:: Does climate control actually work?

[Qube]

I notice that really only the driver side full heat or full cool click works. Anything inbetween is really nothing special... and the dualzone for the passenger is bunk as well -- more psycological than anything.

The dash climate control (center vent), sometimes works in selecting fresh air or heat, though it's more hot or semi-warm, really (if heat is on).

So is this climate control thing bunk?

I understand that if I set the driver to full cool, there is no heat for anyone else if they try. Conversely, if it's set to full heat, the only 'cool/warm' control is the center vent. What is gradiation between full cool and hot supposed to do on the driver/passenger side?

[Ferret]

See, mine kinda-sorta-half-arsed-worked... until I took it apart and found this lot:
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/Ferret101/Heater/05-Clean.jpg

Cleaned it all out and it works flawlessly now, you might want to try it!

[repenttokyo]

My dual control works fine...Also, I have temp gradient differences between full cool and full heat...sounds like your system is broken.

[infurno]

I hope this is not too off topic... But how fast is the car suppose to warm up?
On a cool 40 degree day it takes my car about 7-10 min for warm air to really come... Is this normal?

[DaveVoorhis]

I hope this is not too off topic... But how fast is the car suppose to warm up?
On a cool 40 degree day it takes my car about 7-10 min for warm air to really come... Is this normal?

Dunno. What kind of car do you drive?

[infurno]

1990 525i m20 ~270k

Thats it. im adding it to my sig :D

[DaveVoorhis]

1990 525i m20 ~270k
If you don't have an auxiliary water pump as part of the heating system (my M20 525i didn't), it can take about ten minutes to deliver heat from stone cold, especially if you're idling a lot.

[winfred]

dual zone works but it doesn't really come into it's own till you are on a long run, if nothing else it gives the women in the car something to do, mine's set and doesn't move all day, but every few minutes id see outta the corner of my eye a hand snake over and move the dial like 3 degrees one way and then move it back on the next cycle

[Ross]

Yes, it gives women something to do. Twist the dial from full cold to full hot.

[Qube]

Realllllllllllllllllllllly so in theory, on a cold day... I drive for 15 minutes and with the dial set to the middle I should get some warm air? I better check.

Also... in theory I set mine to the middle and the passenger to full cool it should be different temps? Time to break out my temp gun...

Other than clogged crap, is this possibly a blade issue?

[Brandon J]

I've also noticed that when using the heat at night, the heat from the dash bulbs throw the temp sensor off and I need to turn the dials even hotter.

[repenttokyo]

wow, i've never had that problem.

[winfred]

if your heat sucks and the pump works the valves have probably come apart and are blocking the flow, as for getting dual zone to work the drivers side dial can't be at either extreme position, theres usually a little notch that you can feel as it snaps into the full cold/hot position, this overrides the other knob


Realllllllllllllllllllllly so in theory, on a cold day... I drive for 15 minutes and with the dial set to the middle I should get some warm air? I better check.

Also... in theory I set mine to the middle and the passenger to full cool it should be different temps? Time to break out my temp gun...

Other than clogged crap, is this possibly a blade issue?

[Paul in NZ]

I hope this is not too off topic... But how fast is the car suppose to warm up?
On a cool 40 degree day it takes my car about 7-10 min for warm air to really come... Is this normal?
Thats not normal.I start getting warm air after only about 2 kilometres...i am starting to get really warm air when the temp needle is about half way between stone cold and normal.I credit the aux pump for this.It is easily the fastest warming heater of any car i have had.

[Paul in NZ]

dual zone works but it doesn't really come into it's own till you are on a long run, if nothing else it gives the women in the car something to do, mine's set and doesn't move all day, but every few minutes id see outta the corner of my eye a hand snake over and move the dial like 3 degrees one way and then move it back on the next cycle

dual zone???mine works but really how much temperature differential can you get from warm air in a box say 6x8x 4 feet!My wife constantly plays with the temp dal too,and opening and closing and redirecting the fascia and side vents

[bmwrp8]

mine worked before until whenever I turn the air on the footwell only warm or hot air comes out, no matter if the dial is in cold position so I uninstalled the coolant hose going to the heater core.

[Paul in NZ]

Realllllllllllllllllllllly so in theory, on a cold day... I drive for 15 minutes and with the dial set to the middle I should get some warm air? I better check.

Also... in theory I set mine to the middle and the passenger to full cool it should be different temps? Time to break out my temp gun...

Other than clogged crap, is this possibly a blade issue?
well before 15 minutes...i get HOT air within a few minutes.On full the thing would be unbearable

[Qube]

Ok, I used 15 minutes at a completely full indicator that the car has warmed. In reality of course, yer all right, hot air usually starts going in about 5 minutes, even if it is -20c out.

[winfred]

if everything is working you can get a pretty good split in air temp coming from the vents while the car sorta hovers in the middle, but these things are sorta flow though ventilated anyway, i never tried full heat and full ac but you can get hot and cool but it can take a little while for it to really get going good

i always wondered if you could put a fake dial on the womens side of the car and they would still keep ****ing with it, nothing like a good placebo :D


dual zone???mine works but really how much temperature differential can you get from warm air in a box say 6x8x 4 feet!My wife constantly plays with the temp dal too,and opening and closing and redirecting the fascia and side vents

[everlast]

See, mine kinda-sorta-half-arsed-worked... until I took it apart and found this lot:
http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a190/Ferret101/Heater/05-Clean.jpg

Cleaned it all out and it works flawlessly now, you might want to try it!


^^ What IS that hose? I have replaced my heater valves, the aux pump (was damaged) and found the stepper motor for the center vents had broken away and was stuff on 'cool'. I moved it to hot, but STILL only get partial heat from the center vents. The left vent (in the door) is especially cool. Is there another stepper motor that could have broken away for that vent too?

Anyway, more info on the above procedure would be great.

[everlast]

N/m, I found your other post. I may have to try that tomorrow. At least I now have defrost, and need it will this snow dump we just got. Like, WTH? :D