BimmerFest BMW Forum banner

Dual-Zone Climate Control | Do I have to manage both?

18K views 22 replies 16 participants last post by  Snaxster 
#1 ·
I've read the manual and can't seem to find a button that will move both temps at the same time.

For instance, if I have it on "auto" mode and dial in 72 degrees on the left, do I really have to manually adjust 72 degrees on the right?
 
#4 ·
Shoulda got a VW. jk. That way you wouldnt have to adjust both sides.
 
#8 ·
i was just about to ask that question. how do you set the lock to both sides. audi allows for both or locked single.

any idea why this 08 335 doesn't have both windows/sunroof open and close? is there a way to program that feature? I know the audi service dudes would do it "off the books" if you talked to the guy working on your car (or buy an $8 vag cable and do it yourself).

Does a vag-com equivalent exist for bmw?
 
#11 ·
any idea why this 08 335 doesn't have both windows/sunroof open and close? is there a way to program that feature? I know the audi service dudes would do it "off the books" if you talked to the guy working on your car (or buy an $8 vag cable and do it yourself).

Does a vag-com equivalent exist for bmw?
What the heck are you talking about? My 335i opens and closes its sunroof and windows without a "vag" cable...
 
#9 ·
Yep, it does bite. Don't worry you'll get used to it but sometimes when I'm driving ,I can tell something is wrong and when I look down I have over at 10 degree difference between the two when I have the passenger vent pointed at me too. I posted this a while back but check out some of the pictures of the "rubber band" on the controls. It's hilarious. http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=267202
 
#10 ·
Oh for God's sake! Is it really that much effort to move your hand 5 inches to the right and turn the temp setting? At least now that your not driving an Audi you don't have to exert far more effort pushing the nose of that front-heavy pig around corners at any speed above the posted limit, wishing for a nose-halter to help it turn.
 
#14 ·
Oh for God's sake! Is it really that much effort to move your hand 5 inches to the right and turn the temp setting?
Now that you asked...yes it is!:D

This climate control crap, or C3, is another one of those 'convenience' items that ends up causing more work/irritation for the driver. Would it have killed BMW to add a temp-sync or sole-control button to allow the driver to adjust both sides with one twist of one dial? With the temp-sync button diss-engaged, independent control would be allowed.

And yes, I am that picky!!!:thumbup:

Brian
 
#12 ·
dunno maybe i need to take it to the dealer. it only rolls 'em down.

maybe my fob is bad. let me try the other.

I didn't see an idive setting for htis.
 
#20 ·
Convenience open can be done from the remote, but convenience close can only be done by holding the key in the lock in the driver's door lock or by holding your finger on the lock ridge if you have Comfort Access*.

There's nothing wrong with your fob and no setting for it in iDrive or the OBC, you can thank our litigious American society for this restriction.

*Depending on Progman version.
 
#16 ·
They shoulda made the buttons bigger for the climate control as well. It's less of an issue for iDrive vehicles, but small buttons + low placement on centre stack is more distracting than it should be in less-than-ideal driving conditions.
 
#23 ·
Maybe, AzNM, but I think that Porsche gets it right. In the Porsche design, the controls are small, but their placement and function makes them highly usable. Granted, in their sports cars at least (I can't remember what the Cayenne layout is), there is only one climate zone. Still, consider this:



In my experience of about two years of daily driving, the Porsche design is meant to be used purely by touch, with the driver's eyes where they should be, on the road. The temp and fan controls employ the same metaphor; nudge up to increment (higher temp or more fan), nudge down to decrement (lower temp or less fan). Yet they are far apart so you will never confuse them.

The Auto button and the three vent buttons are tiny, but each is so far apart from the other that once you learn that Auto is leftmost, then the sequence of the vent buttons (footwell, dash, windshield, left to right) you will never confuse them. Not shown in this photo is the recirculation button. It is located above this section and because of its position cannot be confused with the other climate controls.



In my experience of about seven months of daily driving, the BMW layout is designed to be visually elegant, but it cannot be easily used purely by touch. The main failure of the design is the bar of buttons in the center, Auto, fan and recirculation. Because these buttons form a plane and are all about the same size, it is easy to confuse them, especially the fan button.

Speaking of the fan button, I strongly disagree with BMW's decision to 1. make it a two-part button, but one unbroken surface, and 2. enable the left, decrement side of the button to cycle from "off" to "lowest". This 'soft toggle' design is probably intended to be a convenience, but I find it to be a classic over-optimization. Its effect is poor feedback to the driver, who when they are busy driving and want to just turn off the fan, does not need to get involved in a guessing game with the controls.

Other thoughts about this:

It may seem like a small thing, but we use these controls almost every time we drive. The degraded usability in the BMW design is one of the first things I noticed in the first weeks of owning my E90.

When I had my Boxster, someone once asked me what I liked best about it; at the time, I had owned it for only a month or so. I answered "The windshield wipers and the rear view mirror." He laughed, but he understood, saying "Yes, it can be the little things." One look in the mirrors of a modern Porsche (preferably not auto-dimming) and you'll see what I meant. The clarity is stunning.

My prior time spent riding BMW motorcycles taught me that with BMW, it's their way or the highway. When they get it into their heads that a certain thing should be done a certain way, no amount of complaint will force them to change it. So I'm not surprised to see the little design quirks in my E90, my first BMW car.

Luckily, in my E90 I spend about 99% of my time and attention exactly on the act of driving. BMW got the driving part very right. This is why I love the car and am quick to forgive its oddities.

Best,

Snaxster
 
#18 ·
that is awesome my friend. ghetto fabulous. now if you can make it a little more complex so it can synchronize the passenger to the drivers setting using rubber bands i'll buy you a martini.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top