[btv764]

I have a 2012 F10 535 and have noticed that on some days I can feel the cold air from outside leaking in through the interior door handles. I notice this most when it's cold outside and after 20/30 minutes on the highway. This was with all windows closed and the moonroof closed with the shade open.

Has anyone else noticed this?

My guess is that is has something to do with the pressurization of the cabin?

[gatoman39]

yeah, there's a thread about this. It's normal. You're in a car not the space shuttle.

[SMOKE EM IF U GOT EM!!]

Yup. A couple different people complained on here about it. Some were able to get the dealer to remove the door panels and add some sort of weatherproofing material behind the door panel. I don't remember the title thread so you'd have to search good. Let your dealer know about it. See if they made a case about it.

I noticed it in mine as well though I don't open the roof when driving at a higher rate of speed. Hasn't bothered me enough to make an issue about it w them.

[Krash7172]

I thought the purpose of opening the roof was to ventilate the car

Honestly though, I've owned several BMW models and this is the first one that I have felt cold air on my leg coming through the door. Seems odd.

[Jon D]

Originally Posted by Motorolan

I have a 2012 F10 535 and have noticed that on some days I can feel the cold air from outside leaking in through the interior door handles. I notice this most when it's cold outside and after 20/30 minutes on the highway. This was with all windows closed and the moonroof closed with the shade open.

Has anyone else noticed this?

My guess is that is has something to do with the pressurization of the cabin?

I don't have a moonroof on my F10 so I'm not familiar with its operation, but if by "shade open", you mean there's a slight gap or opening, the airflow over the roof's curvature will create a reduced pressure zone in the cabin, which will draw air in from wherever it can. So you're correct in assuming it has something to do with pressure differential.
To quote a well known saying: "nature abhors a vacuum"

[delvek]

Originally Posted by gatoman39

You're in a car not the space shuttle.

Awesome sentence.

ps. Have not experienced this draft on either of my F10's.

[ghueser]

I started the original thread last year. This is the first of three BMW's that I have owned with this problem and in my opinion, is likely a design flaw with the door sealing. Although it can only be felt (obvisously) with the sunroof cracked open, there are other sources in the back of the car from which air should be pulled for the pressure difference. There should be no air leak from the handle. That all being said, I have still not had it fixed as I am very wary of having the dealer take the door panel off just to take a look. This almost always leads to some minor damage or other issue. It should only take a foam surround for the door handle, but I want it to come from BMW after their review. Please send an e-mail of this complaint to them directly. I sent one last year but will do so again. In the meantime, I can live with this anomoly and do realize this is a car........not the Space Shuttle.

[BMWrules7]

Originally Posted by ghueser

I started the original thread last year. This is the first of three BMW's that I have owned with this problem and in my opinion, is likely a design flaw with the door sealing. Although it can only be felt (obvisously) with the sunroof cracked open, there are other sources in the back of the car from which air should be pulled for the pressure difference. There should be no air leak from the handle. That all being said, I have still not had it fixed as I am very wary of having the dealer take the door panel off just to take a look. This almost always leads to some minor damage or other issue. It should only take a foam surround for the door handle, but I want it to come from BMW after their review. Please send an e-mail of this complaint to them directly. I sent one last year but will do so again. In the meantime, I can live with this anomoly and do realize this is a car........not the Space Shuttle.

Is it possible that this is an intentional design. Slamming a car door with the windows up can create a lot of pressure in the cabin causing ear pain for other passengers.

I could see how a vent in the door would be very helpful. Perhaps this vent opens in al doors when you slam one shut. The downside is that a slight opening if the sunroof also causes the door vents to open.

[Krash7172]

The problem isn't that air enters the vehicle. The problem is that WHERE it does is uncomfortable to the driver. Totally unnecessary.

[vdubturbo]

Originally Posted by gatoman39

You're in a car not the space shuttle.

I have owned other cars that do this, but my F10 isn't one of them.

[ghueser]

All modern cars in at least the last 15 years have had a vent system for the cabin that is hidden away....usually behind the rear bumper or fender trim. The very purpose of which to allow for pressure to equalize when closing the door and in cases of venting the sunroof. Vents do not normally reside in the doors themselves as this main vent should compensate. Some of us have this anomolly, some of us don't. It may be a case of having a bad breather vent, or that the insulating plastic behind the door was not properly placed on the prodcution line. Both my Driver and Passenger door have this problem so my look to see if the vent in the back is the culprit.

[BMWrules7]

Yes, that makes more sense to have only a single vent.

Are you suggesting that the real vent may not be operating properly; thus, causing the issues? In other words, perhaps a partially open sunroof should open the "real vent." if the "real vent" fails to open then maybe this is causing the air to come through the door handles.

I would think one way to prove your theory would be to open the right rear pasenger window the next time you experience the draft. If the draft goes away when the rear window is opened then you may be correct that it is a problem with a failure of the main vent to open at a low threshold.

Does the vent you speak of work to equalize pressure in both directions?

Also, did you ever roll down the rear windows only while driving at highway speeds and get that crazy wind oscillation thing going? Can you tell me if the vent helps to correct that condition?

Originally Posted by ghueser

All modern cars in at least the last 15 years have had a vent system for the cabin that is hidden away....usually behind the rear bumper or fender trim. The very purpose of which to allow for pressure to equalize when closing the door and in cases of venting the sunroof. Vents do not normally reside in the doors themselves as this main vent should compensate. Some of us have this anomolly, some of us don't. It may be a case of having a bad breather vent, or that the insulating plastic behind the door was not properly placed on the prodcution line. Both my Driver and Passenger door have this problem so my look to see if the vent in the back is the culprit.

[ghueser]

BMWrules7,

Yes, it could be the vent is not acting properly, or another theory of mine is that the vent may be working ok, but there are not enough spaces or paths for the air to go from the cabin to the trunk. It has to do this thought the rear parcel shelf and it may just have too much insulation to cause this issue.

If opening a rear window, I do believe the handle air does stop.

The vent should work in both directions but am not absolutely sure about that. I do know that there primary function is to allow air to escape the cabin. Such as when closing the door.

The crazy wind oscillation cannot be corrected by the vent. Most all cars have this and you just have to adjust the windows to avoid this. I once had taken the guys out to lunch and through a combination of sunroof and windows down, the oscillation was brutal....I had to close the sunroof for it to stop.

[rhinosaur]

Hi, I am also experiencing this issue in my F11: air coming in through the door handles when the sunroof is cracked open.

Can anyone tell me where this alleged flap/vent is located in the rear of the car, that is, if it does exist at all?

I won't make any fuss about this with the dealer as it is a minor thing but it is annoying to feel the air draft coming in from the handle in such a premium car.