[BKgreyinTX]

Trying to see if its just me, or if others have been experiencing the same. I'm in Texas with current triple digit temps, so any additional "air" down there is helpful, lol. I swear it feels like the seat is also heating when ventilating despite hitting max AC and ventilation. My former 840 GC with merino had pretty good cooling effects in the Texas heat, so assuming it takes a lot more to cool the sensafin and the poor ventilation others I have commented on the X5/X6 doesn't help?

Any thoughts/similar experiences?

[Qsilver7]

I would double check my air direction to see how things are set. To help the seat ventilation...I would make sure that there's at least one air direction selected to go to the floor vents (below the front seats) so that cooled air from those vents can be pulled up into the seat by the fans.

It won't ever feel like AC is blowing on your butt in triple digit temps...but it will help evaporate moisture & sweat to help prevent swamp butt if you're sitting in the seat for any length of time.

[BKgreyinTX]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

I would double check my air direction to see how things are set. To help the seat ventilation...I would make sure that there's at least one air direction selected to go to the floor vents (below the front seats) so that cooled air from those vents can be pulled up into the seat by the fans.

It won't ever feel like AC is blowing on your butt in triple digit temps...but it will help evaporate moisture & sweat to help prevent swamp butt if you're sitting in the seat for any length of time.

Thanks! Yeah, I am using the dynamic air option in iDrive8, but doesn't seem to make much of a difference. Even switched off the auto mode.

[roamio]

Originally Posted by BKgreyinTX

Trying to see if its just me, or if others have been experiencing the same. I'm in Texas with current triple digit temps, so any additional "air" down there is helpful, lol. I swear it feels like the seat is also heating when ventilating despite hitting max AC and ventilation. My former 840 GC with merino had pretty good cooling effects in the Texas heat, so assuming it takes a lot more to cool the sensafin and the poor ventilation others I have commented on the X5/X6 doesn't help?

Any thoughts/similar experiences?

It has nothing to do with sensafin. What you describe is absolutely normal. Ventilated (not cooled) seats is what it is - push ambient air thru ventilation holes. Interior volume of X5/X6 is much larger than 840GC (probably takes longer to cool). Add here abnormal Texas heat and here you go - your jewels are boiling and pushing hot air is not going to help......
My 2015 X5 and 2018 M550 both had ventilated seats and both were very weak at best. So I don't expect anything close to proper cooling effect in our cars.

[TurtleBoy]

Originally Posted by roamio

It has nothing to do with sensafin. What you describe is absolutely normal. Ventilated (not cooled) seats is what it is - push ambient air thru ventilation holes. Interior volume of X5/X6 is much larger than 840GC (probably takes longer to cool). Add here abnormal Texas heat and here you go - your jewels are boiling and pushing hot air is not going to help......
My 2015 X5 and 2018 M550 both had ventilated seats and both were very weak at best. So I don't expect anything close to proper cooling effect in our cars.

This is not correct. The seats suck air in and do not push air out. They use evaporation to cool and dry.

OP - make sure you just have the ventilation on and not also the heating.

[Bolt1949]

Originally Posted by TurtleBoy

This is not correct. The seats suck air in and do not push air out. They use evaporation to cool and dry.

OP - make sure you just have the ventilation on and not also the heating.

Definitely this. Sometimes when seat ventilation is selected both heat and "cool" are activated simultaneously. Check your climate settings and when you activate seat ventilation, select your preferred speed for "cool." I like the medium setting ("two") and be sure heat is off ("zero"). I find the highest fans speed setting to produce audible fan noise that can be distracting. The medium setting negates the audible fan noise for my purposes. I believe you can also set rules for this in the climate settings.

[FastMarkA]

Definitely check to see if seat heating and cooling are active; it is possible to have both simultaneously.

I had Merino in my 45e, and now Sensafin in my 50e. The seat cooling in the 50e feels way more aggressive (a good thing!) than the 45e, or even that of my other BMWs with seat ventilation.

[Davesrb]

I have both a '23 840i with black Merino and a '24 X6 with Silverstone Sensafin, my wife has a '19 X7 with Black leather. I'm in North Florida where it is in the mid 90's. I had all 3 of the cars out in the sun the other day while I was cleaning up the garage. I hopped in each to pull them into the garage when I was done and paid attention to the seat cooling.
The ventilated seats in the 840 work very well and cool down hot seats literally as soon as the a/c starts blowing cool. The X6 works pretty well, although the seats don't get as hot as the black leather, they also don't cool down as quickly as the 840. The X7 was the worst, even after the air was blowing cold, the air flow was anemic at best. My wife has always complained that these were the worst ventilated seats she has experienced.

[Blue87]

These are the worst ventilated seats I've ever experienced as well and that's across 4 manufacturers. They are better than nothing, but barely seem to do much once the temps reach upper 80s and 90s. I notice them working the best during springtime temps (60-80), meaning I can actually feel the air being pulled through. Despite the above, better to have than not.

[blinsc]

I have the same experience as BKgreyinTX with Black Extended Merino leather; I'm in Houston rather than Dallas, but same thing... triple digit temperatures from around noon until evening.

If I could go back in time I would change my seats from Black to Ivory White and just live with the potential of stains, etc. being more visible.

The seats in this car are really comfortable but they are ultra-hot after the car has been sitting in the sun, and they stay that way for the entire trip no matter how long the trip is or how low the AC is set. And as Blue87 mentioned, the ventilation is really only effective at temperatures where it isn't really needed (eg, below 85-90 degrees F). Above that, it doesn't do any good, because it's just moving around hot air. And I know for certain I don't have seat heating enabled... it's set to "Off."

I've had other cars with black leather seats and never experienced anything like this before.

The only thing I've noticed that helps (barely) is to waste fuel and pre-condition, so that the cool air from the AC is blowing on the empty seat. I'm going to look at getting a shade for the windshield I think.

[ST3]

Originally Posted by Blue87

These are also the worst ventilated seats I've ever experienced as well and that's across 4 manufacturers. They are better than nothing, but barely seem to do much once the temps reach upper 80s and 90s. I notice them working the best during springtime temps (60-80), meaning I can actually feel the air being pulled through. Despite the above, better to have than not.

My only experience has been with BMW and GM. My first BMW with ventilated seats was a 2013 model. They have not made any changes since then. I went in to that car thinking it would be like my GMC Denali which actually has cooled seats. Until you lower the overall temp in the car it might feel like (because it is) hot air blowing on your back. As TurtleBoy mentioned you do need to confirm you don’t have the heated seats on simultaneously with the ventilation when it’s summer weather.

[frankshhh]

I'm in Dallas as well, it's been absolutely insanely hot recently. I've parked my 23 X5 under afternoon sun (100F+) for hours but used pre-conditioning more than 10 minutes before getting back on to the car. It was surprisingly cool and almost cold on the seat.

Imagine ventilation as a warm/cool amplifier instead of a part of cooling system. If the cabin is cool enough, you'll feel extra cool. If the cabin is too hot, you might feel extra heat (this might not make sense physically but that's how I feel). So in short, set your AC more aggressively and use pre-conditioning (remote start) as frequent as you could to lower the cabin temperature, and you'll feel benefit of the ventilation.

[BKgreyinTX]

Originally Posted by blinsc

I have the same experience as BKgreyinTX with Black Extended Merino leather; I'm in Houston rather than Dallas, but same thing... triple digit temperatures from around noon until evening.

If I could go back in time I would change my seats from Black to Ivory White and just live with the potential of stains, etc. being more visible.

The seats in this car are really comfortable but they are ultra-hot after the car has been sitting in the sun, and they stay that way for the entire trip no matter how long the trip is or how low the AC is set. And as Blue87 mentioned, the ventilation is really only effective at temperatures where it isn't really needed (eg, below 85-90 degrees F). Above that, it doesn't do any good, because it's just moving around hot air. And I know for certain I don't have seat heating enabled... it's set to "Off."

I've had other cars with black leather seats and never experienced anything like this before.

The only thing I've noticed that helps (barely) is to waste fuel and pre-condition, so that the cool air from the AC is blowing on the empty seat. I'm going to look at getting a shade for the windshield I think.

Thanks for sharing your experience!

[swainbmw]

My experience with leather alternatives is that they don’t breathe like leather meaning you sweat way more than you normally would with leather there nice in the since they look better down the road and hold up longer than leather but they stink like a plastic resin, and some take on a very foul odor in humid weather. I’m not a fan of them, nor would I ever buy a car with it again.

[DaveDBD]

I too have noticed heating sensation when turning on seat ventilation. I think it is because the second row is much hotter than the front initially. Try waiting until the car has cooled down.

[nZtiZia]

on long road trips during the winter, I activate both seat heating and ventilation. I find more comfort than just ventilation or heating alone. on road trips in warmer weather, I just activate seat ventilation. I have Vernasca leather

while the seat ventilation does a good job as designed, I do prefer cooled seats that actually push AC air out of them.

[DaveDBD]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

while the seat ventilation does a good job as designed, I do prefer cooled seats that actually push AC air out of them.

My 2009 XF had cooled seats. Much better than just ventilated.

[AGONXF30]

Originally Posted by nZtiZia

while the seat ventilation does a good job as designed, I do prefer cooled seats that actually push AC air out of them.

That is the thing, It is a personal preference! On actual hot days, when I get in the car after any sweating. I prefer NOT to have cold air going through my sweaty clothes and body. So I prefer the BMW extraction system.