[JGDizzle]

I have a 2011 bmw 535i & I just notice that I'm not getting any hot air when I turn the heater on. I don't believe the thermostat & water pump are bad I'm not getting any codes & my car stays at normal operation temp.

I adjust my climate controls all the way to 84 degrees manually not on auto & the snowflake is off. I get like room temp to coolish air coming out But when I turn on the AC it works fine both drive & passenger side blows cold air.

Only time I get pretty warm air is right when I turn on my car & set it to 84 but if I adjust it to 80 degrees it goes cold & it won't warm back up anymore even if I adjust it back to 84.

What should I do?

[danpatel90]

Is the slider between the two central air vents on blue or red? needs to be red.

[Qsilver7]

Ditto danpatel90...if you're referring to air from the dash vents (not the floor or defrost vents)...then always look at your stratified air dial to see where you have it set.

These dials have confounded BMW owners for decades. They allow you to temper the air blown from the dash vents warmer/cooler regardless of where you have the TEMP set on the IHKA control panel. This allows the driver to keep the passengers nice and cozy...but still allows the driver to blow cool fresh air toward their face to keep them alert on long journeys. Or if a passenger inside the car is on the hot side or cool side of the car, they can adjust the temp of the air warmer/cooler using the stratified air dial.

Most BMWs have had a least the front stratified air dial for decades...and in the mid 90's they started offering it to the rear passengers, too.

You can see the stratified air dials circled in red in the pics below...my F06 only has one dial...where as my F15 has two dials (one for driver & one for passenger). If this turns out to be your problem...when summer comes and you start using the AC...don't freak out when the air from the dash is warm...remember to turn the dial(s) back into the BLUE.

[Qsilver7]

Any update?

[JGDizzle]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

Any update?

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

Any update?

Thank you guys for your inputs! I did make sure it was on the red but still same issue, but I have fixed the problem!

The problem ended up being a bad heater control valve as I expected it was a straight forward replacement but a pain cause there was no room. Bled the system & is good to go!

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by JGDizzle

...I have fixed the problem! ... The problem ended up being a bad heater control valve ...

Thanks for the update and glad you got the problem solved.

[AussieBob]

After getting the air-con solved at the end of last summer on my 2010 F10 with a new return hose fitted, I'm now driving around in winter with a cold cabin! Not because the air-con is on, or the dial is set to blue, but because the heater control valves appear to have failed in the off position or at least are blocked. The inlet hose to the valves is warm but the two inlet hoses to the firewall are cooler and easy to compress with the fingers.

I've ordered a Bapmic replacement part which is cheap! but if it is as good as their cheap oil-cooler rubber gasket I'll be happy.

I'm currently driving my 27 year old E36 M3 S50 3.0L Coupe while I wait for the International shipment to arrive because its heater is HOT! I guess in some cases older is better.
The F10 heater is still worth fixing as everything else is still saying to me it's a keeper as well.

[div1ne]

Originally Posted by JGDizzle

Thank you guys for your inputs! I did make sure it was on the red but still same issue, but I have fixed the problem!

The problem ended up being a bad heater control valve as I expected it was a straight forward replacement but a pain cause there was no room. Bled the system & is good to go!

How much did it cost you to fix the heat valve? My '12 535i has the same issue. I'm quite surprised, I live in AZ and barely ever use hot air