Hi Guys,

Im new here and also new to BMW's. I have a 1997 316 I SE, and i am loving it, even though it needs some tlc. I am having a problem at the mo with the heating. It has the digital environmental controls, and these all seem to work. With the fans cranked up to maximum and the temperature set at 32 degrees, the car remains luke warm.. I can hear the fan blowing, the tone changes when I change the direction (screen, dash blowers, feet, etc., but about a knats !Removed! of air actually blows into the cabin. I have checked the water in the radiator is all good and topped up. The engine runs normally and gets to normal operating temperature, although sometimes it does seem to take a while to heat up! I can't see any problems with disconnected hoses or anything under the bonnet. One other odd thing is that the fans seem loader when standing next to the car outside, than when you are sitting in the car - but this could be normal?

Any ideas on what I should look for?

Cheers,

Psinic.

possible thermostat?

heater matrix?

is there a control that spins but has blue on it and when spin the other end red?

welcome to the club

Id say thermostat too.

Welcome along mate.

seems to be the only major issue with bmws, engine wise. the cooling system is a bit wierd! think the prob with mine is the temp sensor. going to look into it next weekend

Hi,

Thanks for the replies. Yes it does have that spinning control with red one side and blue the other - what's that for? I figured red was air from the engine compartment and blue was fresh air, so it is set to red. Doesn't seem to do much?

Ahh so the thermostat? Would that effect the cabin heating then? The automatic choke seems to work fine, and the engine temperature gauge seems to work too?

Psinic.

Sorry, didn't wanna sound like i was questioning anyone - just that on full blow you can't feel any air moving out the vents - so i didn't thinkk it would be the thermostat. :blink:

welcome :D

the climate control on the 3 series is a bit of an issue, mine works when it feels like it on my e36

Hey fella might be the final stage resistor that controls the fans, pipes may be warming up but without fans you wont feel the benefit.

its quite a common fault

so much so bmw changed the whole unit in its second generation

pm me your email and ill send over a how to pdf

Sounds like the pollen filter is choked up mate,mine did exactly the same,rather than change mine i just took it out altogether and now it blows a gail force again and nice an hot too hope this helps

p.s. not too much of a tricky fix either ;)