[Frenetic]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't understand BMW's frenetic and confused climate control settings.

In all of my previous cars, the AUTO setting is just that, it attempts to bring the cabin temperature to the set temperature, and for the most part it worked as advertised with little fuss. However, for BMW, the AUTO setting isn't that simple...

First, I don't understand the intensity setting: when I set the cabin temperature to 72, for example, the amount of cooling varies based on this "behind the scenes" setting. It seems to be cooler when the intensity setting is set to stronger. Does that mean the "72" number is more of a guideline versus a set point and, depending on what you set behind the scenes, it could be above or below that temperature?

There's also a third setting that seems to directly affect the AUTO setting as well: the vent temperature setting.

For example, I tested various setting configurations and with everything set to the middle: intensity normal and vent settings at the middle, setting AUTO to 68 felt the same as setting AUTO to 74 with intensity set to strong and the vent settings set to max cold.

Why can't 72 mean 72?

[TurtleBoy]

Actually 72 does mean 72 as far as the overall cabin temperature is concerned. When you set it to Auto it will adjust the temp of the air flowing from the vents and the fan speed in order to achieve that temp.

The upper vent temp setting is a comfort setting in which the driver and the passenger can set the temperature of the air blowing on them to be comfortable for them without changing the overall cabin temperature.

[Tenac]

Just like Turtle said, set your temp mine is currently at 73 and have it in auto. Once I get back into it to drive say sitting in AZ hot summer day, its on full blast. As it reaches the temp the fan goes back to where you set the fan speed to be for comfort, mine second bar up from bottom.

[MystroX5]

The hidden vent temp is what most get tripped up with. Huge mistake for BMW not keeping the blue/red dial on the dash. It would have been a cool retro tactile throwback seeing it in brushed aluminum matching the volume button.
It’s is so much more intuitive and convenient than hiding it. This would be like putting your window switch 2 pages back in the iDrive 7 screen. How many threads have we had by new owners complaining their ac isn’t cold because of this??? BMW uses the luxury philosophy that vent sound and vent temp can be distracting so they let their customers decide what they can handle. If BMW engineered a “max auto control” that would override the vent temps by factoring the outside temps and would initiate the fastest way to obtain the desired temp by what ever temp or wind speed is required. This would be similar to the more basic auto climate controls in the domestic cars.

[doctorttt]

The temp setting is one of those things that I can't figure out. Where do you set your preferred cabin temperature?

Also when you remote start via fob or connected app, will the car automatically turn on the ac or heat until the cabin temp is at the user defined level?

[Tenac]

Originally Posted by doctorttt

The temp setting is one of those things that I can't figure out. Where do you set your preferred cabin temperature?

Also when you remote start via fob or connected app, will the car automatically turn on the ac or heat until the cabin temp is at the user defined level?

Have it in auto, there is a button that shows temp up and down, and then there is one for the fan, where ever you move that that is the auto setting it will use at a constant.

Yes, if you remote start with it in auto it will cool the cabin to set temp.

[Frenetic]

Maybe it’s just me, but if you set the intensity to medium, vent setting to normal and the auto setting to 68, the cabin feels exactly the same to me with an auto setting of 74, but with a strong intensity and max cold vent setting. The only difference is the latter setup is just louder.

I’m not sure where the cabin thermometer is located and/or how the climate-control system determines what, where and how cold to dispense climatized air, but both settings achieve the same results to me, which is strange.

I just want to set it and forget it, but it’s very hard to do that in this car for some reason.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by Frenetic

Maybe it’s just me, but if you set the intensity to medium, vent setting to normal and the auto setting to 68, the cabin feels exactly the same to me with an auto setting of 74, but with a strong intensity and max cold vent setting. The only difference is the latter setup is just louder.

I’m not sure where the cabin thermometer is located and/or how the climate-control system determines what, where and how cold to dispense climatized air, but both settings achieve the same results to me, which is strange.

I just want to set it and forget it, but it’s very hard to do that in this car for some reason.

Seems like you are over thinking it. As far as what you are feeling (which is not really what that cabin is), in your example, the air hitting your upper body may be the same temperature with both those settings.

For simplicity, in the warmer months I would suggest setting the upper temp vent to the coldest and in the colder months set it to the middle. Choose a cabin temperature you are comfortable with and set the fan to the lowest. That should work in most circumstances and when needed you can always change the temp or fan speed or hit Max AC for a quick cool down.

[nosnoop]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

Seems like you are over thinking it.

+1

Originally Posted by Frenetic

I just want to set it and forget it, but it’s very hard to do that in this car for some reason.

You can do exactly that. The car would do the rest.
It just have the flexibility of changing things to the way you like, and those are optional. For most people, it is not necessary.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by Frenetic

Why can't 72 mean 72?

When its hot or cold (ambient temp wise)...when is it ever the ambient temperature.

In the middle of the country...during winter the weather folks can never just say its 32° F and let it be...theyv’e gotta make it even colder by always touting that with the wind chill factor it will feel like 22° F. And they do the opposite in the summer except its the heat index...instead of 80° F...they bump it up to it feeling like it will be 95° F.

As already mentioned...the “intensity” setting was BMW‘s capitulation to the owners that complained about the fan being too loud when AUTO mode was selected and ambient temps were in the 80s/90s upward. The intensity setting allows them to still use the AUTO mode but only have the HVAC’s blower run at a lower speed...thus its quieter. But the “con” to this is that it will take longer for the cabin to reach the selected set value in very hot temps.

If you live where the summer ambient temps are high and you regularly come back to a vehicle that feels like an oven and you don’t necessarily want to keep pressing the MAX AC button...turn the “intensity” up to a higher setting so that when in AUTO mode...the HVAC fan can blow at a higher velocity to help get the cabin to the desired/set temperature...or help maintain the setting. The HVAC fan will speed up and slow down just like the old HVAC system used in the e38/e39/e46/e53/e70/etc.

The stratified air dial (as mentioned) allows you to heat-up or cool-down the air blowing on the passengers without having to change the overal temp inside the cabin. For example...today it got up to the upper 70s...but tonight its going down to the upper 40’s. I can use the dial to move the stratified air dial into the red area which will allow warmer air to blow from the dash vents...without having to change the overall settings. When the ambient temps drop that much...you usually feel colder...but I don’t actually want to turn on the heat...I can make a quick adjustment using the stratified air dial to blow warmer air at my upper body...and that will take the “chill” away.

[demarcom]

Hi. New to the forum and BMW ownership and the HVAC is driving me crazy. So to summarize what everyone has said, if you have the HVAC in auto, but on 65, the fan will blow only as fast as you have the fan set to? if it's on full speed, once you hit 65 it will slow down? If you have it on a slow speed it will just take forever to reach 65?

This "feature" should be configurable to be on/off and I don't see any setting in the HVAC area to config this to "normal" Right? or did I miss something.

If I want 65, I want cold now! if feel like I have been putting this AC temp way lower than I would ever put any other car's climate control. Max AC works fine, but a pain to always reach for.

[BMW_Cyprus]

That's the idea. If you want 65 faster then use max AC. Otherwise let the auto AC do its job and in the meantime feel free to set colder vent temp for the upper vents for driver/passenger.... Not ideal but this is the BMW World..

[Frenetic]

From what I understand, the fan speed is automatically set in Auto: the fan speed should automatically adjust based on the desired temperature setting and current in-car temperature. So yes, once the car reaches the desired temperature, the fan should automatically adjust down.

However, it’s not that simple when it comes to these cars based on that weird intensity setting. I really have no idea why this setting exists or what exactly it does, but I would assume that this setting allows the fans to adjust its output threshold per temperature setting. In other words, at a medium setting (for example), the fans might automatically output x CFM if the cabin is at 75 and the set temperature is at 70. If you adjust the intensity up, it increases the CFM output level for the same parameters, thereby (theoretically) reaching the set temperature sooner at the expense of higher and louder fan speeds.

Also, your AC could just be flat-out broken. Many others are experiencing poor and/or broken ACs. If it’s not cooling properly, the cabin temperature may never reach that set temperature, which means that fan is going full tilt in its futile attempt to cool the car. This seems to be a common problem.

[VTENGR]

Originally Posted by Frenetic

From what I understand, the fan speed is automatically set in Auto: the fan speed should automatically adjust based on the desired temperature setting and current in-car temperature. So yes, once the car reaches the desired temperature, the fan should automatically adjust down.

However, it’s not that simple when it comes to these cars based on that weird intensity setting. I really have no idea why this setting exists or what exactly it does, but I would assume that this setting allows the fans to adjust its output threshold per temperature setting. In other words, at a medium setting (for example), the fans might automatically output x CFM if the cabin is at 75 and the set temperature is at 70. If you adjust the intensity up, it increases the CFM output level for the same parameters, thereby (theoretically) reaching the set temperature sooner at the expense of higher and louder fan speeds.

Also, your AC could just be flat-out broken. Many others are experiencing poor and/or broken ACs. If it’s not cooling properly, the cabin temperature may never reach that set temperature, which means that fan is going full tilt in its futile attempt to cool the car. This seems to be a common problem.

I would hope that the intensity setting is only used for maintaining the cabin temperature. I would hope that the climate control, in AUTO mode, would do whatever it needs to do to get the cabin to the set temperature as fast as possible. After that is reached then it will blow out the air at whatever intensity you have chosen.

It will be interesting to experiment once it gets really hot down here. Right now the AC doesn't have to work too hard to get the cabin to the set temp.

[demarcom]

Originally Posted by Frenetic

From what I understand, the fan speed is automatically set in Auto: the fan speed should automatically adjust based on the desired temperature setting and current in-car temperature. So yes, once the car reaches the desired temperature, the fan should automatically adjust down.

However, it’s not that simple when it comes to these cars based on that weird intensity setting. I really have no idea why this setting exists or what exactly it does, but I would assume that this setting allows the fans to adjust its output threshold per temperature setting. In other words, at a medium setting (for example), the fans might automatically output x CFM if the cabin is at 75 and the set temperature is at 70. If you adjust the intensity up, it increases the CFM output level for the same parameters, thereby (theoretically) reaching the set temperature sooner at the expense of higher and louder fan speeds.

Also, your AC could just be flat-out broken. Many others are experiencing poor and/or broken ACs. If it’s not cooling properly, the cabin temperature may never reach that set temperature, which means that fan is going full tilt in its futile attempt to cool the car. This seems to be a common problem.

Thanks, I think you clarified my thinking. AC blows cold if I put it on max AC, so I think its just the non traditional functionality BMW has installed on this car is just plain confusing.

I had a friend that randomly asked if I thought the AC was strong in my new x5? because they test drove and X5 and the AC felt very weak, therefore they moved on and back to a Lexus.

I think this "feature" may throw off some potential buyers if the question isn't asked or "feature" discussed in a test drive.

[demarcom]

Originally Posted by VTENGR

I would hope that the intensity setting is only used for maintaining the cabin temperature. I would hope that the climate control, in AUTO mode, would do whatever it needs to do to get the cabin to the set temperature as fast as possible. After that is reached then it will blow out the air at whatever intensity you have chosen.

It will be interesting to experiment once it gets really hot down here. Right now the AC doesn't have to work too hard to get the cabin to the set temp.

Good luck with the experiment. I am in Charlotte and pulling my hair out for the last few weeks wondering why when my drivers side was on 67 and the passengers side was on 67 the fan speeds were totally different. I think I know now... Your choice... quiet fan but hot for a long time or loud fan and cold quickly.

I think one of the best things about getting into a hot car is hearing that fan blast cold air likes its the north pole....

[Timmer-Bimmer]

Part of my feedback to the JD Power Survey was that the AC temperature setting is not accurate. On my Lexus, I can set the temp to 78 degrees and be comfortable. On the BMW I have to set the temp to 70 degrees to get the same temperature.

[Qsilver7]

If the "sound" of the fan doesn't bother you...then set your "intensity" setting to the highest fan speed. That way if you get into a hot car and you have the AUTO HVAC panel setting...the blower will go to its highest setting to get the cabin to the set temperature...then it will automatically slow down to the level it takes to maintain it.

If you have the intensity setting at a lower setting...then it will take longer for the cabin to reach the desired temp. But you won't have to hear the blower pushing the air out of the vents and turn up the audio. It's your choice.

[VTENGR]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

If the "sound" of the fan doesn't bother you...then set your "intensity" setting to the highest fan speed. That way if you get into a hot car and you have the AUTO HVAC panel setting...the blower will go to its highest setting to get the cabin to the set temperature...then it will automatically slow down to the level it takes to maintain it.

If you have the intensity setting at a lower setting...then it will take longer for the cabin to reach the desired temp. But you won't have to hear the blower pushing the air out of the vents and turn up the audio. It's your choice.

Leaving a lunch meeting today I noticed my fans running high eventhough I have the fan intensity set to soft. So I figure in AUTO mode it does adjust the blower speed to get the cabin down to temp.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by VTENGR

Leaving a lunch meeting today I noticed my fans running high eventhough I have the fan intensity set to soft. So I figure in AUTO mode it does adjust the blower speed to get the cabin down to temp.

Mine does that all of the time also. In my experience the intensity is not a setting but rather the speed the fan is currently running. The AUTO mode will choose the speed needed for the current conditions and then it can be manually adjusted.

Each time the car is started the process begins again and AUTO has control of the intensity. I generally keep my intensity at the lowest setting but my fans will blow on high when needed to cool.

Edit: Here is the relevant part of the manual and I think the way it is stated, and what I read into it and experienced, the intensity is controlled by Auto unless changed by the user for that session. In that case, the intensity setting that is chosen will be used as a Min setting and the AUTO program will increase the speed of the fan if needed.