but for me it's just another thing to fiddle with when the outside temperature changes or when the sun goes in. The 6 series doesn't seem to have this feature.
welwynnick said:
Left face: 18 degrees
Left feet: 20 degrees
Right face: 19 degrees
Right feet: 21 degrees
BMW must have gone to considerable trouble and expense to implement this flexibility, but I think it really is an extravagent and desirable luxury.
regards, Nick
So where do you set the wheel to attain a 2 degree differnetial?Left feet: 20 degrees
Right face: 19 degrees
Right feet: 21 degrees
BMW must have gone to considerable trouble and expense to implement this flexibility, but I think it really is an extravagent and desirable luxury.
regards, Nick
The heating on my E36 was absolutely perfect.
Dual zone climate control kept my son warmer and me cooler. And the ability to have heat to the feet and cool air to the face was perfect.
Actually, its the latter that winds me up on most cars - set the temperature to "hot" on the dial, and you get hot air on the face. STUPID! Thats more likely to send you to sleep than a blast of cold air!
Dual zone climate control kept my son warmer and me cooler. And the ability to have heat to the feet and cool air to the face was perfect.
Actually, its the latter that winds me up on most cars - set the temperature to "hot" on the dial, and you get hot air on the face. STUPID! Thats more likely to send you to sleep than a blast of cold air!
clonmult said:
The heating on my E36 was absolutely perfect.
Dual zone climate control kept my son warmer and me cooler. And the ability to have heat to the feet and cool air to the face was perfect.
Actually, its the latter that winds me up on most cars - set the temperature to "hot" on the dial, and you get hot air on the face. STUPID! Thats more likely to send you to sleep than a blast of cold air!
I think you're misunderstanding me. I LOVE dual zone climate control.Dual zone climate control kept my son warmer and me cooler. And the ability to have heat to the feet and cool air to the face was perfect.
Actually, its the latter that winds me up on most cars - set the temperature to "hot" on the dial, and you get hot air on the face. STUPID! Thats more likely to send you to sleep than a blast of cold air!
My gripe with the E36 was that you could only have cold air to the face which, especially when you're driving a convertible in winter with the roof down, is not what you want.
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