[Profexxor]

Hi all

Thanks for sharing all the great photos. I checked the forum often when waiting for my F10 523 Havana to be delivered (which happened 3 weeks ago). After about 1000 km of enjoying the luxury and driving capabilities I have two topics with which I am not so happy with.

I have the standard seats with do offer lumbar support, but you can not adjust these. I have driven Audi A4 and Passat before and have a Volkswagen Touran as familly car. The lumbar support in the F10 is much harder / larger than in any of the other cars. I keep on adjusting the seats, but can not find a comfortable position. Maybe it takes a while to get used to.

In my other cars I usually just put the climate control on 20 degrees (celsius) and hardly touch the controls again. In my F10, I find that when keeping it on automatic that it does not blow enough cold air. Even when setting the temp. to 17 degrees it does not help much (fan speed only goes up one notch). I then manually increase fan speed. Overall, the cooling capacity seems a bit low. I might take the car back to the dealer to check it out.

Is there any one else that has the same experience?

Thanks a bunch!

ps. Havana is a much nicer color in real life than on most pictures

[Needsdecaf]

For the second issue, you need to adjust the intensity of the automatic fan. There are 5 intensity positions (think ranges) that still vary the fan speed automatically. There is nothing wrong with the cooling capacity of the car, I have tested it out recently in 100 degree heat after sitting outside in a parking lot for hours.

[radarguy]

As far as the cold air is concerned, BMW dash vents have a temperature control that works in addition to the primary temperature control. Make sure the blue square is showing on the thumb-wheel next to the vent.

[LuvMyE92]

In the US market we have what's called the "comfort seat" option which was a no-brainer for me since the stock seats were unacceptable. I agree that the lumbar does seem rather large.

I also agree that the cooling of the HVAC leaves something to be desired. It will vary the fan speed as needed, but I'm never comfortable in this car. I'm not sure what it is, but it just never gets cool enough. I end up pointing the vents directly at me, which then makes it too cool.

My black on black E39 feels better than this thing does in the summer.

[BDV]

Hi NeedsDecaf,

oh, can you tell us where to set/adjust this? :-)

Thanks a lot

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by BDV

Hi NeedsDecaf,

oh, can you tell us where to set/adjust this? :-)

Thanks a lot

Fan speed adjustment button. You will see 5 blocks for fan speed when it is in Auto. Each one of those adjusts the intensity rang.e

If you are in manual and hit the fan speed adjustments, you will get a much broader number of adjustment points, and the fan speed will stay constant.

[BDV]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Fan speed adjustment button. You will see 5 blocks for fan speed when it is in Auto. Each one of those adjusts the intensity rang.e

If you are in manual and hit the fan speed adjustments, you will get a much broader number of adjustment points, and the fan speed will stay constant.

mmm, when I hit the fan speed button, Auto disengages and the fan speed remains constant.

Could this be a difference between the standard AC and the extended one (S0534)? As mine is a company car, I had to draw the line somewhere to stay within budget, and this one fell out... :-(

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by BDV

mmm, when I hit the fan speed button, Auto disengages and the fan speed remains constant.

Could this be a difference between the standard AC and the extended one (S0534)? As mine is a company car, I had to draw the line somewhere to stay within budget, and this one fell out... :-(

Likely it is, yes. I am not that familiar with other systems as all F10's in the US come with full climate control. The only option for us is "4 Zone" climate control.

[Profexxor]

I also have the standard climate control (also a company car and it let's you increase fan speed on a 5 range scale. It will switch off from auto mode if you adjust it manually.

In my experience you have to increase the fan speed and lower the temperature to about 17 celsius to get the car cool enough. This weekend it was about 27 degree in Amsterdam and I cooled at max. capacity and even after half an hour I did not feel chilly. I will bring it to the quick service at the dealership to check it out. I expect a lot better from a car in this class.

[Hub Dub]

Originally Posted by radarguy

As far as the cold air is concerned, BMW dash vents have a temperature control that works in addition to the primary temperature control. Make sure the blue square is showing on the thumb-wheel next to the vent.

Initially I thought this was a bizarre feature to have in addition to the overall aircon controls, but having played around with it over the past few weeks, it is actually quite useful.

[Glock 32]

^^^Certainly. Had one manual dial with the E39... Got burried in the idrive settings with the E60 (e.g. no manual dial(s)). And now their back as a pair (one for each side this time) and better than ever along with the various manual vent settings for direct, indirect, etc. airflow.

The new 5 range auto intensity settings is a nice add, once I figured out those were not the fan speed settings (apparently only available with certain option package(s), though?). Was that the conclusion here?

Mine stays in Auto when I adjust them and divert to fan speed when I switch off Auto as noted by the symbol/word on the dash. I have the 4-zone... Works great.

[BDV]

this is what it looks like on a standard climate control:

Auto ON:


Auto OFF:
pushing:
f

• an speed buttons (up/down)
• Auto button
• air flo

w button (feet/center/windshield)
all result in the same: fixed fan speed and fixed air flow (feet/center/windshield)


No settings in idrive (as opposed to my previous E91).

I still hope I'm overlooking something :-)

[Profexxor]

Originally Posted by Hub Dub

Initially I thought this was a bizarre feature to have in addition to the overall aircon controls, but having played around with it over the past few weeks, it is actually quite useful.

For what do you actually use it? To prevent cold air being blown right at you?

Can't imagine any other use for it.....

[Glock 32]

In the morning, leave it dialed toward hot, yes, to keep cold air from blowing on you. In the afternoon heat dial it to cold, yes, to keep cold air blowing on you.

If you feel a little cold or hot dial it one way or the other. Seems just adjusting the temp, does not give the same effect (e.g. air may still be too cold or hot from those vents). Also, you can keep warm air from blowing in your face which can feel very stuffy when cranking the heat, but too cold isn't good either so you "dial" it in to just right. In the heat (when cranking the AC), it is typically best all the way cold.

I feel like I am stating the obvious here (LOL), but it works well for quick finite adjustments, etc. Simple knob with a simple job... to keep too hot or too cold of air from blowing in your face depending on your preference at that moment.

[Glock 32]

Originally Posted by BDV

this is what it looks like on a standard climate control:

Auto ON:
Attachment 536319

Auto OFF:
pushing:
f

• an speed buttons (up/down)
• Auto button
• air flo

w button (feet/center/windshield)
all result in the same: fixed fan speed and fixed air flow (feet/center/windshield)


No settings in idrive (as opposed to my previous E91).

I still hope I'm overlooking something :-)

Doesn't look like you are overlooking anything. The 4-zone auto is different than yours. With our auto bar graph (we have five levels), only one of five lights on the graph (yours has seven still), light-up at a time when in auto mode (yours stay lit in sequence). Yours seems to stay in fan mode (even when in auto) and ours diverts to a five range auto program intensity setting when in auto.

[BDV]

thanks for the confirmation!

[yohanlawrence]

try the "recirculate" button - it's the one next to the auto one. This closes off the fresh air intake, so the ac is much more effective.

[Needsdecaf]

Originally Posted by Glock 32

Doesn't look like you are overlooking anything. The 4-zone auto is different than yours. With our auto bar graph (we have five levels), only one of five lights on the graph (yours has seven still), light-up at a time when in auto mode (yours stay lit in sequence). Yours seems to stay in fan mode (even when in auto) and ours diverts to a five range auto program intensity setting when in auto.

Non 4 Zone climate control in the US is different as well. Same as the 4 zone, just with only one red/blue wheel in the front and no controls in the back other then vent open / close.

[Sharbotcom]

Originally Posted by Needsdecaf

Non 4 Zone climate control in the US is different as well. Same as the 4 zone, just with only one red/blue wheel in the front and no controls in the back other then vent open / close.

In Canada the 528i has the non-automatic climate control and the 35 & 50 have have the automatic climate control, whereas in the States the 28, 35 and 50 have the automatic climate control.