X3 climate control problems and software coding (dealer)

dr.bmw · 09-14-2019, 08:02 PM

Hi guys, long time no see!

Got myself a new X3 and its a lovely car but with an annoying problem - when all climate areas are set to sync and on my 23.5 deg setting, rear vents blow hot air. Constantly. The only way to change it to set the rear 2 deg cooler but that stops auto fans from working so I have to constantly fiddle with the fan controls.

Took the car to the dealer - apparently there is an issue with software and a fix that eliminates that. Picked the car up the following day, apparently the coding was done - but NOTHING changed. Same issue persists

Worse, not a single setting in the car has been reset. From my experience, if the iDrive is flashed with a new software all settings disappear and have to be manually restored. Dealer is feeding me bullshit how they can now keep all the settings even when completely re-flashing the car...

Can anyone help me please to
1. find any proof of that the coding has or hasn't occurred
2. similar stories of air con/ climate not behaving like it should
3. how to locate software version in iDrive
4. anyone on the inside has any knowledge of this issue?

Much appreciated.

Cheers!

clivem2 · 09-15-2019, 04:07 AM

23.5C is very warm for ambient temp, I'm not surprised you have hot air blowing.

dr.bmw · 09-15-2019, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clivem2

23.5C is very warm for ambient temp, I'm not surprised you have hot air blowing.

had my e82 and my current c250 on 24C permanently never had to change a thing
but yeah what do you have it on?

clivem2 · 09-15-2019, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dr.bmw

had my e82 and my current c250 on 24C permanently never had to change a thing
but yeah what do you have it on?

I have mine set at 21.5C max, sometimes 19.5C or 20C.

Taking the complexity of direct sun out of this...imagine you're on holiday, it's midnight, you're sitting outside and it's 23.5C. I don't know about you but I'd be in shorts drinking an ice cold beer to keep cool.

In our house we have the thermostat set to 19C.

How have you set you face vent thumbwheel? Maybe it's an interaction with this?

Maybe you're very acclimatised to much higher temps in Australia.

freshxdough · 09-15-2019, 11:21 AM

Just read the paperwork from the repair order. It will state something along the lines of "programmed vehicle". Sometimes the tech will write down what the I-level updated to but that's not usually the case. I honestly doubt that someone would have not programmed your car for an issue that you said there's a bulletin for. Just fyi, coding doesn't always fix everything. But to be honest you might need to put the temperature a little cooler, it seems like you're fixated on the number 23.5 from living life in other vehicles and that being comfortable. The exact temperature of the air cooling the cabin will not be exactly what you set the number to, it can be slightly off and this is normal due to environmental conditions such as outside temperature, sun intensity, cooling ability, climate control settings.

Also during the programming the program can save all your settings. The fact that your settings didn't change tell me that the saving feature of your personal settings worked normally and to be honest you're lucky because it doesn't always save everything like radio presets and such

dr.bmw · 09-15-2019, 07:14 PM

so, an update
went back to the dealer today and they showed me the paperwork from re-coding the car, the last 3 digits went from something 487 to something 547 and the key fob read showed the current software on the car is ... 547
Update took 42 minutes and it seems like the saving function worked normally, so I guess I am lucky - they told me settings may need to be erased if there are faults or if update doesn't take first time. Sounds reasonable

As to the aircon issue - after scouring the forums, I've come across someone suggesting turning off Auto Air Circulation feature in the climate control menu. That seems to have done the trick as far as rear ends blowing hot air.. will monitor progress for now..

anyone's ASS kicks in early? mine seems to turn off motor before I come to a complete stop... dealer says normal behaviour but on my c250 engine turns off a second after a complete stop...

titomi · 09-16-2019, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dr.bmw

anyone's ASS kicks in early? mine seems to turn off motor before I come to a complete stop... dealer says normal behaviour but on my c250 engine turns off a second after a complete stop...

Yes, it's by design and I don't like it. Smooth stop is unachievable. Also the brakes play a role in that I guess (don't have the blue m brakes).

dr.bmw · 09-16-2019, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by titomi

Yes, it's by design and I don't like it. Smooth stop is unachievable. Also the brakes play a role in that I guess (don't have the blue m brakes).

how does having the blue brakes make it better?

titomi · 09-16-2019, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dr.bmw

Quote:

Originally Posted by titomi

Yes, it's by design and I don't like it. Smooth stop is unachievable. Also the brakes play a role in that I guess (don't have the blue m brakes).

how does having the blue brakes make it better?

I'm not saying they are, simply starting the fact, that I don't have them.

freshxdough · 09-17-2019, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dr.bmw

so, an update
went back to the dealer today and they showed me the paperwork from re-coding the car, the last 3 digits went from something 487 to something 547 and the key fob read showed the current software on the car is ... 547
Update took 42 minutes and it seems like the saving function worked normally, so I guess I am lucky - they told me settings may need to be erased if there are faults or if update doesn't take first time. Sounds reasonable

As to the aircon issue - after scouring the forums, I've come across someone suggesting turning off Auto Air Circulation feature in the climate control menu. That seems to have done the trick as far as rear ends blowing hot air.. will monitor progress for now..

anyone's ASS kicks in early? mine seems to turn off motor before I come to a complete stop... dealer says normal behaviour but on my c250 engine turns off a second after a complete stop...

MSA changed from turning off after stop to turning off shortly before the stop so that the engine vibration of the motor turning off is combined with the vibration of the vehicle just before the stop. So once you come to the complete stop, there are no additional vibrations or things happening. It is much smoother. But very rarely you will be in a situation to almost stop and then drive off immediately and it will turn off. It can't anticipate that action so it can't avoid that. But it's not common so it doesn't happen often. It's designed for real world stop, then go function.

Alias1431 · 09-18-2019, 12:07 AM

I prefer the real world function of having my engine stay on.

09-14-2019, 08:02 PM	#1
dr.bmw Chirurgeon 39 Rep 424 Posts Drives: 125i AW/CR Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: randwick iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 125i [10.00]	X3 climate control problems and software coding (dealer) Hi guys, long time no see! Got myself a new X3 and its a lovely car but with an annoying problem - when all climate areas are set to sync and on my 23.5 deg setting, rear vents blow hot air. Constantly. The only way to change it to set the rear 2 deg cooler but that stops auto fans from working so I have to constantly fiddle with the fan controls. Took the car to the dealer - apparently there is an issue with software and a fix that eliminates that. Picked the car up the following day, apparently the coding was done - but NOTHING changed. Same issue persists Worse, not a single setting in the car has been reset. From my experience, if the iDrive is flashed with a new software all settings disappear and have to be manually restored. Dealer is feeding me bullshit how they can now keep all the settings even when completely re-flashing the car... Can anyone help me please to 1. find any proof of that the coding has or hasn't occurred 2. similar stories of air con/ climate not behaving like it should 3. how to locate software version in iDrive 4. anyone on the inside has any knowledge of this issue? Much appreciated. Cheers! __________________ E Pluribus Unum
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09-15-2019, 04:07 AM	#2
clivem2 Colonel 541 Rep 2,073 Posts Drives: X3 M40i Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	23.5C is very warm for ambient temp, I'm not surprised you have hot air blowing.
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09-15-2019, 11:21 AM	#5
freshxdough BMW Elite Master Tech \| HV Gen 5 \| HV Specialist 3528 Rep 4,216 Posts Drives: 2024 iX 50 \| 2020 X3 M40i Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Orange County iTrader: (0)	X3 climate control problems and software coding (dealer) Just read the paperwork from the repair order. It will state something along the lines of "programmed vehicle". Sometimes the tech will write down what the I-level updated to but that's not usually the case. I honestly doubt that someone would have not programmed your car for an issue that you said there's a bulletin for. Just fyi, coding doesn't always fix everything. But to be honest you might need to put the temperature a little cooler, it seems like you're fixated on the number 23.5 from living life in other vehicles and that being comfortable. The exact temperature of the air cooling the cabin will not be exactly what you set the number to, it can be slightly off and this is normal due to environmental conditions such as outside temperature, sun intensity, cooling ability, climate control settings. Also during the programming the program can save all your settings. The fact that your settings didn't change tell me that the saving feature of your personal settings worked normally and to be honest you're lucky because it doesn't always save everything like radio presets and such
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09-15-2019, 07:14 PM	#6
dr.bmw Chirurgeon 39 Rep 424 Posts Drives: 125i AW/CR Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: randwick iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 125i [10.00]	so, an update went back to the dealer today and they showed me the paperwork from re-coding the car, the last 3 digits went from something 487 to something 547 and the key fob read showed the current software on the car is ... 547 Update took 42 minutes and it seems like the saving function worked normally, so I guess I am lucky - they told me settings may need to be erased if there are faults or if update doesn't take first time. Sounds reasonable As to the aircon issue - after scouring the forums, I've come across someone suggesting turning off Auto Air Circulation feature in the climate control menu. That seems to have done the trick as far as rear ends blowing hot air.. will monitor progress for now.. anyone's ASS kicks in early? mine seems to turn off motor before I come to a complete stop... dealer says normal behaviour but on my c250 engine turns off a second after a complete stop... __________________ E Pluribus Unum
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-18-2019, 12:07 AM	#11
Alias1431 Lieutenant Colonel 795 Rep 1,960 Posts Drives: 2019 BMW X3 M40i Join Date: May 2019 Location: Washington iTrader: (0)	I prefer the real world function of having my engine stay on.
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