My Snowflake Wont Leave Me Alone....

[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.

[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.

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/Documento...lClimatico.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.

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.

[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.