[3-Bag]

I have to turn it off every time I drive. It was off when I exited the vehicle but turns on automatically. Is there anyway to stop this?

[obert]

You might be able to save it to be turned off under your profile? I was just messing around with mine and there was 3 profiles and a guess you can save setting to. Probably have to do some reading in your manual to figure it out.

[DanG]

If I have ac and heating off, next time I start the car it is still off.

[overcoil]

thought the hvac automatically coming on was a luxury car style feature,

It was a way to assure the windshield was clear of fog or condensation.

And it circulated oils in the a/c compressor for maintenance - and maybe even keep the ducts from accumulating odor.

Just guessing.

[sgt3966]

Mine does the same thing. No idea why and how to disable it. Going to subscribe to this thread to see if someone has a fix. Mine is a 2015 Z4 35i.

[n3985]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

thought the hvac automatically coming on was a luxury car style feature,

It was a way to assure the windshield was clear of fog or condensation.

And it circulated oils in the a/c compressor for maintenance - and maybe even keep the ducts from accumulating odor.

Just guessing.

+1

I get it is personal preference but a luxury car should be providing temperature + humidity controlled air filtered by activated charcoal filters all day every day.

But to answer OP, you can code it off to stay off each time you start your car.

[CalmAngle]

Do you just mean that you hear it when you turn your car on? Even if it's off?

[G35POPPEDMYCHERRY]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

thought the hvac automatically coming on was a luxury car style feature,

It was a way to assure the windshield was clear of fog or condensation.

And it circulated oils in the a/c compressor for maintenance - and maybe even keep the ducts from accumulating odor.

Just guessing.

Originally Posted by n3985

+1

I get it is personal preference but a luxury car should be providing temperature + humidity controlled air filtered by activated charcoal filters all day every day.

But to answer OP, you can code it off to stay off each time you start your car.

This can actually do the opposite and fog the car. Only rarely in winter is the defogger needed. IMO this is why the F sereis cars smell like fucking rancid mildew, because there is constant AC condensation in the vents and harbors a great home for foul smelling things. I make sure to dry out my vents every time I turn on A/c and randomly Ill get a foul smell. Car is under 10k. Fuckin joke.

[n3985]

Originally Posted by G35POPPEDMYCHERRY

This can actually do the opposite and fog the car. Only rarely in winter is the defogger needed. IMO this is why the F sereis cars smell like fucking rancid mildew, because there is constant AC condensation in the vents and harbors a great home for foul smelling things. I make sure to dry out my vents every time I turn on A/c and randomly Ill get a foul smell. Car is under 10k. Fuckin joke.

The AC actually removes moisture in the air not add to it, condensation around vents is a different problem (didn't know it was...)

Wet sock smell = time for new cabin filters

[3-Bag]

Originally Posted by CalmAngle

Do you just mean that you hear it when you turn your car on? Even if it's off?

No, I mean it literally comes on automatically. Every time I get in the car it starts blowing and I have to turn it off. It's off when I get out of the car (because I turned it off when I originally got in), but when I get back in to drive again, it starts blowing again, even though I had shut it off last time I drove. For me it's annoying, but not the end of the world...lol. I just was asking to see if it was a setting I could easily adjust.

[bimmer456]

Mine remembers last setting which is always off. AC makes the car slower so I only use it when cruising or if I only plan on driving slowly.

[sspade]

Mine used to do this. Coded it off with BimmerCode. I like to decide when the HVAC system is on and off.

[BayE30]

my hvac is always off when i start the car. but i also rarely use it at all, so its a benefit for me.

[sgt3966]

Originally Posted by sspade

Mine used to do this. Coded it off with BimmerCode. I like to decide when the HVAC system is on and off.

I looked at the BimmerCode website. It does not support my Z4. Do you know if the Carly app will do it?

[Qsilver7]

If you have the IHKA (automatic climate control) you can go into iDrive and change the settings to keep the system OFF.

As others mentioned...the design of an auto climate system is to be on...if nothing else to run the cain air through the microfilters to help with pollen/dust/etc. If you don't have allergies (yet)...this feature is MUCH appreciated when spores/tree pollen etc season rolls around.

In many BMW models with IHKA...the system will maintain whatever setting for around 16 minutes. So if you had the system OFF...then stopped at the drug store or bank etc...and you came back to the car within the consumer cut-off interval (which is usually 15-16 minutes)...the IHKA will remain OFF. If you return after a longer period like 30 minutes or an hour...then the IHKA will turn itself back on (usually at the lowest setting). If you still want the system OFF...then all it takes is usually a single press of the fan speed button (on the older gen BMWs...it was a single press of the "-" fan speed button).

The FUNKY smell from the vents can be avoided by drying things out prior to putting the car away wet. The "smell" is created when you park the car in a dark & wet/humid enviroment (like pulling into a dark garage when you come home for the day). Bacteria & mold grow rapidly in a dark/humid environment.

So if you are parking (especially indoors) in the dark after running the AC...depending on what part of the country you're in or how hot it is...you can either shut down the AC (snowflake button) and just allow fresh air to blow across the condenser (you may have to roll the window down if tolerable). If the ambient temperture is too hot or humid and there's no way you're turning off the AC before parking in the garage...then use the "park ventilation" feature that allows the IHKA to run the blower for up to 30 minutes after turning the engine off and removing the key. This will have the same affect of drying the condenser and preventing mold and bacteria from having a perfect scenario for "getting it on"...which is going to end with you having that FUNKY odor every time you turn the blower on.

[camelot95]

if all else fails try turning it off and then setting the memory function like you would if you wanted to store a seat position. it might be coded to the key...

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by DanG

If I have ac and heating off, next time I start the car it is still off.

Same.

[Cbozz]

Originally Posted by 3-Bag

I have to turn it off every time I drive. It was off when I exited the vehicle but turns on automatically. Is there anyway to stop this?

have to code your ac module IHKA
IHKA memory code to aktiv - that way it will remember your setting from before you turned the car off... I have it coded because my AC did the same thing and I hated it! It would always be on and with open to air and I like to always have it with recirculating air... try that coding!

[F30dud]

on my 2014 335 it did the same you'd have to code that off. however in my new 2018 340 it starts with however i turn the car off. so if its off, turns on off. If its left on, it turns back on, ON.

[yco]

i guess there are 2 options..

1. i dont know if there is a setting in iDrive you selected to put the AC after some temperature automatically.. F90 5 series have something like this for heated seats donno about your car you better check your iDrive..

2. if you using the ventilation system in auto it engages AC most of the time starting from spring.. take it out from auto and direct the flow somewhere and you can check again..

[3-Bag]

Great info guys, thanks for the feedback!

[jmg]

Originally Posted by G35POPPEDMYCHERRY

This can actually do the opposite and fog the car. Only rarely in winter is the defogger needed. IMO this is why the F sereis cars smell like fucking rancid mildew, because there is constant AC condensation in the vents and harbors a great home for foul smelling things. I make sure to dry out my vents every time I turn on A/c and randomly Ill get a foul smell. Car is under 10k. Fuckin joke.

AC is a dehumidifier. It can't cause condensation, it gets rid of it. Condensation occurs when you turn off the AC. Which is why you shouldn't really ever turn it off. I've addressed this issue in another post:

Originally Posted by jmg

This can actually promote mold and mildew growth which increases the chances of bad smelly AC if you do it too soon before you turn off your car. When you blow non-conditioned air through the vents, you are introducing relatively humid air to the interior of the air ducts. The ducts are still relatively cold from the previous use of air conditioning. As the ducts warm, they collect moisture from the warmer, humid air on the inside and condensation forms on the interior. If you leave the air on long enough, it might cause the condensation to evaporate, but if you turn the car off, the condensation remains, and you can introduce mold and mildew. Note that it takes MUCH MUCH longer for the condensation to evaporate than it did to form. You would have to turn your AC off a very long time for you to ensure that it all evaporates.

Alternatively, if you leave the AC on before you turn off the car, the air in the ducts are relatively low humidity. That means when the ducts start to get warmer, there is significantly less condensation on the inside of the ducts because the air is conditioned aka dry. Note that the condensation on the exterior of the ducts is less of a problem because even if mold and mildew grow on the exterior of the duct, our HVAC air runs through the interior, thus no smell.

So, if you had to chose between turning your AC off or leaving it on... it's almost always better to just leave it on and leave it on always. Remember, moisture is bad, and AC is basically a dehumidifier.