Auto/manaul climate...?

[BFEINZIMER]

On my manual climate control, my right hand dial does not work (spins without resistance). So I can pick up another one off ebay or get an auto climate control off ebay? Easy switchable...options..opinions?

[Rus]

Auto-climate control is NOT an easy swap. Shogun posted a link in one of the older threads on this forum to a very long explanation of the auto system and based on his comments, its definitely not easy to swap. Picking up another manual unit would be the easiest choice.

[BFEINZIMER]

haha thanks

[Paul in NZ]

and the auto is not really auto

[genphreak]

and the auto is not really autoHmmm

:) I think I'd prefer dials. Since they are thermostatic anyway so it makes no difference. All the Auto does is give you Auto vent controls (blows air to windows for the first few minutes, then adjust airflow to keep the air temp the same in the footwells and centre from there on.

What I call emergency defrost (ie pushing the defrost button it changes the vent controls to windows, turns on the rear demister, and runs maximum fan/blower and (turns on? the AC- not sure about this one- my AC LED does not glow but the compressor is defiantely on)

However at the same time as doing all that, the vent only blows AC air if you turn hit the AC button (this must be a fault in my car) so perhaps a stepper is not functioning.

Perhaps if I lived where it is cold and rainy I'd appreciate all this wizadry more...

[Paul in NZ]

i dont know about the A/C thing but i find (living in a wet ish coldish place) that my car is hard to defrost or defog the windscreen.If you push the defrost button the blower makes about as much noise as a small boeing jet,and all the air is directed to the screen.It does defrost nbut i find turning the a/c on with the temp up a bit is much less dramatic but a hell of a lot more efficent.My a/c doesnt come on when i push the defrost button
the button on the left in the middle group
http://www.bimmer.info/bmw/kiwi535/int.jpg

[shogun]

You need exactly the same control panel.
The one Paul shows in the pic above is the one for the Klimatronic (full automatic),
probably you have something like this installed
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-e34-Heater-Climate-Control-Panel-525i-535i-540i-M5_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33545QQihZ008QQitemZ 180114645513QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-A-C-CONTROL-PANEL-525-530-535-540-E34_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ46094QQihZ005QQitem Z150055938489QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

34 $ buy now
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-DUAL-CLIMATE-CONTOL-PANEL-E34-525i-535i-540i-M5_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33545QQihZ005QQitemZ 150059675321QQtcZphoto
Maybe they even have more items you need, all buy now price, for example a BC IV for 29 $
http://stores.ebay.com/Strictly-German-inc_5-Series-BMW-1989-1996-E34_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfclZ4QQfsubZ4QQftidZ2QQtZkm


Why do you not disassemble the dial and see what is wrong? Maybe it is repairable.

[genphreak]

It does defrost but i find turning the a/c on with the temp up a bit is much less dramatic but a hell of a lot more efficent. My a/c doesnt come on when i push the defrost button the button on the left in the middle group
We might be onto something... If you put all the window vents on max and blast AC manually at the screen you get a dramatic affect- and this is what BMW obviosuly wanted to achieve. However, I know that if you leave it like that pretty soon you get ice develop on the outside of the window as the AC is freezing cold and the air in the morning is laden with water and is warming up- causing it condenses on the cold glass.

So if the 'emergency defrost' works does not regulate the flow of cold air through the vents it will cause the same problem. BMW would have worked around that one- and they can't just adjust the air temperature as warm air = condensation inside.

So they clearly regulate air flow and with the jumbo jet you describe Paul, I wonder if you have noticed that it isn't blowing much... and thus- we may have a problem with the flap that controls air to the windscreen vents.

On mine, manual defrost does not suffer this problem and blows a gale without sounding like you installed a hybrid engine in-behind the dashboard!

So maybe they are faulty mate... one thing I do know... it sounds like one heck of a fault finding session!

BTW; when you say your AC is not on- are you sure the compressor is not engaging at all?

I have the same experience except i've watched my AC compressor engage- yet things do not cool down much inside and the AC LED is not on. The AC LED may not come on (by design) as the AC is being activated by another circuit and the switch is not a soft type like the rear demister switch.

And there's my other pet hate; the rear demister does not turn off on its after even an hour. I mean if it were ever to frost up again after you had been going for an hour, you could just turn it back on...

EDIT- Actually it does- it turns of after ten minutes odd. That last one was my imagination...

[genphreak]

You need exactly the same control panel.
The one Paul shows in the pic above is the one for the Klimatronic (full automatic),
probably you have something like this installed
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-e34-Heater-Climate-Control-Panel-525i-535i-540i-M5_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33545QQihZ008QQitemZ 180114645513QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-A-C-CONTROL-PANEL-525-530-535-540-E34_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ46094QQihZ005QQitem Z150055938489QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWD1V

34 $ buy now
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-DUAL-CLIMATE-CONTOL-PANEL-E34-525i-535i-540i-M5_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33545QQihZ005QQitemZ 150059675321QQtcZphoto
Maybe they even have more items you need, all buy now price, for example a BC IV for 29 $
http://stores.ebay.com/Strictly-German-inc_5-Series-BMW-1989-1996-E34_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfclZ4QQfsubZ4QQftidZ2QQtZkm

Why do you not disassemble the dial and see what is wrong? Maybe it is repairable. Too true Shogun. That is a good vendor, if only they'd ship Internationally l! :) Nick

[Paul in NZ]

i dont THINK my A/c comes on or tries to come on.I will check this weekend.If the a/c did come on it would surely clear the windscreen in a second.The A?C light definetly dont light up.My rear defrost goes off after about 10 minutes.it comes on automatically when you press the JATO button.
My emergency defrost blows a lot of air.When the fan spools up you can feel the air around your head,and after a couple of seconds the velocity of the air increases,and i figure this is due to some adjustment of the stepper motors.I dont think the fan speed increase at this point it sounds as tho the air is passing through narrower passages,or ALL the air is directed to the screen.If I close all other fascia and dash top vents,have the air dist set to manual,and turn the fan onto full manually it does not replicate the defrost setting.

[Ferret]

i dont THINK my A/c comes on or tries to come on.I will check this weekend.If the a/c did come on it would surely clear the windscreen in a second.The A?C light definetly dont light up.My rear defrost goes off after about 10 minutes.it comes on automatically when you press the JATO button.
My emergency defrost blows a lot of air.When the fan spools up you can feel the air around your head,and after a couple of seconds the velocity of the air increases,and i figure this is due to some adjustment of the stepper motors.I dont think the fan speed increase at this point it sounds as tho the air is passing through narrower passages,or ALL the air is directed to the screen.If I close all other fascia and dash top vents,have the air dist set to manual,and turn the fan onto full manually it does not replicate the defrost setting.

Yeah, I've got the Auto climate control system and I think when you hit the emergency defrost button it puts the fan motor up to full speed on window vents only.... makes a hell of a noise doing it - you can hear it closing the vents sequentially which is why the force gradually increases.

EDIT: On manual dont forget a lot of the air pressure will be lost to under the seats and footwells...