What is the temperature dial between the center vents for?

[instarand]

So above the climate control section near the vents lies another... climate control dial? What is this? I looked in the manual but only found a very vague description of the feature (#3). Does anybody know the function of this dial???

[RickFLM4]

As indicated in the manual, it changes the temp of air blowing out. For me it is useless and always on blue unless someone touches it when they aren't supposed to touch it. You will get some responses from people who love it but to me it is completely unnecessary.

[instarand]

Originally Posted by RickFLM4

As indicated in the manual, it changes the temp of air blowing out. For me it is useless and always on blue unless someone touches it when they aren't supposed to touch it. You will get some responses from people who love it but to me it is completely unnecessary.

Lol I see that the manual says that. But does it override the "real" climate control? If I have the AC set to 65 degrees And then move that little dial to the "red" section does the air then become hot?

[AlpineWhite_F80]

Its more to fine tune your A/C.
I have never used mine, it is always in the blue side. Like the previous post said some love it and some find it it useless, i find it useless .

Sandro

[instarand]

Originally Posted by AlpineWhite_F80

Its more to fine tune your A/C.
I have never used mine, it is always in the blue side. Like the previous post said some love it and some find it it useless, i find it useless .

Sandro

I just don't understand the intent...? If you keep it on cold all the time, does it make the winter heat a little less hot?

[RickFLM4]

Originally Posted by instarand

Lol I see that the manual says that. But does it override the "real" climate control? If I have the AC set to 65 degrees And then move that little dial to the "red" section does the air then become hot?

It supposedly keeps the climate control temp as set but changes the air temp coming out. But I think that is BS because if you get in a hot car on a scorching hot day good luck cooling off if the wheel is set to red. The air won't be hot when it's on red but it won't be cold ac either. I suppose it is supposed to work better to fine tune when temps aren't so extreme, but like I said, seems useless to me.

[afadeev]

Originally Posted by instarand

Lol I see that the manual says that. But does it override the "real" climate control? If I have the AC set to 65 degrees And then move that little dial to the "red" section does the air then become hot?

Not an over-ride - the dial controls the air temperature coming out of the central vents that direct air towards your hands/face.

Germans believe you want to keep your head cooler than your legs (especially in the winter), thus the need to have an ability to adjust the temperature of air blowing towards your head.

In the summer, I have it on "max blue/cold".
In the winter, I frequently adjust it mid-way towards "red". That is unless I get tired or sleepy, in which case a blast of "blue/cold" air in the face helps to keep one alert.

HTH,
a

[gatorfast]

I use it all the time to fine tune the temp. I keep the actually temp at 70 and never touch it but I do use the wheel to make it slightly warmer or colder. It's all the way blue in the afternoon when my car has been sitting outside all day and I want it ice cold. It's less than blue and sometimes all the way red in the morning when my car has been sitting overnight in my garage and the temp inside is already cool.

[instarand]

Originally Posted by afadeev

Not an over-ride - the dial controls the air temperature coming out of the central vents that direct air towards your hands/face.

Germans believe you want to keep your head cooler than your legs (especially in the winter), thus the need to have an ability to adjust the temperature of air blowing towards your head.

In the summer, I have it on "max blue/cold".
In the winter, I frequently adjust it mid-way towards "red". That is unless I get tired or sleepy, in which case a blast of "blue/cold" air in the face helps to keep one alert.

HTH,
a

Ah, this makes sense. So the car can be kept cold or hot but the air directly on your hands or face can be a bit more neutral.

[BLKSAPPE92]

Originally Posted by instarand

Ah, this makes sense. So the car can be kept cold or hot but the air directly on your hands or face can be a bit more neutral.

Exactly my best example is my significant other likes a cold car but hates cold air blowing directly on face so while the auto climate is set between 60/65 medium fan speed the center is set to middle of hot and cold

It's for people that wanna keep there body one temperature but not have that same air temp in there face weather it be hot or cold some hate cold air in face others hate hot air in face.

For me I like cold/ cold in summer but in the winter the car is set to 70/75 heat but the center dial I like cooler towards face as I hate hot air blowing on my face and in my eyes.

[gunsmoker]

BMW: We gave you a tenth of a degree resolution to adjust the temperature, but we could not get the accuracy down to that level and when occasionally it's 10 degrees off, use the little thingamagingy between the two front vents to deal with that. Hold your breath long enough and we might give you a sync button for the passenger temp. Blowing hot air into the cabin when the engine is hot is free of charge, but if you want ambient air temp, you are kindly advised to open the windows or drive short distances before the engine gets to operational temperature.

[blueskies7]

I think the upper body region is for just the two vents on each side of the dial.

[TheSpungos]

Per my BMW Genius appt last week: it changes the temp of the air blowing from that vent by +/- 5 degrees. So it you have your climate control set to 70 and you turn it all the way blue, the air from that vent will be approx 65 degrees. All the way red and it will be approx 75 degrees.

No idea if this is BS or not but that’s what I was told. FWIW I just leave it blue and forget about it.

[Aaaaaaaaa]

My AC is set to Auto, 60 degs, and dial max blue and I never touch anything other than turning everything off when windows are down. I like to keep it simple stupid

[doug_999]

I hate this "feature" and unfortunately it is one of the worst inventions by BMW.

I get in my car yesterday and it is 45 degrees outside. Temp in car set to 72 but blowing cold air. Turn dial to red, cold air stops. Mind you, I just started the car.

Get in car later, temp up to 55 degrees outside, but sunny now, car still set to 72 and hot as you know what. Turn to blue. Repeat constantly.

Why have digital temp control in car if it does nothing?

[Aaaaaaaaa]

Originally Posted by doug_999

I hate this "feature" and unfortunately it is one of the worst inventions by BMW.

I get in my car yesterday and it is 45 degrees outside. Temp in car set to 72 but blowing cold air. Turn dial to red, cold air stops. Mind you, I just started the car.

Get in car later, temp up to 55 degrees outside, but sunny now, car still set to 72 and hot as you know what. Turn to blue. Repeat constantly.

Why have digital temp control in car if it does nothing?

Leave the dial in the middle and it'll blow whatever you set the temp to.

[Wills2]

Originally Posted by instarand

I just don't understand the intent...? If you keep it on cold all the time, does it make the winter heat a little less hot?

I understand the intent, I find it very useful, if you're set at 22c on a cold day but you feel "cold" yourself rather than because of the set temp then just move the dial to the red setting for a warming flow of air.

[duky]

Originally Posted by pheerIx

Leave the dial in the middle and it'll blow whatever you set the temp to.

That's what I do - always in the middle unless it's really hot out in which case I turn it blue

I do live in Bay Area though so basically it's always in the middle

[mkoesel]

Google is great!

It knows more about this topic than it does about yanny/laurel or Meghan Markle:

https://www.google.com/search?client...mperature+dial

[bimmer456]

I use it to finesse the temperature. If one degree makes it go from too cold to too hot I'll use the dial to increase the temperature by a fraction.

[AWSAWS]

I believe (although I'm not 100% certain) that there is a cold feed direct from the filters and air con and a warm feed from the heater and that it allows you to control how much air comes from each. Uses a flapper to close off either channel. End result is fine tuning of the temp.

For me, if cooling I go 100% blue. If heating go 100% red.

[///M Power-Belgium]

Love is in the air...