Bmw Heater Function Why Bmw?

[Kerrazy]

So from day to day cold to warm temperatures outside. Why can we not just turn up heat by turning temperature? we also have to hit the vent control button which in turn displays on the IDrive, then adjust from cold to hot or whatever we require... And then the temperature knob will correctly adjust..Does this not seem redundant and only specific to BMW?

There must be a reason to have this additional step or setting. On my previous bmws it was a blue/red rotary knob then actual temp setting.

Someone explain this

[mitch808]

'cause German engineering.

[007_e350]

whats worse is, there's a setting to shutoff rear climate control .. kids weren't getting any heat and that setting turns on/ off by itself atleast couple times
did u try auto ?

[theaudir8fan]

I think it work if you leave it on auto, the good thing is we have 3 fan modes in auto, so I have always just left the system on auto and adjust the temp which will make the system compensate for the change in temps

[Kerrazy]

Nope if you have set in blue on I drive and digitally turn up heater, it blows harder but not as hot as when set in red. Must be a reason. If I find out I will post.

[Flying Ace]

don't get me started on the temperature knob adjustment...seems very redundant, they should have just made it like a home's thermostat...

Anyways, it's recommended you simply use the auto feature and the HVAC will adjust fan speed to the desired temperature.

here's some discussion from the M3post...they talk about the "wheel" for hot/cold, which is the equivalent of the digital knob that you're talking about for the X5. On the M3, it's not digital, it's a wheel:


All other concepts are the same with the E70, in short, BMW designed it so you can blow heat/cool air to your body, and separately blow heat/cool air to your face.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=750638
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=547298

[heatmizr]

With the cooler temps rolling in I just realized I had the same question as the OP myself. I thought my heater was broken as I could only detect heat when the dial was on the max temp setting of 84 F. All other temp settings produced just cool air. Turns out I was not in AUTO mode, and had the iDrive vent control on full Cold, for summer)

So just yesterday I realized that if I pressed the dash Vent button and moved the knob up to Hot, and I got plenty of heat. (again, in Non-Auto mode)

So it seems the iDrive onscreen dial setting just sets the temp for anything other than the AUTO function; reading the two links above I think confirms that. They could just put some indication on the iDrive screen for temp that states "Manual Temp control" or similar that could clue ppl in.

I have been impressed by the AUTO function too, particularly on the e70 because it has three intensity settings. Our e90 doesn't have this, and therefore never used AUTO on that car. I am beginning to appreciate AUTO on the X5 though, and just cycling through Soft/Medium/Intense settings.

[X Driver]

This is just to adjust the mid vents, compared to the complete setting..

Read the manual once.. Then you know.. No need to change always..

[yoandry]

Move down to Florida and forget about the heat option for life. jk