[jmg]

Originally Posted by Carefree

Not sure what iDrive iteration is in our 2024 but heated wheel control is on the wheel.
Regarding others you listed, all can be voice controlled (at least in our car).
YMMV

The new wheel does not have the button sadly. Good tip on voice control. I might have to start actually using it.

“Hey BMW, my ass is cold”

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by jmg

The new wheel does not have the button sadly. Good tip on voice control. I might have to start actually using it.

“Hey BMW, my ass is cold”

Well I haven’t tried that one yet.

The voice commands can be finicky until you find the “correct” wording/phrase for each function. It was frustrating at the onset. Once established, it works really well for windows, fan, temperature, seats, etc.

Good luck.

[Bimmer Frank]

Originally Posted by Carefree

Well I haven’t tried that one yet.

The voice commands can be finicky until you find the “correct” wording/phrase for each function. It was frustrating at the onset. Once established, it works really well for windows, fan, temperature, seats, etc.

Good luck.

"Hey BMW, mein Arsch ist kalt" ?

[Digitalprty]

Originally Posted by jmg

One thing I have noticed between iDrive 7.5 and 8.5 is that redundancy with the iDrive controller is not 100%. Previously, every action is accesible without touching the screen, even if there is a bit of scrolling involved. I much prefer this.

Here is a list of things that can only be controlled by touching the screen I have found so far:


Heated Steering Wheel
Heated Seats
Fan Speed
Temperature? (Honestly haven't tried this yet)



I hate this entire philosophy. Fine, get rid of the buttons, but please let us access everything without touching the screen.

I have iDrive 8, so my heated steering wheel button is on the steering wheel. For the heated seats and fan speed, I use the iDrive knob. The only thing I ever use the touch screen for is changing the actual temperature. If anyone knows how to change it without touching the screen or using voice control, I’m all ears.

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by Digitalprty

I have iDrive 8, so my heated steering wheel button is on the steering wheel. For the heated seats and fan speed, I use the iDrive knob. The only thing I ever use the touch screen for is changing the actual temperature. If anyone knows how to change it without touching the screen or using voice control, I’m all ears.

Use your key word to activate voice control and say “set temperature to 76° or whatever temp. It took some time to “train” the system and/or identify correct wording but it works. Also “raise temperature to maximum” and “lower temperature to minimum” both work.

It’s a far from perfect system but I do most of the entertainment, climate, window/ moonroof, phone, navigation, etc. functions by voice. Be patient and creative.

I suspect most owners aren’t using the system’s full capability.

YMMV

[JABCAT]

They add all these "safety" features but then take away buttons for features such as heated seats, temp, fan speed, etc. To change these things requires the driver to take their eyes off the road for a pretty decent amount of time. I can adjust the temp, activate the heated/cooled seats in my wife's X3MC without taking my eyes off the road because I know where the buttons are by feel & you know you're pressing them.

Maybe they bring the climate control/heated seat buttons back. I know Jeep did away with them for a couple years in the Grand Cherokee (everything controlled in the screen) then brought the buttons back in '23. I guess enough people complained.

[two_three_two]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

They add all these "safety" features but then take away buttons for features such as heated seats, temp, fan speed, etc. To change these things requires the driver to take their eyes off the road for a pretty decent amount of time. I can adjust the temp, activate the heated/cooled seats in my wife's X3MC without taking my eyes off the road because I know where the buttons are by feel & you know you're pressing them.

Maybe they bring the climate control/heated seat buttons back. I know Jeep did away with them for a couple years in the Grand Cherokee (everything controlled in the screen) then brought the buttons back in '23. I guess enough people complained.

forget more power, forget revised bumpers and lights, or more colors... physical controls and dials would have me upgrading my g87 the next day. wife just got a new RX, the mix of HVAC and radio buttons combined with on-screen menus is basically perfect.

[stashstein]

Hey BMW what's my oil temperature is kind of a neat party trick but it never works on the first try for me.

[Mvfjet]

I noticed I have heated seats, didn’t know those were standard since my car has no added options.

Also noticed the exhaust gets louder when selecting sport or sport plus.

[Squidget]

Originally Posted by Carefree

Use your key word to activate voice control and say “set temperature to 76° or whatever temp. It took some time to “train” the system and/or identify correct wording but it works. Also “raise temperature to maximum” and “lower temperature to minimum” both work.

A year or so ago we had a thread that had figured out key phrases for most things, IIRC. The only gap I really remember was that there was no way to turn the whole climate control off or on. There's a touchscreen button for it, but no known (to me) verbal command or physical button.

The only thing that really bugs me personally is that there's no way to return from the odometer. By that, I mean you have to bring up the left MFD trip meter to see mileage, and then there's no fast way to get back to what was there before. So "glancing" at your mileage is impossible, it requires a bunch of steps.

[04S]

Originally Posted by Squidget

A year or so ago we had a thread that had figured out key phrases for most things, IIRC. The only gap I really remember was that there was no way to turn the whole climate control off or on. There's a touchscreen button for it, but no known (to me) verbal command or physical button.

The only thing that really bugs me personally is that there's no way to return from the odometer. By that, I mean you have to bring up the left MFD trip meter to see mileage, and then there's no fast way to get back to what was there before. So "glancing" at your mileage is impossible, it requires a bunch of steps.

I have discovered if you are on a non-trip computer screen on the dash you can push the top button the left stalk and it goes to the trip computer screen (with the milage) for about 10s and then returns to where you were. Not sure if it is a 25 thing but that's the way it works on my car.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by 04S

I have discovered if you are on a non-trip computer screen on the dash you can push the top button the left stalk and it goes to the trip computer screen (with the milage) for about 10s and then returns to where you were. Not sure if it is a 25 thing but that's the way it works on my car.

That used to be the “BC” button and you could cycle through a bunch of functions. Now it’s just trip readouts. It seems like the “BC” button functions have been moved to the menu button on the bottom.

[xtougher]

Used the heated steering wheel for the first time. Kinda nice!

Still looking for the heated shifter button. Can't seem to find it...

[Carefree]

Originally Posted by xtougher

Used the heated steering wheel for the first time. Kinda nice!

Still looking for the heated shifter button. Can't seem to find it...

It’s just to the right of the rear window controls.

[N_a_r_d_o]

Originally Posted by SpaceGhost

Glad I didn’t option that. My 740 has it and it is meh at best.

I too have it on my 740. Android Auto (nav) drains the battery faster than the wireless charging can charge it. For road trips, I still need to plug in on the USB.

[JABCAT]

Originally Posted by jmg

One thing I have noticed between iDrive 7.5 and 8.5 is that redundancy with the iDrive controller is not 100%. Previously, every action is accesible without touching the screen, even if there is a bit of scrolling involved. I much prefer this.

Here is a list of things that can only be controlled by touching the screen I have found so far:

• Heated Steering Wheel
• Heated Seats
• Fan Speed
• Temperature? (Honestly haven't tried this yet)

I hate this entire philosophy. Fine, get rid of the buttons, but please let us access everything without touching the screen.

I played with this a little and here's what I found on my '23 (iDrive 8?). From the Home screen --> Apps --> Vehicle Apps --> Climate Control (10th app for me) then you can adjust the heated seats, fan speed & vent (windshield, upper body, footwell) with the dial. Each one takes multiple pushes of the dial to change the setting. So by this time I've already run 2 red lights, hit a pedestrian, and 4 parked cars & driven into a lake just trying to change my climate settings.

You can access the controls for the rear climate control by selecting Settings inside the climate control screen. There you change the temp for the rear seats with the dial, but not the main cabin.

Love to meet the genius that thought this was better than having a few buttons. I'll take the button layout in my wife's X3MC over the giant screen in our cars 10/10 times.

[Good 4 2 reasons]

Originally Posted by jmg

One thing I have noticed between iDrive 7.5 and 8.5 is that redundancy with the iDrive controller is not 100%[/LIST]

I hate this entire philosophy. Fine, get rid of the buttons, but please let us access everything without touching the screen.

It gets worse. At CES, BMW confirmed they are killing off the iDrive controller, which was one of the better ways to navigate infotainment in a modern vehicle without having to touch the screen. RIP

[two_three_two]

Originally Posted by Good 4 2 reasons

It gets worse. At CES, BMW confirmed they are killing off the iDrive controller, which was one of the better ways to navigate infotainment in a modern vehicle without having to touch the screen. RIP

who the fuck is making these decisions at BMW?

[jmg]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

I played with this a little and here's what I found on my '23 (iDrive 8?). From the Home screen --> Apps --> Vehicle Apps --> Climate Control (10th app for me) then you can adjust the heated seats, fan speed & vent (windshield, upper body, footwell) with the dial. Each one takes multiple pushes of the dial to change the setting. So by this time I've already run 2 red lights, hit a pedestrian, and 4 parked cars & driven into a lake just trying to change my climate settings.

You can access the controls for the rear climate control by selecting Settings inside the climate control screen. There you change the temp for the rear seats with the dial, but not the main cabin.

Love to meet the genius that thought this was better than having a few buttons. I'll take the button layout in my wife's X3MC over the giant screen in our cars 10/10 times.

iDrive 8.5 changed that. The climate controls as well as some general settings are now permanently selectable on a menu at the bottom of the screen. You tap down on the wheel and then scroll to the climate controls. From there, you can adjust everything, but like I said earlier, you can't redundantly use the wheel to control the seat heaters or fan speed.

[M271]

I discovered that the PS4s don't grip too well when the temp is -4 degrees celsius...fun at first but in the end decided to use my old Alfa instead....

Does anyone know if the climate control is able to set an auto heating setting for the seats/wheel at a certain temp? My last car, G22 M440i, had this option and it was really helpful in cold weather.

[JABCAT]

Originally Posted by M271

Does anyone know if the climate control is able to set an auto heating setting for the seats/wheel at a certain temp? My last car, G22 M440i, had this option and it was really helpful in cold weather.

No - they did away with this feature as well. Instead my "auto" climate control turns on the heated seats and steering wheel when it's 75 degrees but not when it's 30 degrees. I still get the temp warning that it's below 37 degrees out side (odd temp), so that's good. Wednesday night it was 22 degrees after my son's swim meet, remote started the car. When I got in, heated wheel was on but not seats - useless.

[xtougher]

Originally Posted by JABCAT

No - they did away with this feature as well. Instead my "auto" climate control turns on the heated seats and steering wheel when it's 75 degrees but not when it's 30 degrees. I still get the temp warning that it's below 37 degrees out side (odd temp), so that's good. Wednesday night it was 22 degrees after my son's swim meet, remote started the car. When I got in, heated wheel was on but not seats - useless.

Ironically, I typically know it's cold by the time I get into the car.