[Ajowhan]

Hello, so I just finally pulled the trigger on a '18 m240i vert and had it for 2 days.

Little quirk I found and wondering if this is something I might have to deal with going forward.

1. The engine start stop thing - I felt like it would be bad for the car long term, is that the case?
- I try turning it off but it keep coming back the next time I drive, is there a way to keep it either on or off on my choice?

2. AC Sync, I couldnt for the life of me find a sync button, quick search on forum looks like this might be the case for 2 and 3. Is this true and is there no way around it?
(I start my day early morning when its cold and end my day in evening sun when its hot, I flip the climate between two extremes on daily basis >.<)

All in all, I LOVE my new baby!

[KennyFSU]

Yep, those are common annoyances in this car.

The auto start/stop can be coded out using BimmerCode so you don't have to disable it every time.

There is no AC sync button anymore, they are both controlled independently. I don't even use the temp control, just the hot/cold horizontal dial located near the vents.

[Gregoryb01]

Hi, select a temp you want the interior to remain and hit the AUTO button. That temp should be maintained. If it is colder the heat comes on. Hotter the air comes on.

[USA-RET]

[QUOTE=Ajowhan;27414640]Hello, so I just finally pulled the trigger on a '18 m240i vert and had it for 2 days.

Little quirk I found and wondering if this is something I might have to deal with going forward.

1. The engine start stop thing - I felt like it would be bad for the car long term, is that the case?
- I try turning it off but it keep coming back the next time I drive, is there a way to keep it either on or off on my choice?

/QUOTE]

Is this a change from 2017 to 2018? On my 2017, I can deactivate mine with the "on/off" ring around my start button on the dash. Once I set it to off, it remains off each time I start the car unless I manually turn the feature on.

Did BMW code it so on each start up it defaults to "ON"?

[Ajowhan]

Originally Posted by KennyFSU

Yep, those are common annoyances in this car.

The auto start/stop can be coded out using BimmerCode so you don't have to disable it every time.

There is no AC sync button anymore, they are both controlled independently. I don't even use the temp control, just the hot/cold horizontal dial located near the vents.

I was also wondering about the hot/cold horizontal dial, how does that work?

What if I set the car to 60F but had the dial to the cold side?

[Gregoryb01]

Originally Posted by Ajowhan

I was also wondering about the hot/cold horizontal dial, how does that work?

What if I set the car to 60F but had the dial to the cold side?

That adjustable wheel either warms or cools the vents that heat or cool the main part of the passenger body, like the torso area.

[nickgsa60]

Originally Posted by Ajowhan

I was also wondering about the hot/cold horizontal dial, how does that work?

What if I set the car to 60F but had the dial to the cold side?

I've owned a 3 series since 2014 and now a 2... I had the same question forever, but after poking around online I found the answer and it's actually pretty cool. This explanation assumes you are using the 'auto' mode:

- The overall ambient temperature of the car will be maintained at the set level of the digital control no matter where the hot/cold dial is set
- However, the hot/cold dial will change the temperature of the air coming out of the main vents on the dash; while the overall temperature is regulated via the other vents in the car
- In 90% of situations you should just leave the hot/cold dial in the middle position. I find that this will pretty much keep the main vents tracking to what you have the digital control set to.
- There are several occasions I've found where it is very convenient to adjust the hot/cold dial:
1) If for some reason your hands or face get cold, adjust it dial to hot and use the vents to warm your hands
2) On longer road trips, sometimes you can begin to feel a bit stuffy, even though the car is at a good temperature overall. In this scenario, you can move the slider to the cold side for a nice refreshing breeze to make you feel less stuffy and more alert (all while keeping the car from getting too cold). I read somewhere that the Germans are really into the cool breeze to the face while driving thing.
3) Generally if you prefer a slightly different temp to your face than feet, the dial is helpful.

In your scenario of temp set to 60 and dial to cold, it might make the air from the main vents slightly colder, but I doubt you would notice a difference at that point.

As for the auto start/stop. Both my 2014 3 and 2021 2 will stay set to what you left it on -- perhaps they changed it for a few years in the middle. But, keep in mind that anytime you go to eco mode, it will automatically put you in auto start/stop, even if you return to comfort.

[abraxas613]

[QUOTE=USA-RET;27414835]

Originally Posted by Ajowhan

Hello, so I just finally pulled the trigger on a '18 m240i vert and had it for 2 days.

Little quirk I found and wondering if this is something I might have to deal with going forward.

1. The engine start stop thing - I felt like it would be bad for the car long term, is that the case?
- I try turning it off but it keep coming back the next time I drive, is there a way to keep it either on or off on my choice?

/QUOTE]

Is this a change from 2017 to 2018? On my 2017, I can deactivate mine with the "on/off" ring around my start button on the dash. Once I set it to off, it remains off each time I start the car unless I manually turn the feature on.

Did BMW code it so on each start up it defaults to "ON"?

Mine stays off too (2020 230i 6spd)...thankfully

[spidy512]

Originally Posted by USA-RET

Is this a change from 2017 to 2018? On my 2017, I can deactivate mine with the "on/off" ring around my start button on the dash. Once I set it to off, it remains off each time I start the car unless I manually turn the feature on.

Did BMW code it so on each start up it defaults to "ON"?

I was thinking the same thing. I am able to push a button to deactivate the stop/start on my !7.

Maybe as part of the LCI they removed the defeat button?

josh

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by nickgsa60

2) On longer road trips, sometimes you can begin to feel a bit stuffy, even though the car is at a good temperature overall. In this scenario, you can move the slider to the cold side for a nice refreshing breeze to make you feel less stuffy and more alert (all while keeping the car from getting too cold). I read somewhere that the Germans are really into the cool breeze to the face while driving thing.

This is the approach I use. If my face is comfortable, the rest of my body is, too. If it's a hot day and I move my head out of the stream of cooling air, it's quickly unbearable.

[leftoverture]

Auto start/stop is one of the dumbest and most annoying features ever put in an automobile, especially a performance-oriented one. Like others have said, mine is defeated with the ring around my start button. But we have a 2016 model.

[Ajowhan]

Originally Posted by nickgsa60

I've owned a 3 series since 2014 and now a 2... I had the same question forever, but after poking around online I found the answer and it's actually pretty cool. This explanation assumes you are using the 'auto' mode:

- The overall ambient temperature of the car will be maintained at the set level of the digital control no matter where the hot/cold dial is set
- However, the hot/cold dial will change the temperature of the air coming out of the main vents on the dash; while the overall temperature is regulated via the other vents in the car
- In 90% of situations you should just leave the hot/cold dial in the middle position. I find that this will pretty much keep the main vents tracking to what you have the digital control set to.
- There are several occasions I've found where it is very convenient to adjust the hot/cold dial:
1) If for some reason your hands or face get cold, adjust it dial to hot and use the vents to warm your hands
2) On longer road trips, sometimes you can begin to feel a bit stuffy, even though the car is at a good temperature overall. In this scenario, you can move the slider to the cold side for a nice refreshing breeze to make you feel less stuffy and more alert (all while keeping the car from getting too cold). I read somewhere that the Germans are really into the cool breeze to the face while driving thing.
3) Generally if you prefer a slightly different temp to your face than feet, the dial is helpful.

In your scenario of temp set to 60 and dial to cold, it might make the air from the main vents slightly colder, but I doubt you would notice a difference at that point.

As for the auto start/stop. Both my 2014 3 and 2021 2 will stay set to what you left it on -- perhaps they changed it for a few years in the middle. But, keep in mind that anytime you go to eco mode, it will automatically put you in auto start/stop, even if you return to comfort.

Thank you! This is very detailed and I can totally see the function of the dial now.

There is a confusion on my part. I gotta check again later today to see if my start and stop turn on when car start or when I go to eco mode.

70% of the time I drive on eco mode. Is it possible to set the car to start on eco mode vs comfort?

[Kemps2Fast]

It might be a little confusing because the button light on means the start/stop is deactivated; if the light is off, it means the start/stop is activated. Sometimes on my 17' it takes one iteration of stopping before it is completely deactivated. On my Moms 18' you can either deactivate it via the button or through the iDrive system.

[morphomeman]

The car will always start in Comfort mode. There may be a way to code this out, but that is above my pay grade.
BTW, the little hot/cold dial is now gone from all BMWs. Another reason to keep my 2 forever.

[nickgsa60]

Originally Posted by Ajowhan

Thank you! This is very detailed and I can totally see the function of the dial now.

There is a confusion on my part. I gotta check again later today to see if my start and stop turn on when car start or when I go to eco mode.

70% of the time I drive on eco mode. Is it possible to set the car to start on eco mode vs comfort?

Glad it was helpful!

As for eco mode, to each their own, but I highly recommend avoiding it and driving in comfort or sport. I used to use it in my 3 for a bit, but then I realized that eco takes away so much character of the car and at most, you will save a dollar or two at each fill-up. It also has a severe negative effect on the capability of the climate control system, ie it will not cool as well in eco. If efficiency was your only interest I suspect you would have saved some money and bought a civic instead.

[amutti]

Originally Posted by Ajowhan

2. AC Sync, I couldnt for the life of me find a sync button, quick search on forum looks like this might be the case for 2 and 3. Is this true and is there no way around it?
(I start my day early morning when its cold and end my day in evening sun when its hot, I flip the climate between two extremes on daily basis

Every car I've owned with two zones defaults to one and then the second one can be enabled when needed. The fact that the two zones are independent is a little annoying.

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by Ajowhan

70% of the time I drive on eco mode. Is it possible to set the car to start on eco mode vs comfort?

This is the problem with stop/start. That will reset with each ignition cycle if you don't maintain at least Comfort or Sport (+). My question is why get a BMW if you want ECO mode that often?

[msej449]

@Ajowhan On my 2016 M235i, the start/stop doesn't engage stop if you brake very gently when coming to a halt. This tends to get you into the good driving habit of doing 95% of your braking to a point a few yards short of where you actually want to come to rest, and then very gently braking the last few yards, leaving the engine running.

If you want to re-start the engine when stationary, lift your foot off the brake very slightly (not enough to disengage the brakes) and the engine will restart and not stop as you press down again. In Comfort Mode, this is useful at something like a junction where you've come to halt, but want the engine running in order to pull out promptly.

[Ajowhan]

Originally Posted by nickgsa60

I've owned a 3 series since 2014 and now a 2... I had the same question forever, but after poking around online I found the answer and it's actually pretty cool. This explanation assumes you are using the 'auto' mode:

- The overall ambient temperature of the car will be maintained at the set level of the digital control no matter where the hot/cold dial is set
- However, the hot/cold dial will change the temperature of the air coming out of the main vents on the dash; while the overall temperature is regulated via the other vents in the car
- In 90% of situations you should just leave the hot/cold dial in the middle position. I find that this will pretty much keep the main vents tracking to what you have the digital control set to.
- There are several occasions I've found where it is very convenient to adjust the hot/cold dial:
1) If for some reason your hands or face get cold, adjust it dial to hot and use the vents to warm your hands
2) On longer road trips, sometimes you can begin to feel a bit stuffy, even though the car is at a good temperature overall. In this scenario, you can move the slider to the cold side for a nice refreshing breeze to make you feel less stuffy and more alert (all while keeping the car from getting too cold). I read somewhere that the Germans are really into the cool breeze to the face while driving thing.
3) Generally if you prefer a slightly different temp to your face than feet, the dial is helpful.

In your scenario of temp set to 60 and dial to cold, it might make the air from the main vents slightly colder, but I doubt you would notice a difference at that point.

As for the auto start/stop. Both my 2014 3 and 2021 2 will stay set to what you left it on -- perhaps they changed it for a few years in the middle. But, keep in mind that anytime you go to eco mode, it will automatically put you in auto start/stop, even if you return to comfort.

Originally Posted by Sportstick

This is the problem with stop/start. That will reset with each ignition cycle if you don't maintain at least Comfort or Sport (+). My question is why get a BMW if you want ECO mode that often?

I see. I have actually only had mine for 2 days, I am exploring all the diff mode. I also drove 28 miles to work each day so I find things to do to get rid of boredom. Currently, Im playing around with the eco mode in the morning to see how well I could stay in the blue zone and how my driving is being graded by the analyzer thingy. Besides with no traffic at 5am, even on eco mode, Im already going 90mph on a 65mph on 71 freeway.

[Ajowhan]

Originally Posted by msej449

@Ajowhan On my 2016 M235i, the start/stop doesn't engage stop if you brake very gently when coming to a halt. This tends to get you into the good driving habit of doing 95% of your braking to a point a few yards short of where you actually want to come to rest, and then very gently braking the last few yards, leaving the engine running.

If you want to re-start the engine when stationary, lift your foot off the brake very slightly (not enough to disengage the brakes) and the engine will restart and not stop as you press down again. In Comfort Mode, this is useful at something like a junction where you've come to halt, but want the engine running in order to pull out promptly.

Interesting, Im gonna try that! Thank you!

[Maynard]

Congrats on the new toy. The programmable buttons are a real neat way to kill hours learning new ways to amuse yourself; as well as trying to make sense of the German-to-not-quite-English translation of the manual. It also took me 2 yrs to finally get how the turn signals work, and the difference between Traction mode and DTM-off.

Activating Eco mode puts it back into stop-start, even if you had it deactivated beforehand; Eco won't limit how fast you go, but it does adjust the engine to use less fuel (on a long trip when in cruise control I got bored and tried it, and it returned about 5% better mileage). I can also verify it will continue to urgently tell you to "reduce speed" on up into the triple digits (what else is there to do in Kansas when you are road-stupid?). It also uses this weird freewheel feature that seems to eliminate engine braking, so when you lift you don't slow much at all. Very unsettling in traffic, and so I don't use it much ever (first time it cut the engine at a toll booth I just about crapped myself thinking I'd just lost the engine 600 miles from home).

The side-to-side cabin temps are kind of a placebo; somebody trialed it in a youtube vid and regardless of how you set them, cabin temp is pretty consistent side to side. You could put a black rubber band around both knobs to run in tandem, but it seems tacky.

And FWIW, the temp wheel is still alive and well on my '21; surprised they would take it out for '22 after something like 30 years of it being a standard, but after seeing the schnoz on the new models, anything is possible.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Maynard

The side-to-side cabin temps are kind of a placebo; somebody trialed it in a youtube vid and regardless of how you set them, cabin temp is pretty consistent side to side.
You could put a black rubber band around both knobs to run in tandem, but it seems tacky.

Priceless, simply priceless!