New and need help BAD Pls...

rough diamond · 08-13-2008, 10:03 AM

My wife owns a E90 320i 2005 reg sept, we bought this car 3 months ago and had some problems with it. As the car is under manufactures warranty we booked the car into our local garage to have these rectified. Our life since this day has been stressfull.

I will highlight the problem first as i dont want to bore you to death.

We cannot control the tempreture of the airflow it just spills out so hot air all of the time. this only started happening since it visited a BMW dealer.Even with the airflow turned off its still to hot to drive the car.

Brief history....

We bought the car and she has enjoyed driving it, there was a couple of issues and one being that you couldnt control the airflow in the car it changed direction with no control. BUT you could conrol the tempreture. After 1 day at our local dealer we were told that it needed to come back in a week as they needed to order parts. 1 week later dropped the car back and got a loan car. this was meant to be fixed in 2 days. 1 week later we were told that the car has had a heater control unit fitted after it was new and this was the wrong part. I accepted this then they tried to give me a £1500 bill for labour. when booking the car in i asked them to inform me of any work that required payment and i never had a call. After a few telephone calls they asked me to collect my car and i didnt pay the bill. When my wife collected the car all air coming through the car was so hot the car its un drivable. even turned off its still so hot.

They diagnosed that it needed a new and correct heater control unit plus recodeing. When i asked them to return the car to its original state i was told this was imossible and we would need to buy the parts needed and recode the car.

After our bad situation with this dealer we booked the car into a dealer near her work and asked them to fit the new unit and recode the car. This was done and it never sorted the problem, although the air blows consistantly out of one area you cannot change the direction and its soo hot.

The second bmw dealer suggested dropping the car off for a week and they will investigate. I stated there labour cost over £100 per hour and i could end up with a bill of £6000 before we establish even if this problem was covered by the warranty and if not i would have to pay the bill.

After all this i of course would love to sort the problems but the main reason the car cannot really be driven is the air so hot...

we felt that the dealer did something to the car due to the situation we had, but of course this is speculation. I do have a friend who works for a local independant garage who put the car on there code reader and it came up with 9 faults all to do with the heater system. One of the faults was a faulty tempreture sensor that had a -21 reading. He thought that maybe this is the reason why hot air was constant.

Any input from you guys would be greatly appreciated.....

xenon · 08-13-2008, 10:16 AM

If this was a main BMW dealer they should be shot. Sounds like item 4 here:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...54&hg=64&fg=40

of which there are 2, internal and external, and the control unit aggregates the difference.

If the temperature sensor is faulty and believes the interior temperature to be -21 then it will 'correctly' blow hot air to compensate. How the dealer has not found this is unbelieveable.

If it is this sensor it would also explain why fitting a new control unit fixed nothing. This sensor is only a tenner!

It may not be this part but for them not to know and try fixing by random substitution is ridiculous.

If it's under manufacturers warranty you should pay nothing.

rough diamond · 08-13-2008, 10:21 AM

Hi Ian,

We have had big problems with BMW, anyway the part looks like part 4 on the link you sent me. How do we get to this part. is it behind the dash?

The part is very cheap so if i can have this changed at a reasonable cost it makes sense to try this. Thanks for your quick reply

MOB · 08-13-2008, 10:22 AM

I dont understand why you are being asked to pay for anything if it is still under the manufacturers warranty!!

Is this a main BMW dealer?

xenon · 08-13-2008, 10:23 AM

I've never changed it in all honesty, but yes it is behind the dash and probably a bit of a pain in arse to change. The sensors (known as hedgehogs) needed to be regularly changed on the e46.

Your friend could probably change it for you(?)

rough diamond · 08-13-2008, 10:24 AM

Hi ian

I need to establish the places for both sensors do you have this info.

Thanks

Paul

willhollin · 08-13-2008, 10:25 AM

I would be talking to the boss of the garage you brought it from. Demand it is fixed immediately or you will be seeking legal advice. If they don't then you have good grounds to reject the car.

Have you spoken to BMW UK?

xenon · 08-13-2008, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rough diamond

Hi ian

I need to establish the places for both sensors do you have this info.

Thanks

Paul

Looking at the drawing I posted the two outlets at the top are the two in the centre flat part of your dash, so the whole assembly is behind the dash. They may be accessible from the bulkhead in the engine bay - I've never changed them on an E9x

rough diamond · 08-13-2008, 10:26 AM

Hi MOB, i was thinking this also.. the way the warranty works is they work to find the problem. then if they deem it to be a warranty claim its honured, if not you pay the bill. So far bmw have had the car 3 times total 11 days and we have still not sorted the problem. Infact we have taken one step back

xenon · 08-13-2008, 10:28 AM

I don't know where in the UK you are but I'd go to another dealer and ask them to change the two sensors specifically. Either way, it should be fixed under warranty - it is faulty so I can't see how it cannot be a warranty claim.

MOB · 08-13-2008, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willhollin

I would be talking to the boss of the garage you brought it from. Demand it is fixed immediately or you will be seeking legal advice. If they don't then you have good grounds to reject the car.

Have you spoken to BMW UK?

^^^^^^what he said

rough diamond · 08-13-2008, 10:29 AM

Yes i spoke with customer services BMW today and they advised me that until the problems was diagnosed correctly they couldnt comment if it was a warranty issue. After 2 dealers and 11 days its a bit stressfull, also we bought the car private so cannot go back to any dealer

xenon · 08-13-2008, 10:31 AM

It is a warranty issue - it can't not be. Find a different dealer if possible, tell them some muppets have changed the control unit but an independent (not authorised to do warranty work) diagnosed the sensor. You have no faith in the original dealer so could they change the sensors for you under warranty?

Dealers love it when you slag off one of the others and like to prove they're better. Sometimes...

rough diamond · 08-13-2008, 10:38 AM

Can someone tell me where the external temp sensor is and maybe if i change this first if its easier to get to then it might just solve our problem..

xenon · 08-13-2008, 10:40 AM

As shown on the diagram, they are both within the A/C unit. I don't think one is easier to get to than the other, but hopefully you may hear from someone who as actually changed one or other.

gIzzE · 08-13-2008, 11:27 AM

My guess is that sensor is behind the dash.

Hold on a mo..

gIzzE · 08-13-2008, 11:37 AM

Have a look at this pic...

Can you see the long metal thing in the vent on the left? I think that is your cabin temp sensor.
Well it is the temp sensor that measures the air coming from the vent and reggulates it, the temp sensor is in the climate control unit I believe.

Also, pop the climate out, there are two cables in teh back of it, if one of these is not right then you only get hot air, these can come out when people install/remove car kits.
So check that.

Check the connectors on the back of the climate first before doing anything else.

To get to the thermostat in the vent you pop the interior trim off first, the long bit of wood or aluminium, start with a blunt knife behind it on the passenger side end, slowly lever it up, it is on pins, you cna then slowly pull it away from the dash.
Once off you can then remove the air vents and you can see the thermometer.

gIzzE · 08-13-2008, 11:50 AM

I think there is another one that regulates temperature that you can get to by removing the trim under the steering wheel.

Have a look in the realoem link about, part 8.

rough diamond · 08-13-2008, 12:01 PM

Hi Gizze..

Have a look in the realoem link about, part 8. ???

what does that mean ?

Sorry

Paul

rough diamond · 08-13-2008, 12:13 PM

Hi Gizze, thanks for your info and pics so far very helpfull

chrisbin · 08-13-2008, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rough diamond

Hi Gizze..

Have a look in the realoem link about, part 8. ???

what does that mean ?

Sorry

Paul

Click on this link:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...54&hg=64&fg=40

and look at part number 8...

hth

rough diamond · 08-13-2008, 12:19 PM

thanks chrisbin.... so can i get to this part without removing the dash.. ??

08-13-2008, 10:03 AM	#1
rough diamond Enlisted Member 1 Rep 49 Posts Drives: E90 320i 2005 55 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	New and need help BAD Pls... My wife owns a E90 320i 2005 reg sept, we bought this car 3 months ago and had some problems with it. As the car is under manufactures warranty we booked the car into our local garage to have these rectified. Our life since this day has been stressfull. I will highlight the problem first as i dont want to bore you to death. We cannot control the tempreture of the airflow it just spills out so hot air all of the time. this only started happening since it visited a BMW dealer.Even with the airflow turned off its still to hot to drive the car. Brief history.... We bought the car and she has enjoyed driving it, there was a couple of issues and one being that you couldnt control the airflow in the car it changed direction with no control. BUT you could conrol the tempreture. After 1 day at our local dealer we were told that it needed to come back in a week as they needed to order parts. 1 week later dropped the car back and got a loan car. this was meant to be fixed in 2 days. 1 week later we were told that the car has had a heater control unit fitted after it was new and this was the wrong part. I accepted this then they tried to give me a £1500 bill for labour. when booking the car in i asked them to inform me of any work that required payment and i never had a call. After a few telephone calls they asked me to collect my car and i didnt pay the bill. When my wife collected the car all air coming through the car was so hot the car its un drivable. even turned off its still so hot. They diagnosed that it needed a new and correct heater control unit plus recodeing. When i asked them to return the car to its original state i was told this was imossible and we would need to buy the parts needed and recode the car. After our bad situation with this dealer we booked the car into a dealer near her work and asked them to fit the new unit and recode the car. This was done and it never sorted the problem, although the air blows consistantly out of one area you cannot change the direction and its soo hot. The second bmw dealer suggested dropping the car off for a week and they will investigate. I stated there labour cost over £100 per hour and i could end up with a bill of £6000 before we establish even if this problem was covered by the warranty and if not i would have to pay the bill. After all this i of course would love to sort the problems but the main reason the car cannot really be driven is the air so hot... we felt that the dealer did something to the car due to the situation we had, but of course this is speculation. I do have a friend who works for a local independant garage who put the car on there code reader and it came up with 9 faults all to do with the heater system. One of the faults was a faulty tempreture sensor that had a -21 reading. He thought that maybe this is the reason why hot air was constant. Any input from you guys would be greatly appreciated.....
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08-13-2008, 10:16 AM	#2
xenon Major General 1405 Rep 8,095 Posts Drives: 2021 G21 330i M-Sport Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Coventry iTrader: (0)	If this was a main BMW dealer they should be shot. Sounds like item 4 here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...54&hg=64&fg=40 of which there are 2, internal and external, and the control unit aggregates the difference. If the temperature sensor is faulty and believes the interior temperature to be -21 then it will 'correctly' blow hot air to compensate. How the dealer has not found this is unbelieveable. If it is this sensor it would also explain why fitting a new control unit fixed nothing. This sensor is only a tenner! It may not be this part but for them not to know and try fixing by random substitution is ridiculous. If it's under manufacturers warranty you should pay nothing. __________________ Ian Current: 2021 G21 330i M-Sport Previous: 2018 A6 Avant S-Line MMI+, 2014 F31 320d M-Sport, 2013 F10 520d M-Sport, 2011 F10 530d M-Sport, 2008 320i M-Sport Coupe, 2002 325i, 2001 318i valvetronic, 1998 318i, 1996 525i, 1990 Porsche 944S2
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08-13-2008, 10:21 AM	#3
rough diamond Enlisted Member 1 Rep 49 Posts Drives: E90 320i 2005 55 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	thanks Hi Ian, We have had big problems with BMW, anyway the part looks like part 4 on the link you sent me. How do we get to this part. is it behind the dash? The part is very cheap so if i can have this changed at a reasonable cost it makes sense to try this. Thanks for your quick reply
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08-13-2008, 10:22 AM	#4
MOB Major 56 Rep 1,413 Posts Drives: Alpine White M2 LCI Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northants UK iTrader: (4)	I dont understand why you are being asked to pay for anything if it is still under the manufacturers warranty!! Is this a main BMW dealer?
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08-13-2008, 10:23 AM	#5
xenon Major General 1405 Rep 8,095 Posts Drives: 2021 G21 330i M-Sport Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Coventry iTrader: (0)	I've never changed it in all honesty, but yes it is behind the dash and probably a bit of a pain in arse to change. The sensors (known as hedgehogs) needed to be regularly changed on the e46. Your friend could probably change it for you(?) __________________ Ian Current: 2021 G21 330i M-Sport Previous: 2018 A6 Avant S-Line MMI+, 2014 F31 320d M-Sport, 2013 F10 520d M-Sport, 2011 F10 530d M-Sport, 2008 320i M-Sport Coupe, 2002 325i, 2001 318i valvetronic, 1998 318i, 1996 525i, 1990 Porsche 944S2
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08-13-2008, 10:24 AM	#6
rough diamond Enlisted Member 1 Rep 49 Posts Drives: E90 320i 2005 55 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	sensor Hi ian I need to establish the places for both sensors do you have this info. Thanks Paul
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08-13-2008, 10:25 AM	#7
willhollin Major General 268 Rep 9,915 Posts Drives: VW T5 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Worcestershire iTrader: (1) Garage List 2007 BMW E92 330d SE [10.00] 2010 Transporter T5 ... [0.00]	I would be talking to the boss of the garage you brought it from. Demand it is fixed immediately or you will be seeking legal advice. If they don't then you have good grounds to reject the car. Have you spoken to BMW UK?
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08-13-2008, 10:26 AM	#9
rough diamond Enlisted Member 1 Rep 49 Posts Drives: E90 320i 2005 55 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Hi MOB, i was thinking this also.. the way the warranty works is they work to find the problem. then if they deem it to be a warranty claim its honured, if not you pay the bill. So far bmw have had the car 3 times total 11 days and we have still not sorted the problem. Infact we have taken one step back
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08-13-2008, 10:28 AM	#10
xenon Major General 1405 Rep 8,095 Posts Drives: 2021 G21 330i M-Sport Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Coventry iTrader: (0)	I don't know where in the UK you are but I'd go to another dealer and ask them to change the two sensors specifically. Either way, it should be fixed under warranty - it is faulty so I can't see how it cannot be a warranty claim. __________________ Ian Current: 2021 G21 330i M-Sport Previous: 2018 A6 Avant S-Line MMI+, 2014 F31 320d M-Sport, 2013 F10 520d M-Sport, 2011 F10 530d M-Sport, 2008 320i M-Sport Coupe, 2002 325i, 2001 318i valvetronic, 1998 318i, 1996 525i, 1990 Porsche 944S2
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08-13-2008, 10:29 AM	#12
rough diamond Enlisted Member 1 Rep 49 Posts Drives: E90 320i 2005 55 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Yes i spoke with customer services BMW today and they advised me that until the problems was diagnosed correctly they couldnt comment if it was a warranty issue. After 2 dealers and 11 days its a bit stressfull, also we bought the car private so cannot go back to any dealer
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08-13-2008, 10:31 AM	#13
xenon Major General 1405 Rep 8,095 Posts Drives: 2021 G21 330i M-Sport Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Coventry iTrader: (0)	It is a warranty issue - it can't not be. Find a different dealer if possible, tell them some muppets have changed the control unit but an independent (not authorised to do warranty work) diagnosed the sensor. You have no faith in the original dealer so could they change the sensors for you under warranty? Dealers love it when you slag off one of the others and like to prove they're better. Sometimes... __________________ Ian Current: 2021 G21 330i M-Sport Previous: 2018 A6 Avant S-Line MMI+, 2014 F31 320d M-Sport, 2013 F10 520d M-Sport, 2011 F10 530d M-Sport, 2008 320i M-Sport Coupe, 2002 325i, 2001 318i valvetronic, 1998 318i, 1996 525i, 1990 Porsche 944S2
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08-13-2008, 10:38 AM	#14
rough diamond Enlisted Member 1 Rep 49 Posts Drives: E90 320i 2005 55 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Can someone tell me where the external temp sensor is and maybe if i change this first if its easier to get to then it might just solve our problem..
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08-13-2008, 10:40 AM	#15
xenon Major General 1405 Rep 8,095 Posts Drives: 2021 G21 330i M-Sport Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Coventry iTrader: (0)	As shown on the diagram, they are both within the A/C unit. I don't think one is easier to get to than the other, but hopefully you may hear from someone who as actually changed one or other. __________________ Ian Current: 2021 G21 330i M-Sport Previous: 2018 A6 Avant S-Line MMI+, 2014 F31 320d M-Sport, 2013 F10 520d M-Sport, 2011 F10 530d M-Sport, 2008 320i M-Sport Coupe, 2002 325i, 2001 318i valvetronic, 1998 318i, 1996 525i, 1990 Porsche 944S2
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08-13-2008, 11:27 AM	#16
gIzzE Major General 363 Rep 5,984 Posts Drives: F11 + 911 C4 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Norfolk, UK. iTrader: (2)	My guess is that sensor is behind the dash. Hold on a mo..
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08-13-2008, 11:37 AM	#17
gIzzE Major General 363 Rep 5,984 Posts Drives: F11 + 911 C4 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Norfolk, UK. iTrader: (2)	Have a look at this pic... Can you see the long metal thing in the vent on the left? I think that is your cabin temp sensor. Well it is the temp sensor that measures the air coming from the vent and reggulates it, the temp sensor is in the climate control unit I believe. Also, pop the climate out, there are two cables in teh back of it, if one of these is not right then you only get hot air, these can come out when people install/remove car kits. So check that. Check the connectors on the back of the climate first before doing anything else. To get to the thermostat in the vent you pop the interior trim off first, the long bit of wood or aluminium, start with a blunt knife behind it on the passenger side end, slowly lever it up, it is on pins, you cna then slowly pull it away from the dash. Once off you can then remove the air vents and you can see the thermometer.
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08-13-2008, 11:50 AM	#18
gIzzE Major General 363 Rep 5,984 Posts Drives: F11 + 911 C4 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Norfolk, UK. iTrader: (2)	I think there is another one that regulates temperature that you can get to by removing the trim under the steering wheel. Have a look in the realoem link about, part 8.
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08-13-2008, 12:01 PM	#19
rough diamond Enlisted Member 1 Rep 49 Posts Drives: E90 320i 2005 55 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Hi Gizze.. Have a look in the realoem link about, part 8. ??? what does that mean ? Sorry Paul
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08-13-2008, 12:13 PM	#20
rough diamond Enlisted Member 1 Rep 49 Posts Drives: E90 320i 2005 55 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	Hi Gizze, thanks for your info and pics so far very helpfull
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08-13-2008, 12:19 PM	#22
rough diamond Enlisted Member 1 Rep 49 Posts Drives: E90 320i 2005 55 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: UK iTrader: (0)	thanks chrisbin.... so can i get to this part without removing the dash.. ??
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