My Snowflake Wont Leave Me Alone....

[Mtnman]

Im just curious if this is normal for everyone. When I put my car on Auto climate control, the Snowflake comes on every time. Even today when it is 25 degrees outside and I want it to be 68 in the car. Is this normal to everyone? I am assuming this happens to keep the car from foggin up inside. Either that or my CC system wants to move to florida.

thanks
David

[mimalmo]

I don't use the Auto setting.

[danewilson77]

Not normal. I will check today to verify...

Read owners manual about auto settings.

[Mtnman]

Found it. It is an option that can be made to come on with coding when you start the car. PO must have set it this way. I provided the link to the article i was reading that explains the entire climate control module.
http://www.bmwcarx.com/web/DocumentosBMW/E46ControlClimatico.pdf

[mimalmo]

Somewhere around here I had Marcus post the entire key code options list. It's worth looking over to see if there are other options you want to get done at the same time. My local indy shop does a standard rate for the first option change but then additional options are super cheap.

[az3579]

Mine does the same thing, and it drives me nuts. I only want it to come on automatically if the temperature in the car is higher than what you set it to. Why was this so difficult for them to program like this from the factory?

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Somewhere around here I had Marcus post the entire key code options list. It's worth looking over to see if there are other options you want to get done at the same time. My local indy shop does a standard rate for the first option change but then additional options are super cheap.

BMW Option Codes (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?169-Option-Codes-for-BMW).

That one, Eli?

[Mtnman]

I bet eli was talking about a different one. One for what is programmable from your key (like the drl, seat positions, etc)

[mimalmo]

It was one of the PDFs I emailed you, Marcus.


EDIT: Found the thread. It's the key programming PDF.

Various BMW Brochures and Literature (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?186-Various-BMW-brochures-and-literature).

[kayger12]

Im just curious if this is normal for everyone. When I put my car on Auto climate control, the Snowflake comes on every time. Even today when it is 25 degrees outside and I want it to be 68 in the car. Is this normal to everyone? I am assuming this happens to keep the car from foggin up inside. Either that or my CC system wants to move to florida.

thanks
David

Mine does the same thing. Drives me nuts.

[pyreguy]

Mine does too. I just turn it back off. I'm used to it now, though I still think it's strange.

[zhp43867]

Mine does it every time I turn the car on, but only with one key. Obviously it was programmed in as a memory option. Not once the car is on though. :dunno

[shadowpuck]

yup, you guys beat me to it - programmable option......if there's someone in your area with the software it's pretty easy. if not, most shops (as mentioned above) can be pretty reasonable on this type of thing. also, suprisingly, sometimes you can talk the dealer (of course, that varies greatly) into helping you out - maybe take in some donuts or something.....:)

[pyreguy]

I can get it done for free, I just didn't know that was an option... interesting. There is a ton of details about this car that I will probably spend years learning.

[kayger12]

Mine does it every time I turn the car on, but only with one key. Obviously it was programmed in as a memory option. Not once the car is on though. :dunno

I'll have to try the other key as a short term solution.

[Mtnman]

im gonna have to try my other key!

[shadowpuck]

yes, the level of programmable options and hidden "easter eggs" in the e46 is pretty substantial. i've been reading up for a while now and haven't made it through the list yet!

[MrMaico]

Im just curious if this is normal for everyone. When I put my car on Auto climate control, the Snowflake comes on every time. Even today when it is 25 degrees outside and I want it to be 68 in the car. Is this normal to everyone? I am assuming this happens to keep the car from foggin up inside. Either that or my CC system wants to move to florida.

thanks
David


Found it. It is an option that can be made to come on with coding when you start the car. PO must have set it this way. I provided the link to the article i was reading that explains the entire climate control module.
http://www.bmwcarx.com/web/DocumentosBMW/E46ControlClimatico.pdf


Mine does it every time I turn the car on, but only with one key. Obviously it was programmed in as a memory option. Not once the car is on though. :dunno

It sounds to me like some of you guys are talking about two different things. When you push the Auto button on the control the snowflake will always light up, that's not programmable. But just because it's on doesn't mean your compressor will be running all the time. It just means that if the system determines that you need cooling or dehumidifying it can kick in the comp. Similar to any modern car, if you turn on defrost you will hear the comp kicking in and out to dehumidify the air.

The key memory setting is what some of you are talking about when you get in the car and the snowflake is lit because someone had it programmed that way.

Found some interesting info in the link Mtnman posted.......

If engine temps get over a certain point a valve shuts off flow to the heater core to prevent damage so it sounds to me like the old trick of turning on your heater to help cool the engine if the car overheats won't do any good.

Also, the faster you go the less air is allowed through the upper center fresh air vents so if your going 120 mph it's not going to flow any more air than it would at 60 mph. At 96 mph and above the flaps are only open 20%.

There is a solar sensor that regulates how hard your a/c will work depending on what the solar sensor tells the IHKA. So in other words max blower speed is higher the hotter the temp, to a certain point of course.

There is what they call a Service Station Feature.....
"The service station feature prevents the vehicle occupants from getting a blast of hot air
after the vehicle is restarted following a short stop. The water valve is powered closed by
the IHKR control unit for three minutes after shut-off. This prevents the heater core from
being flooded with hot coolant."

If you are using the rear-defogger and the battery voltage drops below 11.4 volts it will automatically shut off the defogger to prevent draining your battery. Those things use ALOT of juice.

And that's all for today class.....we may have a pop quiz tomorrow. :biggrin

[kayger12]

It sounds to me like some of you guys are talking about two different things. When you push the Auto button on the control the snowflake will always light up, that's not programmable.

Is this something specific to the 330? In my 325 the snowflake definitely did not light up when you pressed the auto button.

[MrMaico]

Is this something specific to the 330? In my 325 the snowflake definitely did not light up when you pressed the auto button.

Good question, I would think they would be the same. Everything in that pdf that Mtnman linked just refers to 'E46' and doesn't mention any specific models. If you look in the owners manual it says "The cooling function is automatically switched on when you are using the AUTO program." I just looked at a 325Ci owners manual here....

http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Owner/dgh.aspx

.....and it says the same thing.http://mrmaico.smugmug.com/Cars/Gifs1/nenau/1113551383_pKTyW-L.gif

[kayger12]

Ok. Good info. Thanks.

[MrMaico]

Hmmm.....I just looked at an 04 owners manual from here....

http://www.linquist.net/motorsports/bmw/3manuals

.....and that one doesn't mention the snowflake automatically coming on in AUTO mode so it looks like it's possible your 325 was different. What year was it? Strange that there are different manuals available for the same year cars. They even have different pics on the covers.

[kayger12]

My 325 was an 03. Could be the difference.

[pyreguy]

I will leave it on and see what it does now cause I'm curious. I just find it so strange that the a/c light being on doesn't mean that the a/c is on, but that it has the potential to be on of need be. But I guess that is all part of having an automatic system like that. This is my first one.

[MrMaico]

I always just leave mine in manual mode. I didn't like how the fan goes wild sometimes trying to get to the set temp as quick as possible. And I like being able to set it so I have it blowing on my feet and from the dash vents equally rather than having it blow mainly from the dash vents like it seemed to do when I used Auto.

[jjcools]

It will always be on in Auto. Every car is like this, not just the e46 or 330. All cars period. The AC is not on like they said but is allows the dehumidifier to run so the windows do no fog up even on recycle.

[shadowpuck]

It will always be on in Auto. Every car is like this, not just the e46 or 330. All cars period. The AC is not on like they said but is allows the dehumidifier to run so the windows do no fog up even on recycle.

interesting, though, my 2003 does not behave this way. the AC is not always on in AUTO mode.

[jjcools]

That is odd then cause every car that I have had or driven with climate control, the AC light is on while full auto is set up.

[adb1028]

Mine doesn't come on, but I usually do put it on anyway, even when I'm blowing heat. Keeping the snowflake on prevents the windows from fogging up, at least thats what works for me.

[danewilson77]

Yeah......you will be unecessarily be running your AC compressor though....correct?

[kayger12]

Yeah......you will be unecessarily be running your AC compressor though....correct?

I'd like to know. I remember someone mentioning that the snowflake didn't necessarily mean the compressor was running, just that it was available if the climate control unit needed it.

Never did find any info to confirm either way.