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Thread: Heater control frustration

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Columbus, OH
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    94
    My Cars
    '01 Z3, '98 M3

    Heater control frustration

    My '01 Z3 roadster is wonderful, EXCEPT:

    The dial controlling the temperature breaks every time I move it! My mechanic has torn down the console twice, with no success, and the dealer had a shot at it, with similar results. I Have been told by both that the offending unit is on back order throughout the country. My mechanic, in whom I have great trust, is going back in for one more time.

    I'm not surprised, so much, by the heater problem, it was a well known weakness with the 318ti, which uses the same setup; but I am amazed by the difficulty in repairing it and the unavailability of a replacement part. I searched the forum, but found no thread on this. Am I the only one who can't drive my Z in this gorgeous Autumn weather because I have no heat?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2001
    Location
    Chapel Hill, NC
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    1,149
    My Cars
    2000 M Coupe, 318TI
    Try searching on HVAC. Lots of threads. http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1790865 is a good link.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Rochester, NY
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    1,744
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    99 M Coupe, 02 Z3 2.5
    Here is the true fix for the problem. Plan on about an hour unless you want to fix a sagging glove box then add a little more. I've done it to both cars and they move smooth as warm butter.

    http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...r+cable+adjust
    1999 M Coupe Boston Green, Beige, H&R/Bilsteins, Underdrive Pulleys, Euro 6 speed, UUC SSK and Randy Forbes in the back
    2002 2.5 Z3 roadster Oxford Green, auto, all stock
    2013 Ram 3500 Crew Cab Dually 385 HP, 850 ft lbs torque at 1600 rpm, all stock and staying that way
    2004 Mini Cooper Chili Red, daily driver, modified almost daily

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
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    '01 Z3, '98 M3
    Thanks to you both for pointing me in the right direction.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Columbia, Worst Carolina
    Posts
    2,971
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    2000 M-Coupe, 1994 SE-R
    I have to hold mine at around the 10 o'clock position putting tension on the rod for sometimes minutes until it slowly works itself free. All this so I won't break it.
    Good to know what the real issue is and there are permanent solutions.
    Last edited by BenFenner; 09-24-2012 at 03:42 PM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Cali
    Posts
    749
    My Cars
    Z poop 3.0
    Mine broke a couple times. Fixed it twice. Now I really have to ease my way over to red. Sometimes going back and forth, very fluidly and slowly until I get there. No problems now that I'm super careful with it.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Lawrenceville, GA
    Posts
    11,860
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    4 BMWs.
    I'm working on this right now. The Z is apart and I have found the blend door lever. I have managed to move the cable about 1/4" in the connector. I'm thinking about putting zip tie on the end of the cable so that it doesn't get moved back in.
    2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
    2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
    2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
    2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
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    Rochester, NY
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    Quote Originally Posted by amancuso View Post
    I'm working on this right now. The Z is apart and I have found the blend door lever. I have managed to move the cable about 1/4" in the connector. I'm thinking about putting zip tie on the end of the cable so that it doesn't get moved back in.
    I thought about that too but didn't end up doing it. When you see how much force is required to move it, you will probably come to the same conclusion as I did. It would be a waste of a zip tie. Best advice I can give is after you have adjusted it, leave it on cold overnight before putting everything back together. Check to see that it is still smooth in coming off cold in the morning. I am glad I did because I needed to move the cable a little further then all has been fine since. I even have a little more heat than before I adjusted it.
    Last edited by Wertles; 09-24-2012 at 08:15 PM.
    1999 M Coupe Boston Green, Beige, H&R/Bilsteins, Underdrive Pulleys, Euro 6 speed, UUC SSK and Randy Forbes in the back
    2002 2.5 Z3 roadster Oxford Green, auto, all stock
    2013 Ram 3500 Crew Cab Dually 385 HP, 850 ft lbs torque at 1600 rpm, all stock and staying that way
    2004 Mini Cooper Chili Red, daily driver, modified almost daily

  9. #9
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wertles View Post
    I thought about that too but didn't end up doing it. When you see how much force is required to move it, you will probably come to the same conclusion as I did. It would be a waste of a zip tie. Best advice I can give is after you have adjusted it, leave it on cold overnight before putting everything back together. Check to see that it is still smooth in coming off cold in the morning. I am glad I did because I needed to move the cable a little further then all has been fine since. I even have a little more heat than before I adjusted it.
    Chris, it only takes 2-3 mins for my blend door to stick on full cold. I did end up buttoning it up, with the zip tie. However, if I moved the cable any further, it would probably start blowing hot when the knob is in the blue position!

    Here's some pics of where I left it at:

    with zip tie:

    and my little trick to eliminate glove box squeaks:



    Al.
    2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
    2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
    2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
    2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
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    99 M Coupe, 02 Z3 2.5
    Mine ended up in the same position
    1999 M Coupe Boston Green, Beige, H&R/Bilsteins, Underdrive Pulleys, Euro 6 speed, UUC SSK and Randy Forbes in the back
    2002 2.5 Z3 roadster Oxford Green, auto, all stock
    2013 Ram 3500 Crew Cab Dually 385 HP, 850 ft lbs torque at 1600 rpm, all stock and staying that way
    2004 Mini Cooper Chili Red, daily driver, modified almost daily

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Lawrenceville, GA
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    4 BMWs.
    Quote Originally Posted by Wertles View Post
    Mine ended up in the same position
    Good to know! Your A/C was sufficiently cold in the Summer with this adjustment?
    2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
    2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
    2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
    2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Rochester, NY
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    1,744
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    99 M Coupe, 02 Z3 2.5
    Quote Originally Posted by amancuso View Post
    Good to know! Your A/C was sufficiently cold in the Summer with this adjustment?
    Very. I didn't lose any cold but I gained warm. Same thing on the convertable. I had no heat in that car to start. At first I thought the cooling system needed to be bled but I never touched anything on the cooling. Once I adjusted the blend door- heat.
    1999 M Coupe Boston Green, Beige, H&R/Bilsteins, Underdrive Pulleys, Euro 6 speed, UUC SSK and Randy Forbes in the back
    2002 2.5 Z3 roadster Oxford Green, auto, all stock
    2013 Ram 3500 Crew Cab Dually 385 HP, 850 ft lbs torque at 1600 rpm, all stock and staying that way
    2004 Mini Cooper Chili Red, daily driver, modified almost daily

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Columbia, Worst Carolina
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    2000 M-Coupe, 1994 SE-R
    Is it easy to access the blend door? Could a little bit of grease be applied to the seal so it stops sticking to the door? I read there is a foam gasket that deteriorates that causes this?

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Lawrenceville, GA
    Posts
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    4 BMWs.
    Ben, no it's not easy to access the door. it's inside the heater box and the whole dash must be removed to access it. It's a serious design flaw if you ask me.
    2001 Z3 3.0i -Oxford Green/Sandbeige
    2016 428xi -Estoril Blue II/Black
    2018 430iC- Estoril Blue II/Black
    2018 330it - Melbourne Red/Venetian Beige/Black

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