A/C on/off

[SANguru]

you can always pull the fuse!

and this post is dedicated to my buddy Ekaz too!

DING!! (think southwest!)

Originally Posted by cmyX5go

OK Eric, here's a new post for you:

Am I the only one that it drives absolutely crazy that there is no on/off switch for the A/C. Pain in the ass to have to lower the fan speed to shut off.

[fln8tive]

Count me in...a certain SUV made by VW also had this tap-tap-tap, until the lights go off system. Hey, it's still a nice ride...

[crosvs]

yeah it drives me nuts ...... and agreed that japanese cars have the best electronics

[benathon]

I don't even want to get started about how stupid those dots are for the temp...

[zero]

So I'm not wrong in thinking that you have to adjust the temperature dial up by the vents and the fan speed control both to work the a/c, right? If you set the temp to 60 degrees F, but have the temp dial set to warm, you'll get warm air, etc.? That always struck me as dumb - I thought I was doing something wrong. Why even have the temp control?

[Michelle]

Originally Posted by zero

So I'm not wrong in thinking that you have to adjust the temperature dial up by the vents and the fan speed control both to work the a/c, right? If you set the temp to 60 degrees F, but have the temp dial set to warm, you'll get warm air, etc.? That always struck me as dumb - I thought I was doing something wrong. Why even have the temp control?

Yeah...AND you have to push the "snowflake" button! GRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ravenheart]

Leave the temp-wheel in between warm and cold, use the snowflake and keep pressing AUTO ... usually stuff happens and you get your chosen temp Until you answer the phone ... turn down the AC to keep the noise down and ... rinse and repeat! Modern technology is a god-send

[crosvs]

yeah for the life of me i can NOT figure out why we have TWO temperature controls: the rotating slider and the hot/cold up/down buttons ........ even bmw cannot explain it to me lol

[JCL]

I don't know why all the frustration with the HVAC system, mine works fine. It has been in auto mode for 99% of the three years I have owned the X5, and similar for the other BMWs in the garage. I sometimes use the max button, but the rest of the time it is auto.

I have the snowflake (compressor) on all the time, year round. When I don't want cooling, it works as a dehumidifier. Studies have shown that the fuel consumption impact is not measurable. Also, you won't ever fail the compressor seal for lack of use if you leave it on permanently; the seals usually only fail when they dry out as they are lubricated by the refrigerant. Set the auto temperature controls, and use the vent controls to direct the air where you want it.

Many seem to want to use the dash temp wheel as a temp control, and what happens then is that the dash wheel control fights the cabin auto control; you won't ever get the temperature you want. The dash wheel is not a temperature setting, it is a differential setting so that you can get cooler or warmer air on your face, compared to what is blowing out of the other vents. Set it too far in either direction, and you defeat the purpose of the auto temp setting. I use it on one blue dot, no more. If you don't want to use it, just set it to neutral and leave it alone.

I think the system works fine, it just isn't designed in exactly the same way as many other systems. Once you master it (reading the manual helps, but I didn't do so), you won't want to go back.

Jeff

[JCL]

Originally Posted by crosvs

yeah for the life of me i can NOT figure out why we have TWO temperature controls: the rotating slider and the hot/cold up/down buttons ........ even bmw cannot explain it to me lol

See my post above. The dash wheel is not a cabin temperature control, it is an airflow temperature differential control. The manual explains it fully. It has been the same way on BMWs for more years than I can remember.