Air Conditioner

[jrwb]

Can someone please tell me why my car has two temperature controls, and two buttons which operate the compressor, one with the ice-crystal symbol, the other with the recirculate symbol?

[tonysticks]

Hi,

The BMW E36 comes with dual air temperature controls to set the temperature on the driver side and the passenger side. That's why you see two temp controls. By changing the temperature for one, you only control the temperature on that side while the other side remains unaffected. Of course, this works only on the windshield heating as far as I know. The front heating is not affected with that (at least that's how it works in my car).

The ice-crystal is apparently to turn the AC on while the circulate symbol is to circulate air in the car instead of getting air from outside.

[jrwb]

Thanks a lot for that answer. The recirculate symbol button also operates the AC compressor independent of the ice=crystal button. Other makes of car usually have one button for the compressor and another to control fresh or recirculated air - this is what I do not understand...

[tonysticks]

Did your car come originally with the AC? or it was installed later in the car? I'm asking this because I heard alot about AC being installed in this car with some problems like yours. I'm not sure though. The correct behavior is that the snowflake button should operate the AC while the recirculation button opens/closes the external recirculation flaps.

[jrwb]

This car was imported second-hand from Japan, so I don't know if the AC is original. I'm quite aware that in other cars the recirc button does not switch on the compressor - that's what I find so odd - car cools well, though.

[tonysticks]

The only thing that I can think of is that the AC in your car is not original and whoever installed it, he didn't make the connections correctly.

I'm not sure, maybe there's another explanation for it. Please let me know if you figured why this is happening in your car.

[jrwb]

There's another question I have - another switch I don't understand. This switch is located on the dashboard next to the steering column - it appears to be a touch button and has the logo of a front door window with a vertical zig zag line across it with arrow points at each end of this line. I do not have an owners' manual for this car; only the North American version I downloaded from the internet, and can't find any reference to this button anywhere...thanks for all your help...

[tonysticks]

Can you take a photo of the button?

[jrwb]

We just found out what this button is for - it operates a lock on all 4 windows of the car, as distinct from the one on the centre console which locks only the rear windows. Apparently the button was a little stiff, and had to be pushed firmly to engage.
Thanks for your help, anyway.

[tonysticks]

No problem, but honestly this is the first time I hear about this button. I mean I know the one in the center console, but under the steering column!!! maybe because my car is a coupe. My brother's car didn't have this switch for sure though.... weird