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HVAC fan button worn out/peeling what is the solution?

  • replace the button

    Votes: 60 51.7%
  • take apart the whole console and replace the entire HVAC face plate

    Votes: 56 48.3%

Worn out buttons, WTF?

103K views 278 replies 93 participants last post by  QSilver7 
#1 ·
The button I push the most is probably the small fan button to turn off the HVAC, when I start the car. Guess what, the small fan icon, it peeled off. During lunch I went to BMW of Beverly Hills without an appointment because this seriously pissed me off and it's down the street from me. Do you think they have to:
A - replace the button.
B - take apart the whole console and replace the entire HVAC face plate?
 

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#6 ·
If I was leasing the car it would be another story, but I own this car, and I have an expectation that in a year a button should not be peeling off or fading. I have a 16 year old lexus and NONE of the buttons have faded or peeled.
Service Person: " Yeah I've seen this a lot. BMW uses a coating that they spray onto the panels and switches. When that plastic coating wears off the paint on top of the buttons is exposed and gets abraded and eventually wears off. A lot of the time lotions or hand sanitizers will chemically react with the coating and cause it to degrade. Other manufacturers inject paint into the buttons so it's not just sitting on the surface. "
 
#7 ·
That part won't be available separately. The whole unit would need replacing.
That aside, I'm amazed that someone living in California turns the climate control off everytime they get in the car... Seems astonishing to me!
Despite you you may seen on the Tele. In the morning it's 18C (65F). Amazingly the Air-conditioning doesn't need to be turned on in that temp. On most astonishingly nice days, I drive with the sunroof open and the window open.
Was there any real question as to the typical nature of these systems? The poll should have been a rhetorical question, sorry folks...
 
#9 ·
i dunno...

If it were me, i would not let anyone take apart the dash for 4 dots on a fan blade logo that's about 3/16" in diameter. I would imagine the chance that the dash does not go back together perfectly (fit/finish wise) would bother me more than those 4 dots on the blades.

My 2 cents

Aceman
 
#10 ·
If it were me, i would not let anyone take apart the dash for 4 dots on a fan blade logo that's about 3/16" in diameter. I would imagine the chance that the dash does not go back together perfectly (fit/finish wise) would bother me more than those 4 dots on the blades.

My 2 cents

Aceman
You make a good point. But every time I look down at the thing, it really freaking bothers me. I know it's a BMW, but seriously how hard is it to make a freaking button not wear out in a year, that's just garbage and totally unacceptable to me. This car is starting to irritate me.
The service department has been pretty kick-a$$ though. Must be all that practice.
 
#11 ·
If it's like my X5 control button for defroster in this case (although an '03), the button pops off and another goes in . It would seem odd that you would need to replace the face plate. I would have them do what ever makes it right for you. If me, I would accept a new button, if do-able. I had one shipped for under $20 bucks. I hope they haven't over complicated this with the need to replace the whole panel. If so, have it replaced.
 
#12 ·
I hope they haven't over complicated this with the need to replace the whole panel. If so, have it replaced.
:rofl:
To the surprise of no one, yes. I thought I was gonna keep this car a long time. I have serious reservations about owning this thing past the warranty period. I really like this car, but these little fiddly things aren't something I'm willing to deal with. The car is a year old, can you imagine the tomfoolery in 5-6 years.
 
#13 ·
I am starting to see wear on some of my preset buttons. Especially the #8 button, which shows the nav screen. It's showing a wear "circle" in the middle. I'm not too happy about this either.
 
#17 ·
It's clear they don't care about quality and reliability. Why should they, most people lease and the ones who buy in the secondary market already know what to expect. As long as they make sexy good looking cars, that have moderate barriers to entry (favorable leasing residuals, MF's, etc...), people will buy/lease them. There's no incentive to change their behavior.
 
#19 ·
He's not being too picky at all. Spend that much money on a car, and it should not have these issues in this short amount of time. Now I, I'm picky. The dealer will never change the oil in mine; I will with synthetic-every 4k. Valets and others won't get near it either. Call me crazy, but if I'm spending just short of 80k, it should last and be "right".
 
#21 ·
The dealer will never change the oil in mine; I will with synthetic-every 4k. Valets and others won't get near it either. Call me crazy, but if I'm spending just short of 80k, it should last and be "right".
way to go! :thumb up:
to tell you the truth, because there is no deepstick anymore,
I am paranoid and can't trust that the dealer will always do a proper oil change...
 
#26 ·
When I'm "meditating" in front of the computer. I do use hand sanitizer yes, but I use it in all three cars, and this car is driven less than the other 2, and only this car (youngest) has fading buttons. (but it also drives the best, so I'll probably continue to drink the BMW Kool-Aid like everyone else and deal with RFT's and software updates, and fill in the blank...)

In any case, my next BMW is probably a lease as you say. I don't know if any other manufacture does it any different or better these days.
I'm usually not a believer of leasing for personal use, but it may be worth the premium to avoid the out of warranty malarkey.
 
#34 ·
I'm really over the top, and believe it or not, avoid getting finger prints on the buttons by wiping my fingers prior to touching the buttons and only touching the buttons on the corners to prevent getting the white print dirty. The other thing I've found to be a must is carrying a microfiber towel to dust the interior dash. Now, I'll be extra careful knowing that the paint is not durable. By the way, my dealer loves it when I decide to trade my cars.
 
#35 ·
Hey,
It is possible to order engraved buttons from china...(seriously) (has to be quantity)
send them the one you have now, and they will make a better :D
(but you have to remove it from the dash)
this can turn into a profitable opportunity for all of us :rofl:
in that way you don't have to wipe your fingers either!...:banghead:
 
#40 · (Edited)
Similar issue to my X3. They had a bad coating batch that wears off. Should be covered by warranty. Mine was - steering wheel plastic had large area of peeling coating. New pieces have been fine.

It is not due to hand cream or greasy fingers!
 
#44 ·
Same thing on the E70 X5. Mine never experienced it, but many others did.
 
#48 ·
Being very OCD about the lasting-ability and durability of the smaller details myself, one of the things that swayed me away from BMW is the fact that they're notorious for using plastics and rubbers all throughout the cars (from the steering wheels, to the rubbers around the windshields on some models, etc.) that fade and deteriorate rather quickly.
 
#49 ·
I think I'd probably just draw the middle of the fan back in using a very fine permanent marker pen. It's got to be better than having the service department rip the whole lot out.

I know there's a matter or principle at stake here, but the disruption that having it done properly would cause is out of proportion with the problem.
 
#51 ·
To the OP: I can wholeheartedly understand how even the tiniest things can interfere with happiness...do whatever would make you happy!

My mother once had a house custom-built and for almost a year after it was finished she would have contractors in and out repairing tiny flaws...2 years later she sold it and had another built the way she wanted it.
 
#67 ·
I forgot about the rims. I have already had 3 rim repairs. Luckily, I purchased a really good warranty at the time of delivery, which includes rim repair. The rim repairs alone have already covered the cost of the warranty. Why did the rim scratch require a replacement rather than a repair?
Because I didn't want it repaired. They fooked it up, so I wanted a brand new wheel. That's why they have insurance. They agreed. It' wasn't a little scratch either it was a major fail...

 
#58 · (Edited)
The 6 will actually be more expensive than the CLS I believe, and as nice as it is, sitting inside it, I actually preferred the 5's interior design, and I didn't find the materials to be superior in the 6 really. IMO the 6 even beats the CLS in "rip-off" factor, considering it's a two door 5-Series with identical drivetrain and tech, etc.
 
#59 ·
IMO the 6 even beats the CLS in "rip-off" factor, considering it's a two door 5-Series with identical drivetrain and tech, etc.
I Agree, I never actually understand the 6 series philosophy of pricing,
but if you pay close attention the materials are better starting from the seats that have side bolsters and the back of your headrest is so soft and seamless when you tilt it to wrap around your head comparing with the fake internal plastic sensation of the current F10's seats...
Then there is the ceramic buttons that now will be an option in 2012 F10's
 
#60 ·
The button I push the most is probably the small fan button to turn off the HVAC, when I start the car. Guess what, the small fan icon, it peeled off. ?
Having mention the ceramic, do you people know if the ceramic package includes
all buttons and controls to be ceramic? or its just the i- drive knobs and the shifter thats ceramic?
I mean hopefully ceramic wouldn't wear off...for a $600 premium...(when you have already
paid thousands)
 
#61 ·
I have the ceramic package. It only gives you ceramic knobs for iDrive and radio / ac controls. It is well worth the extra $ 600 for the quality feel. The push buttons are plain old plastic.
 
#68 ·
Your damage is very different than mine. My rims just had some minor scrapes and curb rash. I am not even going to attempt to guess how the service department did that to your rim. Actually, the bigger offense is not the damage but rather it is that they handed your vehicle back to you with that damage.
 
#71 ·
Speaking of annoying little issues that could drive some of us crazies crazy. Today I got my plates, and of course, I realize that I put my stickers on the plate that has two razor-blade-like cut marks going through two of the blue numbers.

Friggin' ANNOYING!!!! Haven't had the best luck lately in some areas, need to just suck it up and wait for the big turn-around.
 
#73 ·
I love my car, but am beginning to question the wisdom of my willingness to be continuously in compromise mode with this car with it's deficiencies: tire debacles, dealer installations of software updates that three days later, prove to be corrupted -- we all know what's on the list, etc. The compromise is that there are so many things I love about the car that I tolerate the flaws. The question is, how long will I be willing to do this?

I'm having these thoughts immediately after taking delivery of a Volvo XC60 for my wife. I never considered a Volvo, and I'm not an SUV or crossover guy at all. However, this car delivers EVERYTHING it promises and is totally competent and pleasant to drive. I'm blown away at how good it is. Time will tell on reliability, but when you have these insane thoughts of asking for regular seat time in your wife's XC60 when your car is an F10, that's a scary thought.
 
#74 ·
Time will tell on reliability, but when you have these insane thoughts of asking for regular seat time in your wife's XC60 when your car is an F10, that's a scary thought.
I feel the same way. I have a Hyundai Genesis V8. Every time I get into the car I think, you know what, this is enough car. Not to mention it cost half as much as the 535i :eek:uch:
 
#81 ·
Yes it's just a button this is true. But in the context of having to go to the dealer again to have a part ordered, then to go back again to have the part installed; which has been repeated a dozen times for various things in the past year and I'm sick of it.
Individually it's no big deal. Collectively having to go to the dealer once a month on average is not acceptable to me. I've initiated a formal complaint to BMWNA, we'll see what they say.
 
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