I've asked for this specifically twice in the last couple of years. Both times they (BMW Mini Sheffield) forgot. Nothing sniffy or malicious about it - they just don't seem to have the capacity in their brains/work flow.
This then created a problem for a 3rd party warranty repair. If I was to have the repair done and then make a claim, the warranty company would need to see the failed part (DM flywheel IIRC). And 'try to remember' was too risky. Ended up selling the car.
Rob
My first BMW was a one 'owner' ex lease car with full service history I bought at auction with about 100,000 miles. For obviously a good price.
Some time later, on the way to work, the alternator stopped charging (don't know when as the warning light didn't come on) and eventually I had to stop. Got the RAC to pick up the car and they would only take it to my dealer since I was carrying on to work.
Dealer phoned up to say that it was a faulty alternator *and* battery. They offered an exchange on the alternator. I told them I'd like the old battery back as it appeared to be recent, and might well still be under warranty. When I went to pick up the car some days later, no sign of the old battery - and I got the response from the service department that it wasn't their policy to return such things. But that wasn't said on the phone. Before this breakdown, the battery was fine. And I wouldn't expect one occasion of it being run low to knacker it. So I suspected plain fraud
- given the very inflated prices BMW dealers charge for such things.
"GMM" wrote
In my car, turning the thermostat lever to full when the engine is cold turns on an electric heater in the fan housing, it's only about 600 watts, but it does provide a bit of warmth until the coolant comes up to temp, where it turns off the electric heater automatically,
Leaving the lever at 22 when starting from cold results in cold air until the coolant is up to temp, so in some cars at least, turning the temp dial up higher does have an effect.
Everything I've had with climate control keeps the blower off until the coolant is up to temp.
Yup. And keeps the fresh air vents closed too - until up to temp.
I've had exactly one car with climate (a Nissan) and it behaved like that unless you set it to demist - when a gale broke out.
Andy
But no doubt keeping the same technicians and probably all the management upwards apart from those right at the top...
Sure you don't mean de-frost? That goes to maximum blower speed and heat from the off regardless of other settings. But you do have to select it.
Was demist on my Nissan.
... and apropos of the original topic - I was out in my wife's car yesterday, 1000cc engine, super economic. Waited for engine to show warm. Put heater on. Notice temp gauge going back down... driving on back roads at 40-50 there wasn't enough waste heat for the heater on full blast, I had to turn the fan down. Got onto a dual carriageway and took the speed up I could then turn the heater up too!
Andy
Sounds like a fault, there is a few kW of waste heat even when driving slowly.
My Disco 3 has a supplementary fuel burning heater, partly in order to warm the car up more quickly, but also because under some circumstances, especially at the moment, there isn't enough waste heat from the engine (2.7 V6 turbo diesel) to heat the cabin.
No de-frost setting?
Sometimes not on a diesel.
A few years ago, after I left the motor trade, I needed a new downpipe on my FIAT Regata. There was an exhaust specialist (not KwikFit) near where I worked, so I dropped it in with them. I asked them to put it on the ramp so I could show them where the nuts held it onto the manifold. I carefully explained they should heat them with acetylene before trying to
*gently* loosen them.When I collected the car they had broken 2.
We have a similar problem on our newer coaches in cold weather. There isn't enough waste heat from the engine to heat the saloon unless you've been driving fast or inefficiently for half an hour or so. The engines are just too efficient. For the last few weeks, I've had to wear a coat and gloves for the first hour of my duty period.
Most likely a stuck or failed thermostat.
Tim
If it's producing the power, it's producing the heat. Fuel is irrelevant.
Tim
Modern small and medium sized diesel engines are so efficient that most of the waste heat goes out through the exhaust, with very little being absorbed by the water jacket.
You're missing the point, a 90 bhp engine produces the same amount of heat whatever the fuel. A diesel might burn less fuel but it's extracting more energy from that fuel.
Diesel engines usually have iron blocks (i believe) though which produces slow warm up times compared to alloy. For emission reasons, many are fitted with auxiliary heaters to shorten the time to full warmup.
Tim
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