[JB330Ci]

Does the AC fan speed automatically increase to maximum when the temperature inside the car is lot more hotter than the set point? In my E46 the AC fan speed jumps to maximum when the car sits in the sun for a while then automatically reduces when the temperature reaching the set point. My M2 fan speed stays put if I set it at minimum on automatic AC mode.

[DanG]

Originally Posted by JB330Ci

Does the AC fan speed automatically increase to maximum when the temperature inside the car is lot more hotter than the set point? In my E46 the AC fan speed jumps to maximum when the car sits in the sun for a while then automatically reduces when the temperature reaching the set point. My M2 fan speed stays put if I set it at minimum on automatic AC mode.

Mine does exactly the same. I was quite surprised initially. But I have gotten use to it.

[2+3=5]

Originally Posted by JB330Ci

Does the AC fan speed automatically increase to maximum when the temperature inside the car is lot more hotter than the set point? In my E46 the AC fan speed jumps to maximum when the car sits in the sun for a while then automatically reduces when the temperature reaching the set point. My M2 fan speed stays put if I set it at minimum on automatic AC mode.

Yup have to hit the max ac button then back to auto. I should try voice control next time

[amancuso]

I noticed the same thing, was quite surprised at that.

[ZPrime]

It annoys the hell out of me, because when I hit "Auto" I want it all to be automatic... but it seems like the fan speed is not automatic. It doesn't seem to ever ramp down to a lower speed once the interior temp is met either.

One of my few gripes with this car. Audi and VW have it "right" IMO - control the fan speed for me, please. If I wanted to be screwing around with the blower setting, I would've bought a car without auto climate control...

One trick I learned while messing around though - I was annoyed by the lack of any "off" button for the whole thing, and kept just mashing the fan speed switch multiple times until it shut off. On a whim, I tried holding it down. The initial press turns the speed down one notch, but keep holding it and the system will shut off entirely. The "cute" part is that if you press Auto again, it will turn back on at the fan speed you had last set, and it ignores the single decrease that happened from the initial press, before you held it.

So if you have it set at speed 3, press and hold fan-down/"off", you'll see it drop to speed 2 and then shut off. Hit Auto again, and it will come back on at speed 3. So at least there's a way to get it to go back to where you last left it.

[ZPrime]

Originally Posted by 2+3=5

Yup have to hit the max ac button then back to auto. I should try voice control next time

Note that Max AC is generally going to be more than just turning up the blower. "Max AC" (in most cars, I'm assuming BMW is the same since I didn't check the manual to confirm) will probably also put the HVAC system into recirculation mode, since it's more efficient to re-cool already cooled air. Problem with this is that you then tend to fog windows.

[Saberwalk]

I have not checked the manual recently, but my recollection from my m240i and other BMWs is that the fan speed is automatic up to the setting. In other words, if you set the fan at the first notch that is the fastest maximum speed but it may slow down as the car cools. So if you want faster speeds set it all the way up and it will automatically slow down.

[eeyang92]

Originally Posted by ZPrime

Note that Max AC is generally going to be more than just turning up the blower. "Max AC" (in most cars, I'm assuming BMW is the same since I didn't check the manual to confirm) will probably also put the HVAC system into recirculation mode, since it's more efficient to re-cool already cooled air. Problem with this is that you then tend to fog windows.

The AC should dehumidify the recirculated air? Can't say I've had my windows fog on me with max AC, although to be fair I usually only have it on for a minute at the most to bring temps down when it's hot.

[carl44]

It's really a semi automatic heat system not a full auto, kind of a joke! There's no sync for both sides and then you have the thumb wheel that changes the temp no matter what you have set plus the weird fan settings? My GT4 is real simple you set auto and the temp that's it. If you want to do something else it goes to manual.. Carl

[chiefsubjugator]

I'm just glad to hear that this all annoys someone else. Literally was just noticing the lack of 'auto' fan today. My wife and I were absolutely floored to learn you can't sync the two sides either. These are small annoyances but I'm surprised to have them in a BMW (though it's my first BMW so maybe it's a "BMW thing").

[NinjaB]

My 2006 e90 had Auto fan speed.

Really weird the auto button on the M2 does basically nothing. There is the hot/cold dial in the center you have to set as well as the fan speed.

[Nezil]

As far as I know, it is a BMW thing. Long term owners (not me, this is my first BMW) tell me that it's a great system, and I'm trying to love it.

The way it was explained to me, is that you set the temperature you want for the cabin with the dials, odd that they cannot be synced, but that aside, the system will then try to achieve that temperature. The temperature of the air coming out of the vents (with the exception of the centre ones, which I'll get to) is totally controlled by the auto system.

Some people, including my wife, hate having the fan on high under any circumstances, and BMW has an answer to that with the auto fan speed adjustment. It's quite different from manual fan speed, but it does adjust the range of fan speed adjustment that the auto system has. My wife, even on really hot days, wouldn't want full fan speed, so she'd be really happy with the middle setting, for example.

The centre vents, and the little wheel up there, adjust the temperature of the air coming out of those vents only, relative to the temperature setting for the cabin. You can't have hot air coming out of these and cold out of the others, or vice versa, but you can have slightly cooler or warmer air than the other vents. This, apparently, is because some people like to have cooler air blowing on them in winter, even though they like a warm cabin, or less cool air blowing on them in summer, even though the air-con is running as hard as it can.

As I said, I'm trying to love it, but it seems overly complicated to me. Every other car I've had with auto climate control has been simply set the temperature hit auto, and forget it. The BMW one has me doing that most of the time, but if it's super hot, I find I have to turn the fan speed up, and the center wheel to full cold.

I've always been happy with the set and forget systems, but I do notice that my wife is always fiddling with hers. She's either too hot, or too cold, or the air is blowing too hard at her, or too dry etc. Maybe she would be happier with the BMW system, but we'll never know... it's my car, not hers!

[Dblaz]

This system is needlessly more complicated and less user friendly than even my last BMW, my 135i. It had a sync function, and the fans would speed up/slow down to meet the desired temperature on auto...AND there was no stupid mid vent dial like we have.

It's annoying.

[ZPrime]

Originally Posted by Nezil

Some people, including my wife, hate having the fan on high under any circumstances, and BMW has an answer to that with the auto fan speed adjustment. It's quite different from manual fan speed, but it does adjust the range of fan speed adjustment that the auto system has.

I screwed around with mine a bit today, and TBH it doesn't seem to ever slow down from whatever fan speed you set. After a while, the vents definitely change airflow pattern, and it will start out (when cooling) with all the air up top, but then later I feel it start blowing out by my feet. I don't ever notice the fan speed drop. If I bump the speed up another notch or two, the fans speed up... even though it's fucking icy in the cabin. (I have it set at 70F - it's mid-80s and humid here lately, so it shouldn't have much of a problem hitting 70F.)

One thing it will do though - if your fan speed is above 3 (or maybe it's 3 and higher) and you make/receive a bluetooth phone call, it will automatically reduce the fan speed. Thought that was kind of clever. The rest of it... not so much.

I also don't understand the purpose of the manual blend dial for the center pair of vents, and in fact I think it's really fucking stupid. Just blend the air temp coming from those vents to match what is coming out of the rest of the vents. Why the hell would I want that air hotter or colder than everything else? Even with your theory Nezil, it still doesn't make sense to me.

[ZPrime]

Originally Posted by eeyang92

The AC should dehumidify the recirculated air? Can't say I've had my windows fog on me with max AC, although to be fair I usually only have it on for a minute at the most to bring temps down when it's hot.

It's more for in the winter... you don't want recirculate on then, because you're trapping more humid air in the cabin, and in the winter the compressor generally won't run on most cars except if you turn on defrost/defog. But I guess most people aren't pressing "max AC" in the winter either.

[amancuso]

Originally Posted by ZPrime

...

I also don't understand the purpose of the manual blend dial for the center pair of vents, and in fact I think it's really fucking stupid. Just blend the air temp coming from those vents to match what is coming out of the rest of the vents. Why the hell would I want that air hotter or colder than everything else? Even with your theory Nezil, it still doesn't make sense to me.

That's always been one of my favorite features in the BMW. In winter you want hot/warm air on your feet, but not on your face. You can select the temp independently. My 128i didn't have it and I did notice not having it.

[qnet]

It's certainly a different kind of system but I like it overall.

[fridex]

I hope someone at BMW reads this thread.
I came from a Merc which has a true AUTO climate control. you set the temp and thats it.

[Banilejo]

Glad I’m not crazy, with the extreme heat in Boston lately I found myself having to turn up the fan speed manually often. I started to wonder if the climate control was defective, by definition it should handle everything automatically! What is the point of the auto button if I have to raise/lower fan myself? I had a 1991 Nissan 300zx with auto climate controls and that did this, set and forget, surprised a 2018 luxury BMW doesn’t.

Unless, it still control overall fan speed and this control is meant to give you some control to raise and lower the speed, just like the temperature dial. But if that’s the case I wish it would go to full fan speed regardless until it reaches he desired temperature. I just find my self adjusting the fan speed more than usual.

Car is a blast to drive so it’s just a minor inconvenience.

[E36toF87]

When my '98 E36 was new, the fan worked as you'd expect - in auto, the fan speed was proportional to the difference between setpoint and actual. If you then adjusted the fan speed it would go into manual mode until you went back to auto. Perfect. Fast forward 10+ years and I needed a replacement climate control box. Auto in that one wasn't good for much, much like my F87.

[qnet]

It gets pretty hot in Georgia, and the only time I have a slight issue is, when my car is parked outside somewhere for any length of time. I sometimes have to put it on max AC to cool the car down, then switch back to auto.

At other times, if I start it in auto-mode, it will work correctly and increase the fan speed until it cools down. It just doesn't do it all the time. I'm garaged most of the time, and when I leave home it works real good.

I still like the system overall however. When it's raining, my windows never fog up in auto-mode and I like that. It's works for me most of the time.

[ShelJW]

Originally Posted by qnet

It gets pretty hot in Georgia, and the only time I have a slight issue is, when my car is parked outside somewhere for any length of time. I sometimes have to put it on max AC to cool the car down, then switch back to auto.

The BMW Connect app for your phone has a "Start Ventilation Timer" function. It even has "Ventilate Now" and "Start Ventilate Timer"....

I keep meaning to try ventilating the car, when I'm in a restaurant and it's over 100, before I get in the car to see if it reduces the temperature, but I always forget to turn it on!

Has anyone tried the ventilation system from the Connect app?

Just curious if it helps on hot days...