Climate control buttons. Analog retrofit?

[getty150]

Originally Posted by Factory6speed

I have the digital climate controls. The large rocker button for the fan speed - / + is broken and often falls off. Yesterday it fell down through the ashtray thing below, I tried to get it but failed and it fell further down into the depths of the center transmission tunnel area.



I can barely see it. I think if I put something sticky on a coat hanger I might be able to get it.



But I'm done with this. I don't like the panel anyway as changing from hot to cold is about 65 button presses.



I think this is a common problem, and I looked earlier at repair options and just ended up being confused. It seemed really hard and worse to attempt to repair these buttons.



Is there a good way to fix this short of replacing the entire control unit? If I have to replace the entire unit I believe there is a nice analog one from some rare earlier models with three dials. I would rather just get that and put that in but I imagine this would require some coding and potentially other changes? Does anybody know?

While attempting to change the appearance of the panel I thought that removing the buttons would make the process much simpler and cleaner... I was unsuccessful due to the fact that in no way short of damaging the unit was I going to remove those buttons...damn you BMW! You think of everything!

Sent from my TMAF035T

[X5chemist]

Originally Posted by EODguy

Mine stays between 59f-63f depending on outside temperatures and if humidity gets over 13%

Ya need some tint! What about winter vent temps? Work on mine blows 40F air. When temps are cool, it can drop to 36-38F. Not sure how accurate the cooking thermostat is at low temps.

[Factory6speed]

Thanks guys. I was able to retrieve the button from some deep crevice in the carpet. A piece of claybar on the coat hanger got it.

I didn't know the analog panel is totally different, non automatic system. That makes sense. I won't be doing all that work of course. I couldn't even find the panel to buy so far. Bummer, as that would be nice.

I can't find the page now, but there was a guide I think for e39, putting the individual buttons on the panel, and it seemed not worth attempting. He had all kinds of knives and glue on the table. I guess it's hard to do.

The entire face panel is about $75, I will probably suck it up and get this https://www.bimmerworld.com/BMW-Inte...116915812.html

In the morning it is freezing cold, so I crank the heat to 80/25 something to get warm. I then start sweating like a whore in church, so down to 60/15 something. then I end up in the middle. I will try to just leave it around 70/20.

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by gjvah

Have you considered something like this perhaps?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/11284342717...3ABFBMoOWIht9k

Pure garbage. I bought those crappy buttons this year. They do not look like stock. They are 3D printed garbage. Stay away

[BimmerBreaker]

There's really no need to turn it up when it's cold or down when it's hot. The "auto" will take care of that and will adjust fan speed and output temp to reach the desired temp. Ie. If you set it at 70 and it's 40 in the car it won't just blow 70 degree air, it'll blow ~80 or max temp air until around 70 then adjust temp and fan speed to maintain that temp. That's the whole point of the "auto" function.

The only time I ever deviate from leaving it on auto is when it's really hot in the car I'll press MAX for Max a/c then once it cools a bit I'll put it back to auto. That's just two button presses though.

[Clavurion]

I just remembered the good old days when you could buy the original button set from BWM and what came in the package was a full front panel with just some yellow paint on the fascia which you could easily clean and install the full front panel on fraction of the price of the actual front panel which was also available.

[BimmerBreaker]

Originally Posted by Clavurion

I just remembered the good old days when you could buy the original button set from BWM and what came in the package was a full front panel with just some yellow paint on the fascia which you could easily clean and install the full front panel on fraction of the price of the actual front panel which was also available.

Part number 64116924315
Still available

[Clavurion]

Originally Posted by BimmerBreaker

Part number 64116924315
Still available

Actually the part number is 64116915812. But yeah it seems to be available again.

https://www.baum-bmwshop24.de/catalo...view/id/100360

[PropellerHead]

Originally Posted by Factory6speed

It seemed really hard and worse to attempt to repair these buttons.

We had the manual HAVC controls on a non-premium package '01 3.0. I loved it. Reminded me of the E24's, E28's from the 80's.

[EODguy]

Originally Posted by X5chemist

Ya need some tint! What about winter vent temps? Work on mine blows 40F air. When temps are cool, it can drop to 36-38F. Not sure how accurate the cooking thermostat is at low temps.

I wouldn't mind tint, but I work as an advisor at their military HQ and tint is forbidden. I sometimes get the random deep inspection at the gate and I'm surprised that I don't have to sing a couple of verses of Moon River.....

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