[sonofBJ]

Our X5 has 200 miles on it and the family is enjoying it so far, great SUV.

But as its really hot in the north east right now there is a problem maybe you can help with. My E46 and my dad's F36 have air conditioners that on 'max' provide a very strong blast of air out of the front vents that cool off the front passengers immediately, it's like a rocket engine blasting cold air, feels great. You can get in a boiling hot car but just push that max button and you feel very good right away.

But on our F15 it's not the same when we push the 'max' button. It makes a lot of noise but the airflow is not the same, it feels a lot weaker, the front vents are sending out air that's cold enough but it's not fast enough and its not strong enough, it's just not that jet engine blast of cold air in the face of the front passengers.

Is this normal for the X5? Anyone with an F30 or F36 who can compare the two with the F15? Or should we take it back for service?

 

[jjrandorin]

Our X5 has 200 miles on it and the family is enjoying it so far, great SUV.

But as its really hot in the north east right now there is a problem maybe you can help with. My E46 and my dad's F36 have air conditioners that on 'max' provide a very strong blast of air out of the front vents that cool off the front passengers immediately, it's like a rocket engine blasting cold air, feels great. You can get in a boiling hot car but just push that max button and you feel very good right away.

But on our F15 it's not the same when we push the 'max' button. It makes a lot of noise but the airflow is not the same, it feels a lot weaker, the front vents are sending out air that's cold enough but it's not fast enough and its not strong enough, it's just not that jet engine blast of cold air in the face of the front passengers.

Is this normal for the X5? Anyone with an F30 or F36 who can compare the two with the F15? Or should we take it back for service?

Did you guys make sure that:

1. The rear ac is not on
2. You have the AC set to only direct out of the front vents, and not the vents at the feet or windshield?

 

[sonofBJ]

Did you guys make sure that:

1. The rear ac is not on
2. You have the AC set to only direct out of the front vents, and not the vents at the feet or windshield?

1. No, our expectation would be that hitting 'max' would be just like in our other BMW's which also have rear AC's in the 'on' position too.

2. When hitting "max" the system in our other BMW's puts the jet-blast at our faces and our expectation is that the X5 would do the same thing.

 

[beachfront71]

I notice the same thing..
first time BMW owner and an X5 and there is def a difference with all the other cars I have owned..

 

[jjrandorin]

1. No, our expectation would be that hitting 'max' would be just like in our other BMW's which also have rear AC's in the 'on' position too.

2. When hitting "max" the system in our other BMW's puts the jet-blast at our faces and our expectation is that the X5 would do the same thing.

Ill have to check my wifes X5 when she gets back home this evening. Not sure if the Max setting automatically turns off the airconditioning in the footwell and windshield. I seem to remember that to get the most air "in your face" you have to turn the footwell off in her X5.

I remember your dad being pretty familiar with how BMW aircon works though, so if he thinks its not right, its probably not right.

 

[Doug Huffman]

E70 Climate Control Systems, page 17

A/C MAX
The fastest possible cooling of the vehicle interior is achieved by pressing a button. Activating the A/C MAX function activates the maximum cooling power of the air condi- tioning system (compressor and evaporator). Recirculating air mode is activated. The blower is switched to the maximum speed, the air stratification is set to cold and the ven- tilating flaps are opened to the maximum.
A/C MAX mode is also retained if the blower speed is reduced.

 

[sonofBJ]

Ill have to check my wifes X5 when she gets back home this evening. Not sure if the Max setting automatically turns off the airconditioning in the footwell and windshield. I seem to remember that to get the most air "in your face" you have to turn the footwell off in her X5.

I remember your dad being pretty familiar with how BMW aircon works though, so if he thinks its not right, its probably not right.

Yes please check your wife's X5, my dad feels you would have a great sense of the differences between the same two vehicles and would appreciate it very much

 

[sonofBJ]

I notice the same thing..
first time BMW owner and an X5 and there is def a difference with all the other cars I have owned..

Thanks beachfront!

A/C MAX
The fastest possible cooling of the vehicle interior is achieved by pressing a button. Activating the A/C MAX function activates the maximum cooling power of the air condi- tioning system (compressor and evaporator). Recirculating air mode is activated. The blower is switched to the maximum speed, the air stratification is set to cold and the ven- tilating flaps are opened to the maximum.
A/C MAX mode is also retained if the blower speed is reduced.

Thanks Doug!

 

[hugh1850]

I've found that max air flow for the driver/passenger vents is to press the max AC button and make sure the rear AC is off.

 

[baloo588]

When i press to turn off "auto" mode and manually select front air vents and change temperature to 70 degrees and full fan its so much stronger and colder than just max AC button which feels weak as its distributing the air to all the unnecessary vents.

 

[batmore]

Don't shoot me for stating something probably very obvious, but also make sure the front vents are set to the "cool" setting (white) and not the "heat" setting (red). I am talking about the vertical slide switch.

As someone else said on this site regarding the F15 so called climate control, "it is anything but automatic".

 

[Mikeyboy1069]

I went back to the dealer over this in my 15', I make sure the rear is turned off and it's "ok". I think they used the same size system from one of the cars, which can't keep up with the amount of hot air in the vehicle..considering cubic foot difference. Just my opinion.
I seem to achieve maximum cooling when I lower the rear windows for the first minute of drive time to blow out all the hot air, and I'm in Texas, it's effin hot.

 

[sonofBJ]

I've found that max air flow for the driver/passenger vents is to press the max AC button and make sure the rear AC is off.

We'd do that but there is always one of us in the back as we are a family of 6.

When i press to turn off "auto" mode and manually select front air vents and change temperature to 70 degrees and full fan its so much stronger and colder than just max AC button which feels weak as its distributing the air to all the unnecessary vents.

I tried this and you are right- 'max' is good if the car is full of people and we want to be fair with the air velocity on a boiling hot day (like today). But if we only have people in the front it is better to do as you say and manually increase the fan to full bars and make sure the direction is set to the upper body setting (straight arrow).

Don't shoot me for stating something probably very obvious, but also make sure the front vents are set to the "cool" setting (white) and not the "heat" setting (red). I am talking about the vertical slide switch.

Yes, my dad has schooled us all on the importance of those wheels on all our BMW's.

I went back to the dealer over this in my 15', I make sure the rear is turned off and it's "ok". I think they used the same size system from one of the cars, which can't keep up with the amount of hot air in the vehicle..considering cubic foot difference. Just my opinion.
I seem to achieve maximum cooling when I lower the rear windows for the first minute of drive time to blow out all the hot air, and I'm in Texas, it's effin hot.

Great to know, perfect, thanks! We always put the AC on full blast, crack all the windows down 1/3 for the first mile, let the hot air get pushed out by fresh air, and then put the windows all the way up and let the system do its job.

Its disappointing that the thrust is weaker than in other BMW's because they put (I'm guessing) a 5 Series sedan climate control system in a significantly larger X5.

 

[MotoWPK]

Don't shoot me for stating something probably very obvious, but also make sure the front vents are set to the "cool" setting (white) and not the "heat" setting (red). I am talking about the vertical slide switch.

As someone else said on this site regarding the F15 so called climate control, "it is anything but automatic".

This. It's easy for people to not be aware of this control or to forget it because it is unusual, but it's also unusually useful.

P.S. To be picky, it's not a 'slide switch', but a rotary control that, with its axis side-to-side, one uses by moving up or down.

 

[sonofBJ]

This. It's easy for people to not be aware of this control or to forget it because it is unusual, but it's also unusually useful.

P.S. To be picky, it's not a 'slide switch', but a rotary control that, with its axis side-to-side, one uses by moving up or down.

It's not "this".

We currently own 3 BMW's, between my mother and father we've been in about 15 BMW's since the 1980's, we certainly know about the blue/red cold/warm rotary dial and I can assure you it's set to 'blue' in our X5 right now.

The issue isn't the temperature of the air entering the cabin. The issue is the volume of air which is about 50% less forceful than in the 4 Series or 3 Series sitting on the driveway.

 

[baloo588]

It's not "this".

We currently own 3 BMW's, between my mother and father we've been in about 15 BMW's since the 1980's, we certainly know about the blue/red cold/warm rotary dial and I can assure you it's set to 'blue' in our X5 right now.

The issue isn't the temperature of the air entering the cabin. The issue is the volume of air which is about 50% less forceful than in the 4 Series or 3 Series sitting on the driveway.

Hey can you press on the auto know to turn off auto, then you will see you can get up to around 7 fan speeds from 4 in auto mode. Then manually select the vent in the dash facing you and you will feel a force of air towards you like the other BMW.

 

[jjrandorin]

Yes please check your wife's X5, my dad feels you would have a great sense of the differences between the same two vehicles and would appreciate it very much

Hi sonofbj

To follow up on this, the aircon in my wifes X5 is different than the one in my 435.

(context, we are a family of 3, and our son is 22. He has his own car. We almost NEVER have anyone in the back seats of our X5, and do not have the 3rd row seat option as it would Never ever have been used).

We have the Air Conditioning in the back seats vents closed (with the dials spun to blue of course).

When I push the MAX AC button I dont get the same blast of air that I do from the 435 when I push the same button. With that being said, in the 435 I feel I am closer to the vents, and the vents feel like they are angled slightly different.

In order to get max cooling out of the X5 for when its hot outside and we had to park in the sun (its going to be 105 by my house today), I turn off auto and push the fan speed all the way up. That seems to give me the blast of cool air that you are talking about that is normally get from the 435.

We Normally keep our BMWs set to "Auto / 70", with the fan speed set to 3 out of 4 notches.

My guess is, Max AC splits all the ac to all the vents, and since we dont care about the back vents, i dont pay any attention to them except to make sure the back system is off.

I wonder if you guys are right, and they have the 5 series system in there (which has dual zone capability) but in the much larger x5?

 

[JM71]

If in "Auto" mode also make sure the temp is set to 60. On both my prior E70s and my current X3, the air speed increases further when temp is set to 60 regardless of where fan speed is set. It's like an extra gear of something.

 

[sonofBJ]

Hey can you press on the auto know to turn off auto, then you will see you can get up to around 7 fan speeds from 4 in auto mode. Then manually select the vent in the dash facing you and you will feel a force of air towards you like the other BMW.

Thanks baloo, I tried this multiple times to compare to full-out "max" mode and there isn't a substantial change in air velocity between level "7" in Manual or level "4" in Auto or full-out "Max". It's all the same in my car.

If in "Auto" mode also make sure the temp is set to 60. On both my prior E70s and my current X3, the air speed increases further when temp is set to 60 regardless of where fan speed is set. It's like an extra gear of something.

Yes, in all three test cases above the temperature is always set to 60 degrees.

Just to point out, the AC in the X5 is terrific after 5 minutes. For such a large cabin, all occupants in all 3 rows were very comfortable today in bumper to bumper traffic in the blazing sun, 100 degrees on the outside thermometer. The issue is just the first 5 minutes and a lot less air thrust making it a sweaty experience whereas in our 4 Series and 3 Series there is instantaneous relief.

 

[sonofBJ]

Hi sonofbj

To follow up on this, the aircon in my wifes X5 is different than the one in my 435.

When I push the MAX AC button I dont get the same blast of air that I do from the 435 when I push the same button. With that being said, in the 435 I feel I am closer to the vents, and the vents feel like they are angled slightly different.

In order to get max cooling out of the X5 for when its hot outside and we had to park in the sun (its going to be 105 by my house today), I turn off auto and push the fan speed all the way up. That seems to give me the blast of cool air that you are talking about that is normally get from the 435.

We Normally keep our BMWs set to "Auto / 70", with the fan speed set to 3 out of 4 notches.

My guess is, Max AC splits all the ac to all the vents, and since we dont care about the back vents, i dont pay any attention to them except to make sure the back system is off.

I wonder if you guys are right, and they have the 5 series system in there (which has dual zone capability) but in the much larger x5?

Thanks jj, very good insight comparing your 4 to your X5 as we have the same vehicles and experience the same thrust variance.

In the 4, we are always at 68 degrees and fan at 3 (the midway point), and spend all summer toggling between Auto and Max, never have to adjust the fan speed or the temperature, just hit Max when we get into the car, hit Auto when we're comfortable, and that's it.

Not the same ease of use in the X5. unfortunately, too many variables, too many vents, too many sets of independent controls in the first two rows, we can't seem to all get comfortable simultaneously. When my dad was still warm up front, my sister was freezing in the back. Hitting Sync messes up some settings, toggling back to Auto doesn't restore them all, it's a bit frustrating.