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      06-05-2014, 08:54 PM   #1
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BMW Remote - preheat car? (for f30)

I've seen pictures of the bmw app remote that allows you to preheat the car. Is this feature available on the f30?
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      06-06-2014, 09:21 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scramblur View Post
I've seen pictures of the bmw app remote that allows you to preheat the car. Is this feature available on the f30?
There is no remote starter for the F30. I think you are talking about precool. I think you can open the windows and turn on the AUX fan to get rid of the hot air in the car.
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      06-06-2014, 11:38 AM   #3
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No. On the BMW remote app, I've seen pics where it had an option to warm up the car. Not remote start. I would imagine this feature would be a huge battery drain. Maybe its for the new i series?
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      06-06-2014, 01:20 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scramblur View Post
No. On the BMW remote app, I've seen pics where it had an option to warm up the car. Not remote start. I would imagine this feature would be a huge battery drain. Maybe its for the new i series?
Hmm, you can blame BMW for misleading you. The function of the app is called "precondition". Available in Europe and not in the US. Here is the manual for the app for iOS. Check page 6. They refer to the ventilation/heating as in the unit that does both not that it will heat your car when the engine is off. Plus, heat comes from the engine (unless bmw has separate battery just for this reason) so no running engine no heat. The heated seats and steering wheel are electrically heated so those might come on. Also here is the picture from BMW UK's website. It might look like you are able to preheat your car but no. The picture shows that will defrost your car and not heat it up. Very deceiving.
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      06-09-2014, 06:46 AM   #5
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For the UK, under control, you have an option for "Climate". And under "Climate", there is an option for "Auxiliary ventilation", which "Starts the ventilation in your BMW". Now, I'm not sure if this simply "cools" the vehicle or whether you have an option to "heat" the vehicle as well. It says that "Comfort ventilation" works if the battery voltage is adequate.
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      06-09-2014, 02:28 PM   #6
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It just turns the blowers on, so it just moves the ambient air around in the cabin. Pretty useless really.
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      06-09-2014, 02:32 PM   #7
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If you look at that picture, it would lead you to think you have remote start and full control over heating, defrost and a robotic arm that wipes off snow.
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      06-09-2014, 02:38 PM   #8
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I think in some countries you can spec auxiliary heating which must run off battery when the car is off. Not available in the uk though.
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      06-10-2014, 06:16 PM   #9
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In the UK (and other parts of Europe I believe) it is illegal to start a cars engine with no one in it, hence the heating part of the preconditioning doesn't work (as the car needs a running engine to generate heat).

I however, seem to be able to do absolutely nothing with my remote app other than send a google maps location to the vehicle (which works fine).

Under 'Control' I just have Online Search.

Anyone got any ideas why this is?
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      06-13-2014, 06:11 PM   #10
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Some countries use a fuel burning heater to allow heating with the engine off, the UK isn't one.
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      01-13-2016, 11:08 AM   #11
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I know this is an old thread but I really fell for this! I ordered my car without heated steering wheel or seats on the basis that I could simply heat the cabin via the app for 5 minutes before leaving the house.

I also allow my engine to warm up for 5 minutes before driving away, it's just something that I've always done. I was under the impression the "warming up" included the engine, which it does not, so I'm still sitting in the driveway for 5 minutes.

As others have mentioned the Climate/Ventilation function is completely useless in cold weather, and I don't think it cools the air in hot weather either. All is does is circulate air around the cabin.

It also takes a long time for the engine to warm up enough for the cabin to begin to heat up, so I'm really disappointed with this feature.

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      01-13-2016, 12:14 PM   #12
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Leaving your engine sat idle for 5 minutes is bad for it, start and drive gently.
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      01-13-2016, 12:55 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattt1
Leaving your engine sat idle for 5 minutes is bad for it, start and drive gently.
Yes. This
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      01-13-2016, 11:54 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattt1
Leaving your engine sat idle for 5 minutes is bad for it, start and drive gently.
But the issue is that it takes 5 min or more to defrost and demister a frozen windscreen before it is safe enough to drive
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      01-14-2016, 06:51 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattt1 View Post
Leaving your engine sat idle for 5 minutes is bad for it, start and drive gently.
Wow really! I have never heard that before, I'm sure it's something my driving instructor taught me and I've always stuck with it.

On the plus side I've only gone for about 10 trips with the new car so a good time to find out.

Now I know not to idle the car what AC buttons do I press to heat the cabin up as fast as possible with a cold engine? (Turning the temperature up seems to do nothing until we are well into the drive.)

Thanks!

Last edited by andyca; 01-14-2016 at 06:59 AM.. Reason: Adding a question...
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      01-14-2016, 12:18 PM   #16
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I don't think there's a quick way, diesels are always slower to warm.

I just put heated seats and steering wheel on and front demist.
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      01-16-2016, 07:19 AM   #17
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Having not chosen the heated seat and steering wheel options I was hoping you weren't going to say that.

My previous two cars were a V6 petrol and a diesel with a preheater which both blasted hot air into the cabin with a few seconds, so I had heated seats and wheel for 10 years and never used them.

To add insult to injury the "Interior Comfort Package" was upgraded in the f30 options between ordering and my final specification edit. The updated package includes heated steering wheel and seats however my dealer kindly removed them from this package free of charge for me! How nice!
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      01-17-2016, 01:34 PM   #18
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Remote start

I found this one online but they dont sell it where I live but might be an option for you.
http://www.viper.com/smartstart/prod...e-start-system
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      01-18-2016, 02:45 PM   #19
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BMW's pre-heat option is not an engine remote start.

The Pre-heat system is not the same as an engine remote start circuit. Its actually a far superior and efficient system of pre-heating your car cabin and engine. It also works with manual transmissions that would otherwise require the clutch pedal to be depressed to start the engine.

From what Ive read, its quite brilliant. Its an independent heater system that does not actually turn on your engine. (think aircraft pre-heaters). BMW has used Webasto heaters. Check out this quick YouTube overview of how it works: [u2b]
[/u2b]

Here is the BMW F30 parts diagram & list for the pre-heat system.

So yes, in BMW markets there is a pre-heating option. Its on my list of mods to do. Msg me if anyone else is considering undertaking this mod. It would be great to collaborate.

Last edited by Zermatt; 01-18-2016 at 02:48 PM.. Reason: additional comment
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      01-19-2016, 05:52 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattt1 View Post
Leaving your engine sat idle for 5 minutes is bad for it, start and drive gently.
A few minutes won't make any real difference as compared to sitting in daily commute traffic stopped or creeping. Agreed that idling the engine for extended periods is essentially the same as wearing the engine in place and not good, but I think andyca is doing this mainly in wintertime with the cold and the frost and just the few minutes won't really matter. I certainly think it's better than a lot of folks I see who start their car up cold and just take off and soon as they can get it into gear with no regard how they're treating it.
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      01-19-2016, 06:07 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Zermatt
The Pre-heat system is not the same as an engine remote start circuit. Its actually a far superior and efficient system of pre-heating your car cabin and engine. It also works with manual transmissions that would otherwise require the clutch pedal to be depressed to start the engine.

From what Ive read, its quite brilliant. Its an independent heater system that does not actually turn on your engine. (think aircraft pre-heaters). BMW has used Webasto heaters. Check out this quick YouTube overview of how it works: [u2b]
[/u2b]

Here is the BMW F30 parts diagram & list for the pre-heat system.

So yes, in BMW markets there is a pre-heating option. Its on my list of mods to do. Msg me if anyone else is considering undertaking this mod. It would be great to collaborate.
Bingo! This is the only way to really preheat the car. It's also kind of expensive.
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      01-19-2016, 07:23 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattt1 View Post
I don't think there's a quick way, diesels are always slower to warm.

I just put heated seats and steering wheel on and front demist.
Diesel engines do heat up more slowly. I worried about how long my 2014 328d would take to warm up in the winter; I had an 2010 Audi A3 diesel which after driving 15 minutes barely put out any heat. The 328d however is giving me warm air within a minute or so, thanks to an electrical heating system which BMW has included on their diesel equipped vehicles
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