iDrive Climate control settings
Discussion
Can anyone give me an idiots guide to how this should work in my 6 series? I've had the car a while now but the system still defies all logic at times! I've even had the a/c regassed as it wasn't very cold. Only to find out I had set it to "mild" instead of "agressive" (or what ever it's called!)
There are a few bits that confuse me:
- In the iDrive screen for air distribution. What effect does the box on the drivers side (option of 4 red or 4 blue bars) have?
- Why, depending on the setting of the above, does the AC temp vary so much? i.e. If I have 4 red bars, then I cannot get icy cold air from the system. But, if I have no bars/1 grey bar, then the air is neither especially warm or icy cold.
- My wife tends to like warmer air out of the system, whereas I prefer it colder. What settings are the best bet to get a steady 23/24 degrees on the passenger side and around 18/19 on the driver?
- Do I need to use this screen more than I currently am? I assumed it was just for setup but it seems to be for regular control of the AC too?
There are a few bits that confuse me:
- In the iDrive screen for air distribution. What effect does the box on the drivers side (option of 4 red or 4 blue bars) have?
- Why, depending on the setting of the above, does the AC temp vary so much? i.e. If I have 4 red bars, then I cannot get icy cold air from the system. But, if I have no bars/1 grey bar, then the air is neither especially warm or icy cold.
- My wife tends to like warmer air out of the system, whereas I prefer it colder. What settings are the best bet to get a steady 23/24 degrees on the passenger side and around 18/19 on the driver?
- Do I need to use this screen more than I currently am? I assumed it was just for setup but it seems to be for regular control of the AC too?
threesixty said:
Assuming its the same as the 3 series.
I leave the idrive screen set to medium. The dial in the centre of the dash is just for the two centre vents and I doubt the system could maintain a 6 degree temperature difference.
I assume you have the auto button lit on the dash?
Not sure I follow, what do you mean by Medium in the iDrive menu, 1 grey bar? (I can get a pic if that helps.)I leave the idrive screen set to medium. The dial in the centre of the dash is just for the two centre vents and I doubt the system could maintain a 6 degree temperature difference.
I assume you have the auto button lit on the dash?
I have three dials on the dash, one temp for each side and a blower speed. I've tried getting it to work with both Auto and Manual.
threesixty said:
Assuming its the same as the 3 series.
I leave the idrive screen set to medium. The dial in the centre of the dash is just for the two centre vents and I doubt the system could maintain a 6 degree temperature difference.
I assume you have the auto button lit on the dash?
Not sure I follow, what do you mean by Medium in the iDrive menu, 1 grey bar? (I can get a pic if that helps.)I leave the idrive screen set to medium. The dial in the centre of the dash is just for the two centre vents and I doubt the system could maintain a 6 degree temperature difference.
I assume you have the auto button lit on the dash?
I have three dials on the dash, one temp for each side and a blower speed. I've tried getting it to work with both Auto and Manual.
If its anything like my 7, that screen is a bloody mystery.
I left the little arrow thingy set in the middle of the hot/cold bar (IIRC) and basically just press the AUTO button when I want a normal temp(so the selected temp disappears from the bottom of the screen and AUTO appears instead), and if I want cold air I go to the iDrive display and select the 'head' setting I think instead of 'MIDDLE'. Or something. This then blows cold air into my face. But I DO have a little wheel to alter the required temperature, shown on the bottom of the screen on the left or right, depending on whether you want passenger or driver.
And it will happily blow 30 passenger, 17 driver if you really want!
It is awfully confusing though. Do you not have the manual? Apparently you can read them....
-R
I left the little arrow thingy set in the middle of the hot/cold bar (IIRC) and basically just press the AUTO button when I want a normal temp(so the selected temp disappears from the bottom of the screen and AUTO appears instead), and if I want cold air I go to the iDrive display and select the 'head' setting I think instead of 'MIDDLE'. Or something. This then blows cold air into my face. But I DO have a little wheel to alter the required temperature, shown on the bottom of the screen on the left or right, depending on whether you want passenger or driver.
And it will happily blow 30 passenger, 17 driver if you really want!
It is awfully confusing though. Do you not have the manual? Apparently you can read them....
-R
LOL yeh agree it is weird.
In normal UK circumstances (for me this would be 0°c to say 24°c) I leave the idrive setting on the white bars (which is medium) and hit the auto button and then control the temperature via the knob on the dash as comfortable (around 22 °c).
Now say it's 36°c outside I turn the knob on the dash down to 16°c the A/C is not as effective as it would be if the outside temperature was say 24°c and it would take ages to cool the car down. This is when I go in to the Idrive and turn the settings there to 4 blue bars which is the coldest. As soon as doing this within a min the thing is blowing ice cold air
You would do the same for winter - say it's -8°c you would turn the idrive setting to 4 red bars which would give you the warmest setting.
HTH
In normal UK circumstances (for me this would be 0°c to say 24°c) I leave the idrive setting on the white bars (which is medium) and hit the auto button and then control the temperature via the knob on the dash as comfortable (around 22 °c).
Now say it's 36°c outside I turn the knob on the dash down to 16°c the A/C is not as effective as it would be if the outside temperature was say 24°c and it would take ages to cool the car down. This is when I go in to the Idrive and turn the settings there to 4 blue bars which is the coldest. As soon as doing this within a min the thing is blowing ice cold air
You would do the same for winter - say it's -8°c you would turn the idrive setting to 4 red bars which would give you the warmest setting.
HTH
Edited by 6BMW on Thursday 24th June 19:53
Nice one guys.
I did try the manual but it wasn't too clear. I've just had a re-read and it seems to make a bit more sense now. I will try find time to have a play around and finally figure it out.
I hadn't appreciated that the blue/grey/red bars were just for the dashboard vents so need to take that into consideration. I had also forgotten about the Automatic Intensity settings.
I want to find the iDrive settings which will give me the broadest range on the temp dials without having to go back into it.
Robsa, how do you have yours setup to get 30 one side and 17 the other?!
I did try the manual but it wasn't too clear. I've just had a re-read and it seems to make a bit more sense now. I will try find time to have a play around and finally figure it out.
I hadn't appreciated that the blue/grey/red bars were just for the dashboard vents so need to take that into consideration. I had also forgotten about the Automatic Intensity settings.
I want to find the iDrive settings which will give me the broadest range on the temp dials without having to go back into it.
Robsa, how do you have yours setup to get 30 one side and 17 the other?!
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