X5 has worst air conditioning system of any car I've ever owned

[Optherion]

Originally Posted by deutsch100

Last week, here in Calabasas, CA we had several days of 100-105F. Awful anytime, but horrible in late October! I had my car parked for about an hour in full, afternoon sun!
When I opened the door, it literally felt like an oven inside. I started my '17 35d. The HAVC was set to AUTO 70F and the blower intensity to Level III. In our M6 and G63 (and every other car I have had with auto HVAC since the early 1990's)...with the outside temp over 100F and the inside of the car at least 120-130F, the HVAC set to AUTO, the A/C would just blast full power to cool the car down.

NOT my X5...the air was VERY cold coming out but just a gentle, light fan blower. WTF? With the outside and inside temp so hot...my A/C on AUTO 70 should have been blasting. Annoying!!!

HA!! I have been saying this for a long time!

You have to go into the iDrive vehicle settings and turn off the Rear AC Controls. Once you do that wait about 30 seconds and the air will kick on to turbo LOL. NEVER Press the auto button ever again as it will then turn the rear controls back on and limp your AC system. Its so stupid when you want to cool down the front area as quick as possible because your seats are 130 damn degrees.

The AC system is significantly improved and BMW fixed my huge problem 90% of the time it works greats. But only the select few of us know what 100+ degrees out with intense sunshine is like. I can only hope with new model testing BMW looks into some Death Valley long term tests. Please BMW. Go park the car for 4 hours in a parking lot with temps over 100+ intense sun, and then get in and drive around in traffic at about 30mph lol. Welcome to living in southern California. The rear passengers recently mentioned "Hey can you turn on some air back here its really hot!" Where I had to explain, it is on max and there's nothing else I can do. Sigh.

Its the only way. Post back if you notice a difference! I wont have much updates for the next few months since I'm enjoying the nice beach weather of 65-70 degrees.

[deutsch100]

Originally Posted by Optherion

HA!! I have been saying this for a long time!

You have to go into the iDrive vehicle settings and turn off the Rear AC Controls. Once you do that wait about 30 seconds and the air will kick on to turbo LOL. NEVER Press the auto button ever again as it will then turn the rear controls back on and limp your AC system. Its so stupid when you want to cool down the front area as quick as possible because your seats are 130 damn degrees.

The AC system is significantly improved and BMW fixed my huge problem 90% of the time it works greats. But only the select few of us know what 100+ degrees out with intense sunshine is like. I can only hope with new model testing BMW looks into some Death Valley long term tests. Please BMW. Go park the car for 4 hours in a parking lot with temps over 100+ intense sun, and then get in and drive around in traffic at about 30mph lol. Welcome to living in southern California. The rear passengers recently mentioned "Hey can you turn on some air back here its really hot!" Where I had to explain, it is on max and there's nothing else I can do. Sigh.

Its the only way. Post back if you notice a difference! I wont have much updates for the next few months since I'm enjoying the nice beach weather of 65-70 degrees.

I tried disabling Rear climate via iDrive. I adjusted the blower intensity to the highest bar setting.....but, unless I use Max AC, the front just gently blows. Great thing, it is very cold coming out, perfect actually....but no blower power unless Max AC is selected using AUTO. I have a brand new 2017 BMW...I do not want to, nor should I have to manually put the fan blower up and then manually lower the fan setting as the cabin cools down. AUTO...this is why they have AUTO!! lol

Also, it is awful for rear passengers to have their system disabled, and even w/o rear passengers, with the rear system OFF, that is like 75% of the middle and rear of car with no climate control....X5 stays HOT!

I love everything single thing about my '17 X5, besides the HAVC. I survived the last part of this summer with the HVAC, but I have a feeling come next June & July, the F15 HVAC will sadly have me looking at Audi, Mercedes, Volvo or Bentley SUVs!!!!

[deutsch100]

Originally Posted by GNALUZU

They were unable to fix my X5 because they say it is "operating as designed".

Next summer it will be just as miserable as this summer. The only suggestion I got from my dealership (after admitting that the X5 has significant ac issues) was to put it up on lease trader.

TWO dealers said the HVAC in my 2017 X5 40e AND 2017 X5 35d performs as it should. I literally showed them how the HVAC set to AUTO 70F works on a new 740e, X3 loaner, new M6 and a Mercedes G63. I showed them:

HOT, boiling hot car inside, HVAC set to AUTO 70F (in ALL cars, BMW & MBZ). HVAC blows maximum when set to AUTO 70F, since the inside is so damn hot and the HVAC set to AUTO knows it must cool the car down. As ALL interiors begin to cool down, AUTO 70F begins to lower the fan speed.

2017 X5 40e & 35d.....AUTO 70F, even with fan intensity set to MAX.....A/C just gently blows, I would even call it a strong dribble. Inside of the cabin, well over 100F, and AUTO will not pump the A/C.

I am genuinely happy, honestly, that many of your F15s HVAC blows so strong, but I am on my 2nd F15, and it is the worst AC I have ever owned in my life....including a few early 1980's cars with early, primitive AUTO HVAC!

[Chadmatic]

Originally Posted by Optherion

I wont have much updates for the next few months since I'm enjoying the nice beach weather of 65-70 degrees.

Which beach are you enjoying today, it's 89 degrees here currently and I am using my AC today, lol! How often do you hear that on Thanksgiving Day?

[deutsch100]

Originally Posted by Chadmatic

Which beach are you enjoying today, it's 89 degrees here currently and I am using my AC today, lol! How often do you hear that on Thanksgiving Day?

Seriously!!! It was 97 in Calabasas yesterday, and we are in the low 90's today. END of Nov, Thanksgiving Day. Now, June-Oct...these hot temps would be normal, but for T-day...I find this heat gross!!!!

Nothing sounds as good as mashed potatoes, hot gravy, stuffing and pumpkin pie and whipped cream like 90F in Nov

[Kewl X5]

Originally Posted by deutsch100

TWO dealers said the HVAC in my 2017 X5 40e AND 2017 X5 35d performs as it should. I literally showed them how the HVAC set to AUTO 70F works on a new 740e, X3 loaner, new M6 and a Mercedes G63. I showed them:

HOT, boiling hot car inside, HVAC set to AUTO 70F (in ALL cars, BMW & MBZ). HVAC blows maximum when set to AUTO 70F, since the inside is so damn hot and the HVAC set to AUTO knows it must cool the car down. As ALL interiors begin to cool down, AUTO 70F begins to lower the fan speed.

2017 X5 40e & 35d.....AUTO 70F, even with fan intensity set to MAX.....A/C just gently blows, I would even call it a strong dribble. Inside of the cabin, well over 100F, and AUTO will not pump the A/C.

I am genuinely happy, honestly, that many of your F15s HVAC blows so strong, but I am on my 2nd F15, and it is the worst AC I have ever owned in my life....including a few early 1980's cars with early, primitive AUTO HVAC!

I guess I am different and just set the HVAC at 66F to 68F. Maybe 70F in the winter time in SoCal. At 66F, it keeps the F15 X5 nice and cold even in 100F+ days in the desert.

[DuSh]

Another thought: I know that we can code and increase blower speed. Anyone tried that - i would assume an increase in 20-30% will be refreshing

[deutsch100]

Originally Posted by DuSh

Another thought: I know that we can code and increase blower speed. Anyone tried that - i would assume an increase in 20-30% will be refreshing

This would SOLVE the issue. My A/C, even on just AUTO 68, 70F blows damn cold when it is really hot...it is just the pathetic fan power/speed. What's funny...it it sounds like it is working hard, but just no power.

When I use Max AC, it is crazy loud, but it does blow strong!!!!, so I know my blower motor is capable of pumping out a strong airflow. I just do not want to have to use super loud MAX AC every time it is hot. Thanks!

[stickersteve]

Optherion, I just had my car in for service and talked to the BMW genius and service guy about this AC situation. I think you answered or confirmed what I was trying to tell them. I see a lot of people are complaining about the AC. I live in Arizona so it is a big deal here. What I finally discovered was that like you said, the AC blows great as long as the rear climate button is unchecked in the idrive settings. What I found out turns that button back on is when you press the SYNC button. Maybe this is already known, but I like to keep SYNC on so when I change the temp, it changes it even on both sides. The problem is that when you turn SYNC on, it also turns on the rear climate control. I cant believe that there is no way around this. It does not make any sense to me.

[Ray1013]

hello - this will be my second summer in this oven, with the exact same problem. The dealership has told me there is nothing they can do. I am working on a letter to the dealership service department, GM and BMW USA. I was hoping that you can share with me the dealership that replaced the parts you mention and the work order. I would like to share this information with my service adviser, so they can complete the work before Las Vegas reverts to its usual hell in the summer. thanks in advance.

[anon1000]

Originally Posted by Ray1013

hello - this will be my second summer in this oven, with the exact same problem. The dealership has told me there is nothing they can do. I am working on a letter to the dealership service department, GM and BMW USA. I was hoping that you can share with me the dealership that replaced the parts you mention and the work order. I would like to share this information with my service adviser, so they can complete the work before Las Vegas reverts to its usual hell in the summer. thanks in advance.

Same problem in F15 here in Texas, only way to get airflow, is to disable the rear ac (let my kids suffer) and turn temp all the way down or use manual fan speed. Even with all this, the dash surface never cools down, you can literally see the heat rising from it - unbelievable. If you decice to write to BMWNA about this, let us know, I can't believe it would have been designed to be this bad.

[deutsch100]

It is only in the upper 70s here today, beautiful actually, but...I had my F15 parked in the full sun for about 90 mins while I had lunch. When I got in the car, HVAC set to AUTO 68F just dribbled of course (even though it was easily 100F+ inside the car) and even after driving for 20+ mins, the dashboard, glass and roof were boiling hot! When I complained AGAIN to my SA on Monday when my car was serviced....NO answer. Well besides from roll the windows down and keep it on Max AC. I am so, so curious how the 2019 X5 A/C will be!! My 2006 E90 330i behaved the exact same way my F15 does. I think BMW used an old system for the F15

Originally Posted by anon1000

Same problem in F15 here in Texas, only way to get airflow, is to disable the rear ac (let my kids suffer) and turn temp all the way down or use manual fan speed. Even with all this, the dash surface never cools down, you can literally see the heat rising from it - unbelievable. If you decice to write to BMWNA about this, let us know, I can't believe it would have been designed to be this bad.

[Mentat]

Originally Posted by DuSh

Another thought: I know that we can code and increase blower speed. Anyone tried that - I would assume an increase in 20-30% will be refreshing

Any info about this code?

[Ex_Stig]

Originally Posted by deutsch100

It is only in the upper 70s here today, beautiful actually, but...I had my F15 parked in the full sun for about 90 mins while I had lunch. When I got in the car, HVAC set to AUTO 68F just dribbled of course (even though it was easily 100F+ inside the car) and even after driving for 20+ mins, the dashboard, glass and roof were boiling hot! When I complained AGAIN to my SA on Monday when my car was serviced....NO answer. Well besides from roll the windows down and keep it on Max AC. I am so, so curious how the 2019 X5 A/C will be!! My 2006 E90 330i behaved the exact same way my F15 does. I think BMW used an old system for the F15

Yes, when you look at the part schematics for the X5 you can see that the AC unit is a much older one.

My guess is that it was closer to sufficient on the previous X5, but interior space keeps getting bigger and now it can't handle that much.

Also, the greenhouse effect from the windshield doesn't help at all. I can't wait to get out of my lease! I hate this X5.

[Padfan9]

Originally Posted by Optherion

This is my 9th BMW. Probably 20th car I have owned.

Its a 2017 X5 50i V8 loaded. Hell; should have bought X5m but thats another story.

The air conditioning takes a HOUR to cool down the car. Located in Arizona and today is 108 degrees. Car has NEVER cooled down all day. After a hour in the car, I'm still sweating. I have the damn air conditioned ventilated whatever seats. They suck. Don't buy them; save your money guys. Car is Silver. Limo tint all around. I used a sun shade. I'm out of ideas and its been serviced 3 times for the AC not getting cold.

Does anyone else with the V8 have issues with their cooling system or suggestions that live in hot climates? Car going in for service again. By far the worst AC of any car I have ever owned. The sad part of everything is the AC just absolutely doesn't cool the car down when outside temp is 90+ The uber driver picked me up in a black corolla from the dealer since they had no rental cars and I about froze my ass off in the backseat. Trying to get suggestions here as Im ready to get rid of this thing after 5 months.

UPDATE: 6/21/2017

I posted later in the thread that I did some major research on the air temps.

Supposed to have car back today and they think they narrowed it down to a fix.

If this is the fix I would probably highly advise against the "Rear seat air controls option"

Curious which cars dont have it vs the ones that got the upgrade. You will know because It has the display screen and fan adjustment on the rear center console.

Long Term: 9/29/17 Update.

Just an Update. My car was in the shop a total of 3 weeks prior and now after a few months is working great still through the summer. The AC has been fixed. The short story is this:

The days of when you turned on the AC and it just worked because it was simple are no more. With the introduction of 4 zone temperature controls, add about 30 AC diverting doors to the system, and a 3rd row seat option that adds a lot of vents to the car. My dealer had to replace several components, but in the end fixed it.

The most surprising issue was the car was actually sending codes that certain AC / Heater doors were not shut or open when modes were active. Rear was on heat, front on AC. 3rd row was not even blowing air. ( Fault servo / actuator ? Air Box? The parts list on my RO is crazy). They replaced most of my AC system in the end, and now it works fine. Temps are between 42-48 degrees when its 85 out. I see 50-55 temp difference from outside ambient. 110 Degree day I see ac around 55 even. Works great and problem solved.

FYI: If you are the only person in the car, and you want absolutely BEST ac results, you have to disable the rear AC controls in iDrive. Once done it will Kick the front blower motor even higher. You will hear it actually ramp up. I see 5 degree colder air temps in the front seats immediately. I only turn the rear AC vents on when I have passengers in the back.

Super happy with the car and will definitely think twice when I order / build something with 2nd and 3rd row controls. Just make it simple BMW!

Mine is really cold, I've had no issue.

[X5M50D]

29 degrees Celsius in London yesterday and the AC coped well in the heat.
The only thing I have noticed is that it takes 5 or so minutes to get going after starting up the car, but once its on works well now.

[martin mustang]

I somehow disagree, the Auto Wipers are simply useless and beat the air con at No 1.

[geye1970]

We always use a sunshade and find that makes a big difference after the car is sitting out in the sun.

While driving, we do feel the effects of the large windshield and as hot air rises, the hot air does tend to be in your face.

Overall, I find the A/C to be adequate.

[anon1000]

I have also been thoroughly disappointed by the X5s AC system, it is noisy and it does not move the air sufficiently, especially with the rear climate engaged.

My warranty is expiring so I took mine in for a final service visit and happened to mention again, that I hear a little crackle from the vents every now and then (sound like some debris stuck in somewhere), was 100% sure they are not gonna do anything about it as it does not happen all the time., also told them the system occasionally smells like cow s..t.

To my surprise, they claimed the noise was caused by pressure differential in the evap and that they would need to replace the evap, supposedly it also had a leak in it.

Looking at the notes, it says they swapped the evap to a newly designed optimized unit, and it appears MUCH COLDER now and seems the fans move the air better. And of course the smell is gone, so surely the evap was moldy and dirty.

SIB 64 05 16 is what they quoted on my paperwork. Unfortunately, they did not connect everything right and I had to take it back to them due to numerous faults, but the little that I drove it, I could tell AC was improved.

[Wing Co]

We had a mini very hot spell here recently and it's not the best until it's been on for about 10mins after being in the sun.

[Ex_Stig]

Originally Posted by anon1000

SIB 64 05 16 is what they quoted on my paperwork. Unfortunately, they did not connect everything right and I had to take it back to them due to numerous faults, but the little that I drove it, I could tell AC was improved.

I was all excited at first, so I emailed my service advisor to find out some details. Sadly, that SIB is only for certain noises on the X5. It doesn't mention anything about improving the AC.

[deutsch100]

Oh, the A/C in my '17 35d blows ICE cold...it just has no blower power unless you use Max A/C. And honestly, even the Max A/C is way less "Max" than in our '17 M6 or Mercedes G-Class. I find the Climate Control in the F15 to be loud and weak at the same time!

Also, I noticed last week my 35d was parked in the sun for about an hour or so. It was not very hot outside, maybe 78-80F. Of course the Auto A/C sucked, but when I got home and parked in the dark, cool garage.....almost 2 hours later I went into my car to get my wallet I forgot, and it was crazy!!! The inside of the roof (headliner), dashboard and windshield were still boiling hot!! What did BMW do to the F15? Why so much heat obtained and retained??

Originally Posted by Padfan9

Mine is really cold, I've had no issue.