Heated Steering Wheel Question

[SlammedR8]

My 2015 X5 M Sport diesel just arrived to my dealer, I am on the fence about taking delivery of it for a few reasons.

But I have a question for those with 14-16 M sport X5s.

Does your steering wheel get hot? I test drove my car for 6km yesterday with the steering wheel heat on and it barely got warm, let alone hot.

I am currently driving my mother in laws 2014 535xi (non M Sport) and it gets pretty hot so I was shocked at how NOT hot the steering wheel is in the 2015 X5 M Sport. Wondering if this is normal because that would be a huge let down, I would say the steering was room temperate or maybe 1-2 degrees above that, but certainly not piping hot like some wheels I've experienced

[cretanu]

Mine is the same...is barelly getting warm...never hot!!!))

[Chem14]

Mine gets hot.

[SlammedR8]

Haha I guess this is a relative thing. What is warm to one is hot to another haha

[Wing Co]

It is just warm as it has one level unlike the seats. It's like level one of the heated seats equivalent.

[F15GorDe]

Mine's nice and warm when it needs to be.

[patrikr]

Mine definitely gets hot and I have to turn it off after about 10 min. Not because it gets burning hot but definitely hotter than I prefer. Mine's a 2014.

[crackerjack15]

Noticeably warm here and pretty quickly too. I would say within 1-2 minutes it's pretty toasty. Actually feels weird when your hands are already warm.

[X54TH]

We had the heated steering wheel in the E70 and found it "warm". A bit disappointing. In our F15 the heated steering wheel heats up much faster. Also, I find it much warmer but not to the point where it's unbearable like my Jeep Overland where after a few minutes I have to turn it off...way too hot. I think they got it just right. My only beef is where the button is situated.

[SlammedR8]

Not much consistency here...to me it is actually the least warm steering wheel I have ever felt. I didn't even think it was on. I wonder if there is a fix or adjustment that can be done through programming/coding? Perhaps on BMW's end. I would like to check out a couple other local X5 M Sport wheels if it would be possible.

In all honesty, to me it is unacceptable. It may as well not have a heated steering wheel, that's how not warm it got. The heated seats weren't very hot either, I usually cant handle the highest level as it gets too hot for me but the seats felt like level 1 even though it was on level 3 (the hottest). I wonder if this last batch of 2015s in lieu of the 2016 models had a different factory programming for this stuff?

[X54TH]

Maybe you have a dud. I would try and find another X5 to see if there is a difference. Like I said ours is hot enough and I've had the two extremes between the E70 being warm to the Jeep being piping hot.

[Xeno]

I like this feature and find the temperature to be appropriate to the conditions that prompt it's use.

[Line Drive]

We don't have an M, but on our two X5's the steering wheels get piping hot.

[jlstyle]

My seats get pretty hot and steering gets mildly hot. Just little warm and I barely sweat on it.

[kanchis]

Mine gets hot as well. I would suggest you go test it out on a Msport in the lot.

[Diper]

This a well known malfunction and can be repaired. Mine didn't work on delivery but was fixed. And when it works it will be noticeable hot after only 2 min.

[aw305]

My steering wheel only gets hot at certain points. Is it supposed to be the same heat level 360 degrees?

[SlammedR8]

Originally Posted by Diper

This a well known malfunction and can be repaired. Mine didn't work on delivery but was fixed. And when it works it will be noticeable hot after only 2 min.

What is the fix?

[stewy604]

Mine seems to work just fine. Very quickly takes the chill off the leather. In the winter months, I typically have the wheel on, as well as the seats on level I.

[X54TH]

OK, I got to drive the X5 today into work. I put on the heated steering wheel and it got nice and warm. After a while the temperature of the wheel was warm not like when it first started up. My Jeep will do the same thing except I never let it go that long because it's just too hot. So I believe these things reach a certain temperature and come down to a comfortable / manageable heat. That's the way it is my Jeep and I'm guessing that the X5 does the same. I had the Seats on at the first heat level. Never tested to see if there was a connection between the seat heat level and the wheel...maybe?? If so, I would be very impressed.

[EIGHTLUG]

I guess no one owns an IR camera or a Fluke IR gun?? It would be nice to have some figures of substance. Hot, piping hot, warm, noticeably hot... Let's use temperature in F or C.

-I took a baseline temp of the wheel at the 2 o clock position, before startup and turning the heated wheel on. 59.5 F.
- After one minute of 'ON' time, I measured 76.5 F
-Two minutes 'ON' 90.0
-Three minutes 'ON' 97.5
-Four minutes 'ON' 100.5
-end of measurements, Five minutes 'ON' 102.5

I also measured the seat cushion on the passenger side, upon exit at five minutes and it was 103.0. All of these temps are measured in F.

[X54TH]

Originally Posted by EIGHTLUG

I guess no one owns an IR camera or a Fluke IR gun?? It would be nice to have some figures of substance. Hot, piping hot, warm, noticeably hot... Let's use temperature in F or C.

-I took a baseline temp of the wheel at the 2 o clock position, before startup and turning the heated wheel on. 59.5 F.
- After one minute of 'ON' time, I measured 76.5 F
-Two minutes 'ON' 90.0
-Three minutes 'ON' 97.5
-Four minutes 'ON' 100.5
-end of measurements, Five minutes 'ON' 102.5

I also measured the seat cushion on the passenger side, upon exit at five minutes and it was 103.0. All of these temps are measured in F.

Unfortunately I don't have the ability to do that. Did the temperature reduce after 20 mins or so. I thought it felt different but maybe my hands became accustom to that temperature.