Aircon always on when switching car on?

[erichui]

Hi guys,

just got a question for you guys.

My z4's air con always turns on whenever I switch on the car, which I thought is a settings that could be configured by the dealer.

Now I just took my car to the dealer to get something else fixed, and also asked if they could program it to such a way that the aircon is running whatever mode the aircon was running when the car is switched off, but the dealer said it is not possible..... is that the case?

Or is it a feature that is stored on the key fob, or on the car?

It really annoys me sometimes having to switch off the aircon every time I start the car (my mini that I had doesn't do that either)

[Otago]

Same question from me.

Does anybody know how to reconfig the setting?

[jpapg]

Same here ...
It really pisses me off ...
My mother's E39 525i (M package) does exactly the same thing.
So many years and the didn't fix it ...
What can I say ...

PS: To be fair, the car remembers air direction settings etc. (if you have double zone climate control)
But it always turns on the blower. I really do not understand why.

[Roadstergal]

I have the same problem. I had posted the same question here shortly after taking delivery. I have tried everything I can think of to just have it in the off position when I start up the car. I normally shut everything down when I turn off the car so it is a real annoyance when the blower comes on every time that I start it up. If anyone comes up with a fix, please let us know.

[T89]

Is your climate control set to auto? If it is set to auto and your temp is set lower than 22degrees celsuis (no idea what that is in Fahrenheit), the aircon will always default on. What I do is leave the auto mode off and adjust the temp myself. aircon never comes on this way unless I turn it on myself.


T

[Memphis1]

why do you guys want to turn it off?? set it at 70 or so and forget about it.

[pmlnnrt]

Originally Posted by T89

Is your climate control set to auto? If it is set to auto and your temp is set lower than 22degrees celsuis (no idea what that is in Fahrenheit), the aircon will always default on. What I do is leave the auto mode off and adjust the temp myself. aircon never comes on this way unless I turn it on myself.


T

Right ! - Turn off the Auto setting and it wont come on - I found that too- and just turned off the Auto setting on the climate controls.

Phil

[erichui]

Originally Posted by pmlnnrt

Right ! - Turn off the Auto setting and it wont come on - I found that too- and just turned off the Auto setting on the climate controls.

Phil

O thanks! I Will give that a try!

Cheers,
Eric

[flpnout]

Originally Posted by T89

Is your climate control set to auto? If it is set to auto and your temp is set lower than 22degrees celsuis (no idea what that is in Fahrenheit), the aircon will always default on. What I do is leave the auto mode off and adjust the temp myself. aircon never comes on this way unless I turn it on myself.


T

Seriously, that's all you have to do?? When I had my BMW 650 cabrio, that always drove me crazy why it was always on and now it is also doing the same on the Z4. I just assumed that is how BMW designed it. I will try your method. Dealership never knew why? Thanks!

[T89]

Originally Posted by flpnout

Seriously, that's all you have to do?? When I had my BMW 650 cabrio, that always drove me crazy why it was always on and now it is also doing the same on the Z4. I just assumed that is how BMW designed it. I will try your method. Dealership never knew why? Thanks!

Yep works for me. If you set the temp lower than 22celsius and the auto function on, the aircon will come on to maintain the desired temp when it gets hot.
Give it a try.


T

[tiborakos]

I can confirm it works, i have done it as well.
However, my question is why the aircon does not turn on and off based on the desired temperature on the knobs, ie auto, aircon off & hot climate, you turn the knob to 20C and aircon stays off, it only turns on when you hit the button. Or auto, aircon on and you decide it is a bit cold, so you turn the knob to say 26C -or watever high enough- but in any case aircon stays on -thus temp will never get to 26C - and you have to manually hit the button to turn it off...
any ideas?

[T89]

Originally Posted by tiborakos

I can confirm it works, i have done it as well.
However, my question is why the aircon does not turn on and off based on the desired temperature on the knobs, ie auto, aircon off & hot climate, you turn the knob to 20C and aircon stays off, it only turns on when you hit the button. Or auto, aircon on and you decide it is a bit cold, so you turn the knob to say 26C -or watever high enough- but in any case aircon stays on -thus temp will never get to 26C - and you have to manually hit the button to turn it off...
any ideas?

Aircon helps to cool the car by drying the air (absorbing moisture) that's why it is possible to have the aircon on when you turn the temp up. That's why when you have mist on your front windshield and you press the front demister button on the climate control, the aircon will turn on. This helps remove the mist quickly.


T

[msimon18]

In MANUAL mode mine ALWAYS comes on when I start the car regardless of where I have the temp set.

[mcbeee]

Originally Posted by Memphis1

why do you guys want to turn it off?? set it at 70 or so and forget about it.

Exactly, if it bothers me I turn it off for a while otherwise it's in auto (set at 20 degrees C)

The AC units are also used to help with defogging windshields. Ford has been doing it for over 20 years.

By the way, there's no such thing as a silly question.....

[Wcollins]

I agree 100% and I think this is a bad design. If I want the AC on then I will turn it on. I don't need the car deciding for me. Its kind of like Obamacare......oooops!

[jparnes1]

F = (C x 9/5) + 32

[rmorin49]

So, in the middle of January with temps in the teens the A/C will come on every time I start the car? Seems ridiculous.

[Memphis1]

^^what??

the CC knows what the outside temp is and will set the air temp exactly to what you set it. i'm really curious what you guys have trouble with. top down/top up/cold/hot no matter what the temp is outside if you set it to 70 or 72 the CC will do whatever is needed.

[jparnes1]

I haven't taken delivery of my Z4 yet, but unless BMW changed the way the Climate Control system works, in my E60 if you turn off the A/C and just run the fan, the car will run that same setting every time you start up. If you turn everything off (A/C and fan), again, the car will duplicate that setting upon each start up.

[Memphis1]

yeah, the concept is turn off the "auto" function, then turn off by lowering the fan speed to naught. then the system will stay off. but my point is, as an example, i've never turned off my system (except to test the above), and in winter when it was 0 degrees outside my CC would warm the car, but yesterday it was 99 degrees so the CC cooled the car, and today it was 72 degrees, a very light air was coming out but it was the same as the "outside" air, so no need to turn off or raise the roof or windows. it just always hits that mark that the little knobs say.

[msimon18]

That is the whole idea of the AUTOMATIC dual zone system !!!

[alan64]

Originally Posted by rmorin49

So, in the middle of January with temps in the teens the A/C will come on every time I start the car? Seems ridiculous.

no, in the winter the air conditioning does not come in. Below a certain temp it wont.