[Poochie]

Originally Posted by VipinLJ

That's wonderful then. Wonder why BMW couldn't do that for the 330i/M340i too.

Because vehicles powered by internal combustion engines use heat from the coolant to heat the passenger compartment. They also use the engine to run air conditioning compressors. ...

Electric vehicles uses heat pumps, independent from a typical combustion motor.

[eddiehaug]

Originally Posted by Poochie

Because vehicles powered by internal combustion engines use heat from the coolant to heat the passenger compartment. They also use the engine to run air conditioning compressors. ...

Electric vehicles uses heat pumps, independent from a typical combustion motor.

Sorry for the ignorance, but since the engine is started, couldn't it use what you mention and the car's battery to power the seat and steering wheel heating?

[2020g20]

Originally Posted by Poochie

Because vehicles powered by internal combustion engines use heat from the coolant to heat the passenger compartment. They also use the engine to run air conditioning compressors. ...

Electric vehicles uses heat pumps, independent from a typical combustion motor.

Right, but our engine is already running in this scenario. I don't think his question was "why can't our non-electric vehicles climatize without starting the engine?" I think he meant "why can't our vehicles fully climatize the car and turn on all heater functions when remote starting?" It's clearly achieved through different means on an e-vehicle, but wouldn't you still shoot for the same end result for the customer? (ie. being able to fully preheat the car remotely)

[Poochie]

Originally Posted by 2020g20

Right, but our engine is already running in this scenario. I don't think his question was "why can't our non-electric vehicles climatize without starting the engine?" I think he meant "why can't our vehicles fully climatize the car and turn on all heater functions when remote starting?" It's clearly achieved through different means on an e-vehicle, but wouldn't you still shoot for the same end result for the customer? (ie. being able to fully preheat the car remotely)

If a combustion engine is running, then my explanation is moot.

I was specially referring to when he stated:

But this is not the same as remote start, the car doesn't start the engine, it just uses the batteries for pre-conditioning the cabin without starting the car. It works really well

Only an electric vehicle is able to generate cabin heat or AC without the motor actually running.

Originally Posted by eddiehaug

Sorry for the ignorance, but since the engine is started, couldn't it use what you mention and the car's battery to power the seat and steering wheel heating?

[eddiehaug]

Just for reference, this is how it looks like for the 330e G20:

Climatise immediately:



Pre-condition for departure:

[Burrcold]

I didn't read anything in this thread but I remote started my M340i (from the app) today and when I got in it was nice and warm, heated seats were on, and the heated steering wheel. Isn't that how it's supposed to operate?

[2020g20]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

I didn't read anything in this thread but I remote started my M340i (from the app) today and when I got in it was nice and warm, heated seats were on, and the heated steering wheel. Isn't that how it's supposed to operate?

That is how we wished they operated, but they do not as far as most of us have reported. No one has provided any evidence that a G20 330i or M340i do anything more than turn on the HVAC when remote starting.

Are you sure your seats were already heating before you got in and pressed the start button to end remote start mode? At least one other poster was mistaken about that. All reports so far suggest they only turn on after that on these models.

[Burrcold]

Originally Posted by 2020g20

That is how we wished they operated, but they do not as far as most of us have reported. No one has provided any evidence that a US delivered 330i or M340i do anything more than turn on the HVAC when remote starting.

Are you sure your seats were already heating before you got in and pressed the start button to end remote start mode? At least one other poster was mistaken about that. All reports so far suggest they only turn on after that on these models.

They were probably heating when I left the car in the morning. So you're saying it just keeps whatever setting you last left it at? It's a pretty easy test, I'll just do the same thing tomorrow and make sure my seat heater is not on. One strange thing if that's true, is that my heated steering wheel was definitely not on when I left the car (haven't turned it on yet)...but it was definitely on when I got in. Very warm

[2020g20]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

They were probably heating when I left the car in the morning. So you're saying it just keeps whatever setting you last left it at? It's a pretty easy test, I'll just do the same thing tomorrow and make sure my seat heater is not on. One strange thing if that's true, is that my heated steering wheel was definitely not on when I left the car (haven't turned it on yet)...but it was definitely on when I got in. Very warm

No it doesn't remember last settings of seats and wheel. For the seats they default to off, unless you have set them to automatically come on when the outside temp is below XX degrees (within iDrive). And even then they only come on after getting in the car and pressing the Start button, not before. As for the wheel, there is no way to make it come on when remote starting at all.

If yours behaves differently I'd love to know why. What software level are you at?

[Burrcold]

I have the seats to automatically come on at 2 Celsius (~35 Fahrenheit). They absolutely did not just come on when I got in, nor once I pressed the start button. The seats and steering wheel were "hot" already when I entered the car (I was aware of this thread...well the first post, so I wanted to test mine). I'm on 11/2019/29 version of iDrive.

[2020g20]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

I have the seats to automatically come on at 2 Celsius (~35 Fahrenheit). They absolutely did not just come on when I got in, nor once I pressed the start button. The seats and steering wheel were "hot" already when I entered the car (I was aware of this thread...well the first post, so I wanted to test mine). I'm on 11/2019/29 version of iDrive.

Interesting. And you're in Canada? So this difference is either a software revision or a difference in region programming (U.S. safety certifications or some other BS).

[M340Mike]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

I have the seats to automatically come on at 2 Celsius (~35 Fahrenheit). They absolutely did not just come on when I got in, nor once I pressed the start button. The seats and steering wheel were "hot" already when I entered the car (I was aware of this thread...well the first post, so I wanted to test mine). I'm on 11/2019/29 version of iDrive.

I'd love to know how you got your car to that. I've looked through the settings and can't seem to find how to change it. The guys at the dealership have also told me it can't be done... but they often don't fully know everything about their own product. My car will only start remotely and not heat the seats or steering wheel. As soon as I press the start button after a remote start it knows my settings and starts the heated seats automatically (set for a certain temp as you said) but that's kind of useless as I want it warm as soon as I sit down. For a little extra frustration, my '18 X3 that does not have remote start will start the heated steering wheel automatically with the heated seats but in my 2020 M340 I have to press the button. Hardly a hardship but why does a slightly older model X3 have that simple feature but my new one doesn't. Again... if you know where to activate that I'd love to know. I'll check to see if my software had updated. As far as I knew we were still on the July version.

[Burrcold]

Originally Posted by 2020g20

Interesting. And you're in Canada? So this difference is either a software revision or a difference in region programming (U.S. safety certifications or some other BS).

Correct I'm in Canada. Is anyone that's having the problem already on 11/2019/xx software? If you're still on 07/2019/xx try to get it upgraded. Fixes so many bugs.

[2020g20]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

Correct I'm in Canada. Is anyone that's having the problem already on 11/2019/xx software? If you're still on 07/2019/xx try to get it upgraded. Fixes so many bugs.

Yeah that was going to be my next question. Would be great if someone in the US who is already on 11/2019 software could test this for us. Lots of us would love to know if it's the newer software that enables this, or if it's simply a restricted feature in the US.

[Poochie]

Originally Posted by 2020g20

Yeah that was going to be my next question. Would be great if someone in the US who is already on 11/2019 software could test this for us. Lots of us would love to know if it's the newer software that enables this, or if it's simply a restricted feature in the US.

Canada piggybacks off all our draconian automotive rules.

If the poster is not mistaken (and still I have my doubts), then it's new software related.

[Patgilm]

My M340 used to work like most on here, I would remote start my car but the heated seats wouldn’t turn on until I got in the car and hit the start button. Problem is for some strange reason that doesn’t work anymore and I have to manually turn my heated seat on even though I have it programmed to come on when the temperature is less than 50 degrees and it has been less than 40 degrees here lately. It used to work as advertised but not anymore.

[Spec23]

Originally Posted by Patgilm

My M340 used to work like most on here, I would remote start my car but the heated seats wouldn’t turn on until I got in the car and hit the start button. Problem is for some strange reason that doesn’t work anymore and I have to manually turn my heated seat on even though I have it programmed to come on when the temperature is less than 50 degrees and it has been less than 40 degrees here lately. It used to work as advertised but not anymore.

check your climate control settings for the seat warmer. perhaps it got reset?

[Spec23]

Originally Posted by eddiehaug

Just for reference, this is how it looks like for the 330e G20:

Climatise immediately:



Pre-condition for departure:

thanks, but does "climatise" immediately turn on the seat and steering wheel warmers? i know you mentioned that it does, but curious to know if it's turning on them on or simply warm because the heat has been turned on.

[2020g20]

Originally Posted by Spec23

thanks, but does "climatise" immediately turn on the seat and steering wheel warmers? i know you mentioned that it does, but curious to know if it's turning on them on or simply warm because the heat has been turned on.

If you read the whole thread, we've established that this is indeed the behavior on the 330e...which isn't all that relevant to the original post nor to the vast majority of those of us following the thread (different power/heating systems on the E model). The 330i and M340i only give the option to remote start.

The pertinent question now is whether anyone with a 330i or M340i running updated software (11/2019 or newer) in the US can confirm that their seats and steering wheel get heated upon remote start, as our friend in Canada is saying his car does. They definitely do not on US delivered 330i and M340i running 07/2019 software.

[Spec23]

Originally Posted by 2020g20

If you read the whole thread, we've established that this is indeed the behavior on the 330e...which isn't all that relevant to the original post nor to the vast majority of those of us following the thread (different power/heating systems on the E model). The 330i and M340i only give the option to remote start.

The pertinent question now is whether anyone with a 330i or M340i running updated software (11/2019 or newer) in the US can confirm that their seats and steering wheel get heated upon remote start, as our friend in Canada is saying his car does. They definitely do not on US delivered 330i and M340i running 07/2019 software.

you're absolutely right, but i think eddie is the only one that has confirmed this? by those pics, don't see anything where it indicates the seat/steering wheel warmers being engaged. not doubting him, just wondering.

if they are turning on, then i want to be show it to the dealership as they've all told me that it's "functioning as designed".

[Burrcold]

I can confirm again (I'll keep testing though) that at the very least my steering wheel was heated when I left this morning for work. Unfortunately I left after only a minute or two after remote starting through the app, but the steering wheel was definitely warm and the seats, while not hot, seemed "room temperature" which could have meant they were on? Given it was only 20f this morning and my car was parked outside.

I definitely did not touch anything or even get in the car. Just touched the steering wheel and seats to see if they were warm. At the very least even if it only turns on my heated steering wheel, that would be a win! lol I'll check again as I leave work. The real test will be as Toronto temperatures drop even more.

I'm sure you guys see this as well in your remote start app, but I figured I would post a screen shot in case it was any different from what you see.

[2020g20]

Originally Posted by Spec23

you're absolutely right, but i think eddie is the only one that has confirmed this? by those pics, don't see anything where it indicates the seat/steering wheel warmers being engaged. not doubting him, just wondering.

if they are turning on, then i want to be show it to the dealership as they've all told me that it's "functioning as designed".

I highly doubt any screenshots from the app are going to confirm anything either way. Even if a future software update does enable remote seat and wheel heating, I'd bet money they won't update the app screens to reflect that.