climate control shutting off on its own

[x5Alpine]

Hi, so I just bought an 02 x5 4.6is but as i was driving home the climate control station shuts itself on and off randomly.
Any thoughts?

Thanks!!

[TerminatorX5]

congrats on the buy... we want pics!!!

about the IHKA, the climate control thing - it is controlled by the iBus, and while there are plenty of reasons for it to shut itself off, the first thing of order will be to check the battery. The battery, if older than 3 years, could main suspect... if the battery is older than 3 years the likelyhood is increasing, and even if the battery stamped brand new, there still might be an issue with it...

so, once you rule the battery out, we can try to troubleshoot further...

are there any other strange things happening? lights turn on/off on their own? windows refuse to roll down/up, or rolling on their own?...

[x5Alpine]

The battery seems fine because nothing else is having any problems but it usually malfunctions after driving for around 3-5 hours

[TerminatorX5]

Originally Posted by x5Alpine

The battery seems fine because nothing else is having any problems but it usually malfunctions after driving for around 3-5 hours

how about other cooling issues? running low on coolant? i read somewhere (i need to start digging for that info), that if the DME detects some condition, it will shut off heavy consumers, such as HVAC system...

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by x5Alpine

...just bought an 02 x5 4.6is ... the climate control station shuts itself on and off randomly.
Any thoughts?

Thanks!!

Just for clarification due to you being new and all (btw, welcome)...what exactly do you mean by "shuts itself on & off"?

I ask, because your X should have the auto IHKA (control panel) which regulates the blower speed based on the temp you have set versus the ambient temps (outside) and inside the cabin.

So, when you say the "control station shuts itself on & off randomly"...are you saying that:

1. the blower stops & the IHKA control panel shuts down completely in that all of the LEDs turn off and there is nothing being displayed on the IHKA (control panel)?
2. or is only the blower/fan itself just randomly speeding up/slowing down/stopping but the IHKA panel remains illuminated?

Again, I only ask for clarification since you're a new owner and some new owners dont' quite get the "auto IHKA" climate system if they've never had one in a vehicle before.

[x5Alpine]

Yea, the control panel completely shuts off but the fan is usually still runnning

[TerminatorX5]

interesting - the normal operation of the fan is when the panel has the lights on, turn the fan speed to one bar, the panel is lit, turn the one bar off, the fan stops, the panel is dark...

for the fan to keep running when the whole control panel is dark - something new...

Tell us more about the problem, and assume that at least one person in the audience is totally retarded (it is me!!!), so you need to state even the obvious things...

Start with you walking up to your car, car is sleeping, you unlock it (or just open the door), get in and... take from here... sometimes some minute details can help... remember, we are remote to you and trying to figure the issue strickly off your description...

[x5Alpine]

Ok.. I walk to the car and unlock it, (there is a strange buzzing noise coming from the radio/climate control area).. Then after about 3-5 hours of driving it tarts to shut off but the fan usually Keeps running. From there is turns on and off randomly but last night after it was freaking out for about 1/2 hour it stayed on constantly for about 1 hour until I got home.

[Ricky Bobby]

Final Stage Resistor, easy fix under 100 bucks I hope? Or blower motor is going dead and remove the whole dash to fix it?

[x5Alpine]

That's strange because those two were both replaced right before I bought it but would they cause the control panel to shut off?