Automatic Climate Control - NOT

wdwgdas · 14th January 2005, 16:43

I have had my beast for 5 months now and have yet to believe there is anyting automatic aout my climate control.

Here are my issues:
-The only way to get hot air is to press the AC button off and turn the dash dial to red. If i don't spin that dial on the dash it won't heat the car.
-Once I put the dial on Red it gets too hot no matter where I put the Temp Setting.
-My fan never seems to chage speed unless I do it
-If I want diferent temp for driver and passenger - Close some vents maually

I live in Texas where I have been in 100 degree heat and 20 degree cold and my "Automatic Climate Control" doesn't seem to do a single thins "Automatic"

What up? WTF!

Suretyagent · 14th January 2005, 17:15

I've got over 57,000 miles on my 2001 M5 and I still can't get the climate control to do exactly what I want it to do. I use the, "idiot wheel" as a master control switch.

I still remember the frustration I had the first weekend trip I took in my car when I had yet to figure out that the stupid wheel was stuck on the cold, cold setting. The windows were fogging up, my passengers were freezing and I was getting very pissed off. It's a great car with a flawed HVAC system.

Derek

gsfent · 14th January 2005, 17:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdwgdas

I have had my beast for 5 months now and have yet to believe there is anyting automatic aout my climate control.

Here are my issues:
-The only way to get hot air is to press the AC button off and turn the dash dial to red. If i don't spin that dial on the dash it won't heat the car.
-Once I put the dial on Red it gets too hot no matter where I put the Temp Setting.
-My fan never seems to chage speed unless I do it
-If I want diferent temp for driver and passenger - Close some vents maually

I live in Texas where I have been in 100 degree heat and 20 degree cold and my "Automatic Climate Control" doesn't seem to do a single thins "Automatic"

What up? WTF!

I find I just leave it in the semi auto position, also known as manual!

I just set temp and fan speed, and adjust temp by turning the wheel. If the weather has a major change, I adust the temp setting. Usually the car doesn't remember the temp change setting unless I do it a second time, so it usually (but not always) goes back to my base setting. The fan will work harder when I first get in the car, then settle down, which is why I refer to it as semi auto! You might try that and adjust fan speed and temp wheel to see if that works better for you.
Regards,
Jerry

M5 Fever · 14th January 2005, 17:48

I agree, Automatic is a far stretch if that is how it's described.

Automatic reminds me of the Ronco Infommercial..."Set It and Forget It"

al

kcdoyle · 14th January 2005, 17:54

Be sure and check your outside air temp sensor. Your auto climate control function is directly tied to it. I know, I had the same problem. The location of the sensor, under the passenger side of the front bumper often spars with a curb(s) etc. My auto climate control did not work UNTIL I replaced the outside air temp sensor. If your outside air temp reads -40, get 'er fixed and I bet your auto climate control will work. Hope this helps.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wdwgdas

I have had my beast for 5 months now and have yet to believe there is anyting automatic aout my climate control.

Here are my issues:
-The only way to get hot air is to press the AC button off and turn the dash dial to red. If i don't spin that dial on the dash it won't heat the car.
-Once I put the dial on Red it gets too hot no matter where I put the Temp Setting.
-My fan never seems to chage speed unless I do it
-If I want diferent temp for driver and passenger - Close some vents maually

I live in Texas where I have been in 100 degree heat and 20 degree cold and my "Automatic Climate Control" doesn't seem to do a single thins "Automatic"

What up? WTF!

mottati · 14th January 2005, 18:08

By design, if you have the 'temp wheel' at the center vents on the red setting, you will only get heat out of the face level vents, nothing else (and cool air at your feet, to try to maintain whatever temp you put ask for ). I remember the climate control system being much better described in my e34 than the e39's manual, which goes into a fair amount of detail about what that dial does and how to adjust it depending on what you want.

Personally, i rarely fool with my climate control, it seems to work as it should in my mind. I keep my temp at around 73F, the dial at one blue dot, and a/c on as needed (if it's hot, or the windows are fogging in wet weather). I don't like hot air blowing at my face, hence keeping the dial at one blue dot, the air will be 'cooler'(with warmer air at my feet). 3 blue dots is full cold, all the time, 3 red is full hot, all of the time, the line in the middle will give you the closest thing to automatic air distribution from the face level vents. I can't remember the last time i changed any settings, other than toggling the a/c on or off, or occasionally using the defrost setting for a minute or two.
Mike

rss · 14th January 2005, 18:40

Quote:

Originally Posted by mottati

I can't remember the last time i changed any settings, other than toggling the a/c on or off, or occasionally using the defrost setting for a minute or two.
Mike

Yeah, and you live in coastal California!

But actually, I agree with you. Barring the times when my final stage resistor was out, my system works well on full auto. I rarely change the temperature, and dial the center vents from full cold to one blue or on read dot on the few days when it's cold here. That said, I'd prefer to have a much simpler and more robust system.

rss

ELEVENS · 14th January 2005, 20:51

Your climate control must be broke, cuz everytime I drive I marvel at the genuises who designed it. My temp. control stays put and the interior air temperature seems to quickly settle there, with the fan moving air slow at first, then fast, then settling into a slower final speed. I use the blue/red dash wheel all the time, as well as the defrost button. That's it.

Sorry to hear your's isn't working, better get it checked.

Suretyagent · 14th January 2005, 21:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by ELEVENS

Your climate control must be broke, cuz everytime I drive I marvel at the genuises who designed it. My temp. control stays put and the interior air temperature seems to quickly settle there, with the fan moving air slow at first, then fast, then settling into a slower final speed. I use the blue/red dash wheel all the time, as well as the defrost button. That's it.

Sorry to hear your's isn't working, better get it checked.

Dear ELEVENS, my esteemed colleague, I think what our friend is saying is that the wheel over-rides the numeric setting and therefore is not truly automatic. I do agree with you about the fan speed, though. There are times when the fan speed should adjust itself and if wdwgdas's fan is not then there is something wrong. However, if he's trying to get AC and the wheel is stuck on red, or the other way around, the system isn't going to work for him. From that perspective, it is a strange system, is it not?

Derek

Richard in NC · 14th January 2005, 23:07

How can I agree with most all of the comments at the same time?
Because of the wheel, it is not a fully automatic system.
I have found settings were I simply adjust the wheel on occasion, turn on A/C when hot or windows steaming, and occasionally manually adjust the fan for more air-flow. It then works well on a 20 degree morning and then blows cool air in a 70 degree afternoon. Above 75-80 outside, I then turn on the A/C to get the car cooled down in the afternoon.

Mottati described the system well. I see it as an automatic system with a manual adjustment to the dash vent temp. Set the temp to 72-74 and try the knob in the middle to see how it works over a range of temps. Then adjust the wheel to get a bit warmer or cooler upper air. Always give the system 5 minutes to re-adjust everything. An oddity to me is it seems to want to blow cooler air in the evenings out the upper vents. Is this a way to keep you awake at night???