Does anyone know why BMW...(complain alert)

JohnAG · 10-13-2015, 03:13 AM

...continues to have the ventilation temperature control rotary switch located on the center console as part of the vehicle's temperature control system? I mean, isn't already sufficient that there is a digital temperature control which intuitively makes it much more simple to operate without reading the owner's manual like most cars in the world today? Why is it that the system needs to be told that if the setting is set to say above 75 deg F, that the air has to be warm and not cold? Who in their right mind wants the temperature set to say 80 deg F, and still wants the air to be cool or not what 80 deg F should feel like?

Sorry for the rant, but today I learned about this switch on my first ever BMW, which made me look like tool when I asked my dealer about a possible defect on the heater system of my 2 month old 2016 X3 where the air is hot only on the maximum position (84 deg F) but goes cool even when the temp control switch is moved just to 83 deg F. Being a former mechanic, I swear there was something wrong with the temperature control mechanism, but apparently you have to move this stupid rotary switch to the blue side so that you'll get the other variations of heat other than extra hot. I've owned and driven many cars in the past, including a 2005 3 series by an ex-girlfriend and I remember seeing this switch which I never knew what it was for, but I swear BMW is the only manufacturer to have this non-sensical rotary switch that serves no real purpose (unless someone can make a very good argument why it needs to be there). For a car manufacturer that prides itself for being high tech in every aspect of automobile engineering, perhaps it needs to also consider applying the KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid!) principle. Thanks for listening

Peter_R · 10-13-2015, 03:56 AM

It is to give you control of a flow of air over your face to a temperature of your choosing. Very simple and extremely effective in my view.

plymjack · 10-13-2015, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_R

It is to give you control of a flow of air over your face to a temperature of your choosing. Very simple and extremely effective in my view.

yep.... as he says

pokerface · 10-13-2015, 05:25 AM

I pretty much leave it on cold all year. I don't like blowing heat in my face in winter.. makes me groggy.

gIzzE · 10-13-2015, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter_R

It is to give you control of a flow of air over your face to a temperature of your choosing. Very simple and extremely effective in my view.

Absolutely.

I hate being in other cars that don't have this, just because I want the cabin warm doesn't mean I want hot air blowing in my face.

jman103099 · 10-13-2015, 07:59 AM

I actually like this. You can control the air temp that comes out of the middle two vents separately. In the fall I might like warmer air blowing at my feet so I set the temp to 78, but then cooler air at my body so I turn that to the "blue". It's a neat feature but probably not for everyone.

Barbera335 · 10-13-2015, 08:13 AM

+1 to everyone's replies. I love this feature and wish it was on all vehicles. Nice to be able to control the temp of the air blowing on my face while the cabin is maintained at my desired temperature.

HighlandPete · 10-13-2015, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbera335

+1 to everyone's replies. I love this feature and wish it was on all vehicles. Nice to be able to control the temp of the air blowing on my face while the cabin is maintained at my desired temperature.

Same here, it is what takes the BMW HVAC system to a higher level, IMO, more suited to personal preferences. The ability to set a cabin temperature and also have face flows tweaked to suit the season and/or user requirements.

Good feature. Well done BMW for keeping it.

HighlandPete

pokerface · 10-13-2015, 10:37 AM

Dear BMW

Give me my damn REST button back.

bmwx3805 · 10-13-2015, 02:11 PM

i personally love it cause i don't have to have extremely hot air blowing on my face. makes it much more comfortable.

djrobx · 10-13-2015, 11:10 PM

I don't mind the dial. In theory it should be like every other fully automatic system if left in the middle. I just wish the automatic temperature control worked better. In my old Infiniti I just set the temperature to 74 and it always seemed to do the right thing. In my BMW I get in the car on a sweltering hot day and the AC doesn't kick itself up to full blast. I have to push the "max AC" button to get that. I shouldn't need to.

HighlandPete · 10-14-2015, 02:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djrobx

I don't mind the dial. In theory it should be like every other fully automatic system if left in the middle. I just wish the automatic temperature control worked better. In my old Infiniti I just set the temperature to 74 and it always seemed to do the right thing. In my BMW I get in the car on a sweltering hot day and the AC doesn't kick itself up to full blast. I have to push the "max AC" button to get that. I shouldn't need to.

Agree, the thumbwheel in mid position leaves the system like most automatic systems.

Remember the auto intensity settings will influence the way the speed picks up with cooling (and warming) function. I personally run my 5-series system on the lowest intensity, in my Scottish climate only occasionally do I need to hit MAX to get faster cooling.

BMW models used to run up to speed much faster, later models introduced the intensity levels and I'm sure the ECO drive has influenced the way we have a slower response anyway.

HighlandPete

JohnAG · 10-14-2015, 03:02 AM

Wow...I learned something new. First is the fact that people finds this function useful, second it may actually have been developed to meet the needs of certain individuals wanting different temperatures of certain part of their bodies. Third is the fact that the center position makes the system more like other cars, which is what I'll definitely leave mine on. Thanks everyone for educating me and I apologize to those who really loved this function whom I might have offended when I called it stupid. The last thing I learned is that ignorance can definitely lead into bad conclusions.

MetaX · 10-14-2015, 03:19 PM

Took me a while to come to grips with it as well. Ultimately I have come to value that feature the very few times I've had to use it.

gIzzE · 10-14-2015, 05:11 PM

I never notice it, until I am in something other than a BMW, then I really, really miss it.

My Audi is crap, I have to have the centre blowers off because it is either too hot or too cold blowing in my face.

dandanio · 10-15-2015, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pokerface

Dear BMW

Give me my damn REST button back.

What he said! REST button FTW!

Oh, and the "adjuster" knob - awesome, keep it BMW! It works as advertised and makes my commute so much more bearable!

Crashnbrn5 · 10-15-2015, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnAG

Wow...I learned something new. First is the fact that people finds this function useful, second it may actually have been developed to meet the needs of certain individuals wanting different temperatures of certain part of their bodies. Third is the fact that the center position makes the system more like other cars, which is what I'll definitely leave mine on. Thanks everyone for educating me and I apologize to those who really loved this function whom I might have offended when I called it stupid. The last thing I learned is that ignorance can definitely lead into bad conclusions.

God Bless. My wife still doesn't get it, lol

Just know that BMW does it right while other companies are straight garbage.

10-13-2015, 03:13 AM	#1
JohnAG Private 12 Rep 55 Posts Drives: 2016 X3 28i M Sport Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Kaiserslautern, Germany iTrader: (0)	Does anyone know why BMW...(complain alert) ...continues to have the ventilation temperature control rotary switch located on the center console as part of the vehicle's temperature control system? I mean, isn't already sufficient that there is a digital temperature control which intuitively makes it much more simple to operate without reading the owner's manual like most cars in the world today? Why is it that the system needs to be told that if the setting is set to say above 75 deg F, that the air has to be warm and not cold? Who in their right mind wants the temperature set to say 80 deg F, and still wants the air to be cool or not what 80 deg F should feel like? Sorry for the rant, but today I learned about this switch on my first ever BMW, which made me look like tool when I asked my dealer about a possible defect on the heater system of my 2 month old 2016 X3 where the air is hot only on the maximum position (84 deg F) but goes cool even when the temp control switch is moved just to 83 deg F. Being a former mechanic, I swear there was something wrong with the temperature control mechanism, but apparently you have to move this stupid rotary switch to the blue side so that you'll get the other variations of heat other than extra hot. I've owned and driven many cars in the past, including a 2005 3 series by an ex-girlfriend and I remember seeing this switch which I never knew what it was for, but I swear BMW is the only manufacturer to have this non-sensical rotary switch that serves no real purpose (unless someone can make a very good argument why it needs to be there). For a car manufacturer that prides itself for being high tech in every aspect of automobile engineering, perhaps it needs to also consider applying the KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid!) principle. Thanks for listening
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10-13-2015, 03:56 AM	#2
Peter_R Air Vice Marshall 256 Rep 1,639 Posts Drives: X1 LCI xDrive 2.0i M Sport Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Somewhere in Blighty (UK) iTrader: (0)	It is to give you control of a flow of air over your face to a temperature of your choosing. Very simple and extremely effective in my view.
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10-13-2015, 05:25 AM	#4
pokerface Colonel 430 Rep 2,527 Posts Drives: F25 X3 N20 / F80 ZCP Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Toronto iTrader: (1)	I pretty much leave it on cold all year. I don't like blowing heat in my face in winter.. makes me groggy.
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10-13-2015, 07:59 AM	#6
jman103099 Private 7 Rep 73 Posts Drives: 2011 E90 & 2011 F25 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Central IL iTrader: (0)	I actually like this. You can control the air temp that comes out of the middle two vents separately. In the fall I might like warmer air blowing at my feet so I set the temp to 78, but then cooler air at my body so I turn that to the "blue". It's a neat feature but probably not for everyone.
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10-13-2015, 08:13 AM	#7
Barbera335 Captain 169 Rep 660 Posts Drives: F25 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: socal iTrader: (0)	+1 to everyone's replies. I love this feature and wish it was on all vehicles. Nice to be able to control the temp of the air blowing on my face while the cabin is maintained at my desired temperature.
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10-13-2015, 10:37 AM	#9
pokerface Colonel 430 Rep 2,527 Posts Drives: F25 X3 N20 / F80 ZCP Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Toronto iTrader: (1)	Dear BMW Give me my damn REST button back.
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10-13-2015, 02:11 PM	#10
bmwx3805 Lieutenant 305 Rep 409 Posts Drives: 14 cruze diesel and 2019 430I Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: SC iTrader: (0)	i personally love it cause i don't have to have extremely hot air blowing on my face. makes it much more comfortable.
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10-13-2015, 11:10 PM	#11
djrobx Private First Class 57 Rep 191 Posts Drives: 2019 X4 m40i Flamenco Red Join Date: May 2015 Location: Valencia, CA iTrader: (0)	I don't mind the dial. In theory it should be like every other fully automatic system if left in the middle. I just wish the automatic temperature control worked better. In my old Infiniti I just set the temperature to 74 and it always seemed to do the right thing. In my BMW I get in the car on a sweltering hot day and the AC doesn't kick itself up to full blast. I have to push the "max AC" button to get that. I shouldn't need to.
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10-14-2015, 03:02 AM	#13
JohnAG Private 12 Rep 55 Posts Drives: 2016 X3 28i M Sport Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Kaiserslautern, Germany iTrader: (0)	Wow...I learned something new. First is the fact that people finds this function useful, second it may actually have been developed to meet the needs of certain individuals wanting different temperatures of certain part of their bodies. Third is the fact that the center position makes the system more like other cars, which is what I'll definitely leave mine on. Thanks everyone for educating me and I apologize to those who really loved this function whom I might have offended when I called it stupid. The last thing I learned is that ignorance can definitely lead into bad conclusions.
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10-14-2015, 03:19 PM	#14
MetaX Second Lieutenant 105 Rep 253 Posts Drives: 2022 X3MC Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: San Francisco iTrader: (0)	Took me a while to come to grips with it as well. Ultimately I have come to value that feature the very few times I've had to use it.
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10-14-2015, 05:11 PM	#15
gIzzE Major General 363 Rep 5,984 Posts Drives: F11 + 911 C4 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Norfolk, UK. iTrader: (2)	I never notice it, until I am in something other than a BMW, then I really, really miss it. My Audi is crap, I have to have the centre blowers off because it is either too hot or too cold blowing in my face.
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