[ooshnoo]

As it's summer time, I thought I'd try out for the first time the remote climate control feature of the BMW Connected app from my iPhone to cool off the car before I got in.

Low and behold when I unlocked the car, the air was blowing, but it was as hot air, and did not cool the car down whatsoever.

I guess my expectations were that it would cool the car down in the summer and warm it in the winter?

Am I wrong? If so, then what's the point in it just blowing plain old air???

[BMW11]

Do not expect AC or Heat it only will "vent air" at the temperature of the outside air. I guess when it is like 100+ degrees F in the car while it it only 95F outside and its venting is on it will "cool" it off by a few degrees by way of the venting air circulation process. I doubt I will ever use it as it will run the battery down for no useful reason. The feature is just NOT useful to me

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by ooshnoo

I guess my expectations were that it would cool the car down in the summer and warm it in the winter?

AC and heat only work when the engine is running.

[CruzM3]

Yep I've tried it twice and find it useless since it's only moving air around and not actually cooling the car down. Much better to use the unlock button to roll the windows down if your close enough to do it in advance.

[CoopersF15]

I had the ability to set my car to turn on remotely and cool it using A/C in my Volvo - if you left it with AC running that is, or heating as the case may be when it is cold coming back from skiing etc. It was the best thing EVAR for coming back after hot bike rides. Kinda bummed I thought I was getting that in my car and now realize it's a total waste of time.

One of the various "Le sigh" BMW things, that should just be done right "out of the box" and is a total 1st world problem. Even the FCA group have it in most of their cars and you can change the temp on the fly remotely, set radio station I think too.

[SpenceRx]

It's a bit of a gimmicky feature.

[ArturPL]

I tried it couple of times and it's pointless.

[sean328]

Hmmm.. I find it incredibly useful in summer when the car is parked under the scorching sun. Vent in 10 minutes before and the temp drop is noticeable. I've tested it before and after and it worked for me.

[Billfitz]

The temperature drop from fan driven venting the car, as opposed to having it sealed, is worthwhile, but IME no more so than holding the 'open' button on the fob to open the windows and sunroof when approaching the car, especially as it works from at least 100 feet away. Neither approach is going to cool the car below the outside air temperature, which is what the OP was expecting. To do that requires remote starting of the engine, which BMW doesn't do, for reasons that have been explained.

[SteveinArizona]

If you have a PHEV, like my 330e, then the feature will actually turn on the AC while keeping the car locked and the engine not running. The AC then runs off the hybrid battery.

I used it two days ago in Phoenix. After finishing playing golf, I turned on the AC and did a personal pit stop, and by the time I got to the car it was cool.

[adhrp]

I find it useful to program the vent to start 30 min prior to when I get off work so that the car's internal temperature is normalized to the temperature outside. Of course, this could be achieved by simply rolling down the windows for a few minutes while driving, but I prefer not entering a very hot cabin.

[elistan]

Originally Posted by adhrp

I find it useful to program the vent to start 30 min prior to when I get off work so that the car's internal temperature is normalized to the temperature outside. Of course, this could be achieved by simply rolling down the windows for a few minutes while driving, but I prefer not entering a very hot cabin.

That's what I did. It made a significant difference even on 105 degree days in Dallas.

[mbanks21]

I find it works best with the sunroof vented and windows rolled down slightly. Black leather seats in the Florida sun are not fun. I can definitely tell a difference in temperature when done correctly.

[nicknaz]

they probably just included it for the ICE cars because it was a cool gimmick

for the BEV cars, it is super useful to pre-condition the interior temperature and battery while the car is plugged in, to get max range out of the car

[KGB_123_99]

It's good because it exhausts all the wonderful VOCs that off-gas from the glue and plastic materials in hot weather. That new car smell, as wonderful as it is, is actually terrible for you.

[ooshnoo]

Thanks fellas. Guess I assumed wrong..

[lo_xyooj]

I tried it once and turned it off immediately. LOL it's a freakin' joke when its humid as heck...

[otay]

Interesting that there are big differences of opinion on this. In the summer here, I use it everyday. Sometimes more than once a day. It definitely cools off the car relative to the outside temp.

[bimmer456]

Originally Posted by otay

Interesting that there are big differences of opinion on this. In the summer here, I use it everyday. Sometimes more than once a day. It definitely cools off the car relative to the outside temp.

I've used it before and then roll down window with the keyfob, helps to cool things down. The AC will come on when this is used when you start the engine.

[mbanks21]

I noticed the people from Australia, Florida, Arizona are saying it helps, the people from the northeast and colder climate European counties are saying not so much.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Use the fob at long range to drop the windows.

[dreamingat30fps]

I personally think it's useless. You know what's useful? Remote start, of course the Germans have some kind of remote start phobia so I doubt you'll see that in a BMW.