[TucErDoc]

It's no longer summer, but can anyone weigh in on how well these work? I live in Arizona and wondering if this is a worthwhile feature. I read a post that they were not that good on F15, wondering if they have improved at all.

Do the ventilated seats significantly alter the aesthetic of the seat? I ordered extended merino, how do the micro perforations look?

Speaking of cooling, I found the AC in my 2016 F15 to extremely feeble. It would take a good 20 min to cool the car down. Not sure if this was due to the size of the car, or the fact that it was > 120 deg in the car to start off with.

[AndroidRobot]

microperforations don't hurt the look. As for the AC if it's anything like my G01 X3 M40i it'll be good. I was shocked by how bad the outgoing F15's AC was when I test drive on and had a loaner for 2 weeks.

[roadkillrob]

F15 ventilated seats were a waste of money and not getting them again, I even coded them so they had a higher setting and they still where poor even compared to a crappy chevy tahoe with them. Aesthetically I found them ok looking, not as nice as the smooth leather and the holes do tend to collect dirt and make them harder to clean but otherwise looked fine.

Here is a new review of them in a G05 that was just picked up https://g05.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1554539

[jbx5]

I find that on high you barely feel the seat ventilation

[******]

Originally Posted by roadkillrob

F15 ventilated seats were a waste of money and not getting them again, I even coded them so they had a higher setting and they still where poor even compared to a crappy chevy tahoe with them. Aesthetically I found them ok looking, not as nice as the smooth leather and the holes do tend to collect dirt and make them harder to clean but otherwise looked fine.

Here is a new review of them in a G05 that was just picked up https://g05.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1554539

Ditto all that...had ‘em before, never again.

[imfletcher]

Originally Posted by ******

Ditto all that...had 'em before, never again.

the ventialation is pretty useless. its a "must have" feature on a car for me (im in TX), and i couldn't be more disappointed. you can leave them on max for hours and never know they are on. In our volvo you can't leave it on max for long at all before it becomes way too much.

as far as i can tell all they do is make noise. there isn't any actual airflow

[JayPichardo]

The seats don't "blow" air at you they suck hot hair away from you.

[imfletcher]

Originally Posted by JayPichardo

The seats don't "blow" air at you they suck hot hair away from you.

Yeah i get they are suck vs blow (spaceballs, anyone?). Whatever they intended, what they ended up with is wholly ineffective. Wonder if you can get those fans to reverse.....

[Pictor]

You can get better performance on the ventilated seats by coding them to a lower default temp. I don't know why BMW haven't addressed their ventilated seats but the best way to think of them is that they are ventilated and NOT cooled. They're great for long road trips but they're not going to do anything noticable for short 15-30 minute drives.

I haven't done this on the G05 X5 but it helped get cooler seats on our F15 X5. If you're familiar with coding BMW's some values to look for:

Front driver seat cushions:

SM [6d]->3008 SITZKLIMA, 13->SKL_TEMP_SOLL_ST1_KI
SM [6d]->3008 SITZKLIMA, 13->SKL_TEMP_SOLL_ST2_KI
SM [6d]->3008 SITZKLIMA, 13->SKL_TEMP_SOLL_ST3_KI

Front driver seat back:

SM [6d]->3008 SITZKLIMA, 13->SKL_TEMP_SOLL_ST1_LE
SM [6d]->3008 SITZKLIMA, 13->SKL_TEMP_SOLL_ST2_LE
SM [6d]->3008 SITZKLIMA, 13->SKL_TEMP_SOLL_ST3_LE

Corresponding values can be found for the front passenger seat in the SM [6e] ECU

The default temperatures are:

Seat cooler position 1 cushion Werte=23 (35° C)
Seat cooler position 2 cushion Werte=21 (33° C)
Seat cooler position 3 cushion Werte=1E (30° C)
Seat cooler position 1 back Werte=23 (35° C)
Seat cooler position 2 back Werte=21 (33° C)
Seat cooler position 3 back Werte=1E (30° C)

Change the Werte value to the Hex value corresponding to the temp you want. Example Werte 18 == 24° C

[JCZ5]

I agree with the previous comments that ventilation is pretty much useless. I would not get it, but I know that also forgo massaging seats, at least in US.

Regardless, I redshifted the funds for leather dash and multi-contour seats.

[Smithcinema]

Originally Posted by JCZ5

I agree with the previous comments that ventilation is pretty much useless. I would not get it, but I know that also forgo massaging seats, at least in US.

Regardless, I redshifted the funds for leather dash and multi-contour seats.

Yes message seats a must , when I drive in my friends the meleno seats feel like any other luxury vehicle it's the message seats that stand out

[aspiring335]

I'm not clear on why the temperature values are used in that there is no "conditioning" of the airflow through the seats. Since all the fans are doing is sucking air into the perforations, not blowing out cooled air, I'm assuming the temperature values in the coding are just a proxy for higher fan speeds? The noise of the fans is already quite annoying on the highest setting, so I'm not sure I'd want them to be running harder.

I remember reading somewhere that true air conditioned / cooled seats are not healthy, but googled it again and can't find any references to this being an issue.

Originally Posted by Pictor

You can get better performance on the ventilated seats by coding them to a lower default temp. I don't know why BMW haven't addressed their ventilated seats but the best way to think of them is that they are ventilated and NOT cooled. They're great for long road trips but they're not going to do anything noticable for short 15-30 minute drives.

I haven't done this on the G05 X5 but it helped get cooler seats on our F15 X5. If you're familiar with coding BMW's some values to look for:

Front driver seat cushions:

SM [6d]->3008 SITZKLIMA, 13->SKL_TEMP_SOLL_ST1_KI
SM [6d]->3008 SITZKLIMA, 13->SKL_TEMP_SOLL_ST2_KI
SM [6d]->3008 SITZKLIMA, 13->SKL_TEMP_SOLL_ST3_KI

Front driver seat back:

SM [6d]->3008 SITZKLIMA, 13->SKL_TEMP_SOLL_ST1_LE
SM [6d]->3008 SITZKLIMA, 13->SKL_TEMP_SOLL_ST2_LE
SM [6d]->3008 SITZKLIMA, 13->SKL_TEMP_SOLL_ST3_LE

Corresponding values can be found for the front passenger seat in the SM [6e] ECU

The default temperatures are:

Seat cooler position 1 cushion Werte=23 (35° C)
Seat cooler position 2 cushion Werte=21 (33° C)
Seat cooler position 3 cushion Werte=1E (30° C)
Seat cooler position 1 back Werte=23 (35° C)
Seat cooler position 2 back Werte=21 (33° C)
Seat cooler position 3 back Werte=1E (30° C)

Change the Werte value to the Hex value corresponding to the temp you want. Example Werte 18 == 24° C

[GTFM3]

I think the cooled seats are great when I have experienced them (friends Caddy I think), but most don't offer (U.S. only?)
I remember reading that the cooling can create problems related to differences in humidity, but can't find source.
I thought BMW system had "blown" air, not suction. Incorrect? Even if not "cooled", I would think suction would be less effective (as it is in my Macan) that blown air.

[Tenac]

Originally Posted by TucErDoc

It's no longer summer, but can anyone weigh in on how well these work? I live in Arizona and wondering if this is a worthwhile feature. I read a post that they were not that good on F15, wondering if they have improved at all.

Do the ventilated seats significantly alter the aesthetic of the seat? I ordered extended merino, how do the micro perforations look?

Speaking of cooling, I found the AC in my 2016 F15 to extremely feeble. It would take a good 20 min to cool the car down. Not sure if this was due to the size of the car, or the fact that it was > 120 deg in the car to start off with.

As a fellow AZ driver, one of the best things I have done for any vehicle was the ceramic on all windows. You can get 90% which is clear or any darkness you like. I went all 90% can't tell a difference. I have test drove with the vented though only at 85 outside temp but still didn't warrant me to insist on getting them. I felt compared to other seats which blow AC or ambient air the vacuum they perform isn't that great. So far though we been hitting 90's and with the ceramic it takes no time at all for the AC to cool down my X5 or the wife's X3.

My thoughts if you have a car on the lot with them and like the car nothing hurts to have them. If you would be waiting to order just because of the vent seats, not worth my wait!! lol

[wrickem]

Originally Posted by JayPichardo

The seats don't "blow" air at you they suck hot hair away from you.

I find this hard to believe that they'd have changed them from blowing to sucking. Both of our BMWs with lux seating will blow a tissue around on the seat, not suck it to the seat - because the fans blow outwards. Why would they want to pull sweaty air from your back and other sweaty body parts instead of they way they've always done it where it pulls fresh air from under the seat (where there's an HVAC outlet).

Until I see you do a "tissue test" video on a BMW with the tissue being sucked to the seat instead of lightly blowing around, I'm not believing that they suck the air in from the surface.

From the BMW technology guide:

Active seat ventilation.

Keeping you feeling fresh even on the longest journey: the active seat ventilation ensures that air circulates throughout the seat constantly, removing moisture and helping prevent discomfort or driving fatigue.

A total of nine axial flow fans are integrated into the high-quality foam padding inside the seat: four in the backrest and five in the seat. The fans draw fresh cabin air into the seats and channel it through an air-permeable middle layer, distributing it evenly throughout the seat. Special perforations in the upholstery allow it to move through the leather, keeping perspiration to a minimum.
The three-speed fans can be controlled using a switch on the central console or a control on the seat itself, depending on your BMW model. The iDrive Controller lets you change the distribution of air between the seat and the backrest. The highest fan speed instantly cools seats that have been heated by direct sunlight, ensuring a comfortable welcome even in summer.
In order to prevent uncomfortable over-cooling of the seat surface, the active seat ventilation includes seat heating, which heats the air to a perfectly comfortable temperature. Long journeys become more comfortable, the driver remains alert and fresh, and - last but not least - clothes are left less creased.

[aspiring335]

Originally Posted by wrickem

I find this hard to believe that they'd have changed them from blowing to sucking.

But doesn't the description that you've included specifically state that they "draw air into the perforations"?

[Tenac]

Originally Posted by aspiring335

But doesn't the description that you've included specifically state that they "draw air into the perforations"?

If you simply sit in one and turn it on you will know exactly that it sucks and does not blow. I had another vehicle that blew air and it was way better in my opinion than the method BMW uses. But could be placebo effect do to the feel. The test drive of one I had did not make me feel like a must have at all. But then again neither did the message seats..

[wrickem]

Originally Posted by wrickem

From the BMW technology guide:

Active seat ventilation.

Keeping you feeling fresh even on the longest journey: the active seat ventilation ensures that air circulates throughout the seat constantly, removing moisture and helping prevent discomfort or driving fatigue.

A total of nine axial flow fans are integrated into the high-quality foam padding inside the seat: four in the backrest and five in the seat. The fans draw fresh cabin air into the seats and channel it through an air-permeable middle layer, distributing it evenly throughout the seat. Special perforations in the upholstery allow it to move through the leather, keeping perspiration to a minimum.
The three-speed fans can be controlled using a switch on the central console or a control on the seat itself, depending on your BMW model. The iDrive Controller lets you change the distribution of air between the seat and the backrest. The highest fan speed instantly cools seats that have been heated by direct sunlight, ensuring a comfortable welcome even in summer.
In order to prevent uncomfortable over-cooling of the seat surface, the active seat ventilation includes seat heating, which heats the air to a perfectly comfortable temperature. Long journeys become more comfortable, the driver remains alert and fresh, and - last but not least - clothes are left less creased.

Originally Posted by aspiring335

But doesn't the description that you've included specifically state that they "draw air into the perforations"?

I think you may have skipped the sentence prior to that to get the whole picture.

The fans draw fresh cabin air into the seats and channel it through an air-permeable middle layer, distributing it evenly throughout the seat. which then goes to "Special perforations in the upholstery allow it to move through the leather"

Why would they pull your sweaty back and butt-air and "distribute it evenly throughout the seat"? That's not fresh cabin air at all - that's sweaty butt crack air - I don't want that distributed in my seat.

Although my X5 does not have ventilated seats to try it on, our 2 day old X7 does. The tissue blows UP...it's not sucked down when it's placed on the seat with the ventillation on, just like my M6 and my F10. I can not imagine for a minute that they would reverse the fans in the X5

[Tenac]

The term sucks air is actually not accurate. It blows air into the chamber but it is directed at an exit. Means it does not build pressure against you as you sit in the seat (like many other vehicles have). That is where they get the suck air from. Technically it is not blowing air on the passenger/driver it is blowing air by the wholes. But since it cannot build pressure it is not actually putting air through the wholes as you sit there either. Very strange procedure but BMW says it is a better method to keep you dry.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by wrickem

I find this hard to believe that they'd have changed them from blowing to sucking. Both of our BMWs with lux seating will blow a tissue around on the seat, not suck it to the seat - because the fans blow outwards. Why would they want to pull sweaty air from your back and other sweaty body parts instead of they way they've always done it where it pulls fresh air from under the seat (where there's an HVAC outlet).

Until I see you do a "tissue test" video on a BMW with the tissue being sucked to the seat instead of lightly blowing around, I'm not believing that they suck the air in from the surface.

From the BMW technology guide:

Active seat ventilation.

Keeping you feeling fresh even on the longest journey: the active seat ventilation ensures that air circulates throughout the seat constantly, removing moisture and helping prevent discomfort or driving fatigue.

A total of nine axial flow fans are integrated into the high-quality foam padding inside the seat: four in the backrest and five in the seat. The fans draw fresh cabin air into the seats and channel it through an air-permeable middle layer, distributing it evenly throughout the seat. Special perforations in the upholstery allow it to move through the leather, keeping perspiration to a minimum.
The three-speed fans can be controlled using a switch on the central console or a control on the seat itself, depending on your BMW model. The iDrive Controller lets you change the distribution of air between the seat and the backrest. The highest fan speed instantly cools seats that have been heated by direct sunlight, ensuring a comfortable welcome even in summer.
In order to prevent uncomfortable over-cooling of the seat surface, the active seat ventilation includes seat heating, which heats the air to a perfectly comfortable temperature. Long journeys become more comfortable, the driver remains alert and fresh, and - last but not least - clothes are left less creased.

Ditto aspiring335...the way the info you posted reads...confirms to me that the fans suck air into the perforations to remove moisture...the same way the vent in a bathroom removes moisture from the room when taking a shower.

[davramic]

We got into the X5 when the interior was about 95 degrees after being in the sun all day. One seat with ventilation on, one without. There is a very large, noticeable difference and I truly have no clue why people on here say there is none. I had 8 people cycle through and each and every person (6 of which have never been in a BMW before) could identify which seat was cool and with ventilation without being told. These are NOT blowing ice cold AC hair up your ass; it isn't meant to. But to say it has no cooling effect is ignorant and kind of dumb. Just the perforations alone vs. solid leather will give a more cooling effect.

[wrickem]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

Ditto aspiring335...the way the info you posted reads...confirms to me that the fans suck air into the perforations to remove moisture...the same way the vent in a bathroom removes moisture from the room when taking a shower.

but where is it getting the fresh air from? underneath the seat.

Do the tissue test for yourself on yours, just unfold one and place it on your seat with the ventilation on high...you'll see it blowing the tissue up from the seat top not pulling it into the seat.