[zayd]

Hi I just had my F30 software updated by uk dealer and since then the AC comes on every few times I start the car even with the AC button Is in the OFF position????? Has anyone had this fault? Thanks

[Drk280]

My Z4, X5 both do it, i expect the F30 will do so also. I have heard but not sure about this explanation, that the air circulation comes on to match up your last temperature setting.

[zayd]

It's crazy. How do I turn AC completely off?? Also my f30 did not do that before the stupid software update

[BMWinGE]

i always leave my a/C on, regardless of the temp

[micknugget]

I was told that you should run your A/C at least once a month to keep the seals from drying out and leaking. Obviously this is less of an issue in a new car but it might be a built in feature.

[MaestroAl]

Air conditioning is important for the car - it controls humidity as well as temperature and you should always have air-con switched to "on", even when you're heating the air. Air-con != cold air.

BMW spend millions developing clever climate control systems, to turn them off is just churlish

[marseille82]

Originally Posted by MaestroAl

Air conditioning is important for the car - it controls humidity as well as temperature and you should always have air-con switched to "on", even when you're heating the air. Air-con != cold air.

BMW spend millions developing clever climate control systems, to turn them off is just churlish

Correct. Actually while picking my car at the Welt a month ago, the rep told me never to turn it in off.

[fshubert]

I noticed mine was blowing ice cold when the indicator did not indicate (?) I was calling for cold. Windows all down on an 80-degree day and set the car to 60F so I'm not blowing hotter air into car. Noticed the icy-cold air. So I hit the "auto" button on and off and it stopped blowing cold. Kinda annoyed me. Will discuss when I bring the car in for service and reprogramming.

[Nitz99]

It wasn't clear by reading this thread but is there a way to prevent the AC from coming on every time the car is turned on? Every time I start my car the AC comes on set to the temp that I last had it on. I'd rather the AC not come on upon startup.... is this possible?

[AndDown]

Originally Posted by Nitz99

It wasn't clear by reading this thread but is there a way to prevent the AC from coming on every time the car is turned on? Every time I start my car the AC comes on set to the temp that I last had it on. I'd rather the AC not come on upon startup.... is this possible?

Press the left "minimum" airflow button until the system shuts off. This is the same on my E46 and E53. I very rarely turn the whole system off.

[Nitz99]

Originally Posted by AndDown

Press the left "minimum" airflow button until the system shuts off. This is the same on my E46 and E53. I very rarely turn the whole system off.

I do this everytime I get into the car (meaning I press the left minimum airflow button until the system shuts off) but after getting to my destination and shutting down and locking the car, the next time I unlock it and start it up the fan comes back on. Is this normal?

[einlanzer]

Originally Posted by Nitz99

I do this everytime I get into the car (meaning I press the left minimum airflow button until the system shuts off) but after getting to my destination and shutting down and locking the car, the next time I unlock it and start it up the fan comes back on. Is this normal?

Happens to me too, and also any other BMW my family owns. Can only assume it's normal

[chrisny]

Originally Posted by einlanzer

Happens to me too, and also any other BMW my family owns. Can only assume it's normal

+1 and not sure I can recall any car by any manufacturer I've had in the last 15 years that wasn't the same way.

[zayd]

If the air con button is off then the Aircon must never come on. This is the way I had all my BMWs 6 of them even the f30 in question. This fault appeared after the recent software upgrade

[raleedy]

Hard to tell above if people are talking about the air conditioner (for which there is a separate "snowflake" button on US cars) or the whole system. The system defaults to "on". The a/c button defaults to last use; in my experience it may take a couple of cycles to "teach" the car (this is keyed to the specific key fob) to change the default. You can read about this in the friendly manual.

Of course, BMW includes a button to turn the a/c off, then someone acting in their name tells you you must never do that. Who you gonna believe, some goniff in a car dealership, or the button? I prefer to leave it on, as a dehumidifier in cooler temps, and of course you should run it periodically to keep the seals in the system from drying out or cracking, but the switch is there for a purpose.

[David328M-Sport]

My F30's fan comes on at the lowest speed when I switch the car on. Good to have some sort of constant air flow change in the car. The full air conditioner does not come on. I still have to manually press the button for that.

Exactly the same setup in my E90. This was preset by the factory or dealer prior to delivery. Perfect setup for me.

[zayd]

I am talking about the snowflake. If you keep it off it should stay off like all normal BMWs that I had including this f30 before software update. After the software update even with snowflake never been lit(on) when you start car up sometimes the AC compressor comes on without AC light snowflake coming on and doesn't turn off unless I put the fan to off. Crazy

[tennistodd]

Originally Posted by zayd

I am talking about the snowflake. If you keep it off it should stay off like all normal BMWs that I had including this f30 before software update. After the software update even with snowflake never been lit(on) when you start car up sometimes the AC compressor comes on without AC light snowflake coming on and doesn't turn off unless I put the fan to off. Crazy

Mine is doing the very same thing. When I start the car the the unit comes on and my air compressor is running even if the snowflake is not lit. After driving a bit it will cut off? Must be some type of defense mechanism for the seals. Who knows? Very weird though. My 2008 135i that I bought new never came on by itself. If I left the air off when I turned the car off and came back to the car and started it, it would still remain off. Now my 2004 530i ALWAYS came on regardless. The air compressor didn't always come on just the fan. I'm really stumped to as why the compressor is clearly running and the snowflake button is not engaged?

[Edc7891]

This happens for me ever since I got my 328i back in june. Everytime I get in the car and turn on my engine, the ac comes on!! ( the snowflake turns on only if I had previously used it before I turned the car off) but the system always turns on. I was wondering if that is a problem with the computer or is that a standard feature. That never happened on my e90... If that's a standard feature... I don't think its useful..

[zayd]

This is a fault which the dealers need to rectify

[SergioK]

Originally Posted by zayd

This is a fault which the dealers need to rectify

Was this ever fixed?

[G4vin]

I have a 2013 F30 320d ED and I'm experiencing the same.
With the A/C button off, the compressor still kicks in.

I believe it's the mist/fog sensors that activate it.
Off should mean off!
I have emailed BMW, but they told me to take it into a dealer.