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      05-15-2014, 10:14 PM   #1
skioutwest
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Cooled Seats

Not sure if this is the right forum to post this question, but I did a search and could not find any results.

My question is related to the cooled seating feature. I can barely notice that the seat is cooling, other than hearing the fan over my shoulders. I had my car in the dealer today for the 1200 mile service and they said that it is working as expected. Other cars I have ridden in with this feature have worked much better....more noticeable cooling.

Do all of you have this experience with the seat cooling feature? I am running the fan on high (three blue lights on)

Thanks.

-Mark
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      05-15-2014, 10:32 PM   #2
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Common complaint. Apparently if you get your car coded they can drop the temp setting on the seats or something to that effect which increases the cooling. I agree that it's pretty lame. My wife's Lexus LX will freeze your legs if you're wearing shorts, very powerful!
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      05-15-2014, 10:54 PM   #3
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I believe that the air being forced through the seats is not cooled just circulated - so unless the cabin air is fairly cool you don't feel much and that has been my experience.
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      05-15-2014, 11:56 PM   #4
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I have my car coded with the higher output but they still don't do much.
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      05-16-2014, 01:25 AM   #5
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It's a joke. I seriously can't even tell when it's on. Then I remind myself that I live in Canada so it's a useless option.
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      05-16-2014, 06:53 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skioutwest View Post
Not sure if this is the right forum to post this question, but I did a search and could not find any results.

My question is related to the cooled seating feature. I can barely notice that the seat is cooling, other than hearing the fan over my shoulders. I had my car in the dealer today for the 1200 mile service and they said that it is working as expected. Other cars I have ridden in with this feature have worked much better....more noticeable cooling.

Do all of you have this experience with the seat cooling feature? I am running the fan on high (three blue lights on)

Thanks.

-Mark
Not being able to feel the chill is the intention by BMW. I read somewhere that the ventilated seat's primary function is to dry the moisture on your body and clothes, not chill you. This is done aggresively with the 3 blue lights on and eventually it will downgrade to 2 lights, thus preventing a sudden change for your core temperature. It seems to me that when you have A/C on, the ventilated seats actually are then cooled too. Anyone else confirm this?
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      05-16-2014, 07:02 AM   #7
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They take a couple of minutes to really kick in. At least they work much better than on the E60 M5. Air Cooled seats on BMW's in general are pretty weak as far as cooling goes. SEWELL is right though, the one's in Lexus work too damn good.
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      05-16-2014, 07:24 AM   #8
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I am like the OP, I don't notice it much but I have a friend that suffers with arthritis and he loves the feature. He notices it on both my wife's X5 and on my m5. He is all over the seat cooler whenever he gets in. I still put a cloth cover on my seat after tennis anyway so I won't permeate the seat with sweat so MAX AC is what I notice the most.
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      05-16-2014, 07:24 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bobafettt View Post
Not being able to feel the chill is the intention by BMW. I read somewhere that the ventilated seat's primary function is to dry the moisture on your body and clothes, not chill you. This is done aggresively with the 3 blue lights on and eventually it will downgrade to 2 lights, thus preventing a sudden change for your core temperature. It seems to me that when you have A/C on, the ventilated seats actually are then cooled too. Anyone else confirm this?
The seats only have air moving through them, they use the surrounding air underneath not any special "cooling" function. And yes they are anemic compared to other cars I have had. They dont really cool, instead keep your back and butt dry.
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      05-16-2014, 07:45 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ghueser View Post
The seats only have air moving through them, they use the surrounding air underneath not any special "cooling" function. And yes they are anemic compared to other cars I have had. They dont really cool, instead keep your back and butt dry.
Correct! The M5 does not have "cooling seats". It has "ventilated seats".
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      05-16-2014, 07:52 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DrewM5 View Post
Correct! The M5 does not have "cooling seats". It has "ventilated seats".
Yeah I was about to say, I guess that's why they are called "ventilated seats" and not "cooling seats." Lol!
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      05-16-2014, 08:28 AM   #12
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While I completely agree the ventilated seats in the M5 won't "freeze your butt off," I think they do work reasonably well preventing you from sweating and sticking to the seat on a warm day. Case in point: I have a 328i convertible with black interior; non ventilated seats. On a warm day driving with the top down, I would welcome ventilated seats. I think they would dramatically increase the comfort level in that car. I use them in the M5 on warm days and I think they do make a difference, but they definitely don't blow cold air.
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      05-16-2014, 09:12 AM   #13
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I know a little off topic. the ventilation apsect may be pretty poor, but the heating and the massaging feature MORE than makes up for it. (in my humble opinion) Any of you guys actually use your massage on a long trip.............shear heaven!
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      05-16-2014, 10:16 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ghueser View Post
I know a little off topic. the ventilation apsect may be pretty poor, but the heating and the massaging feature MORE than makes up for it. (in my humble opinion) Any of you guys actually use your massage on a long trip.............shear heaven!
lol, are you kidding? the massage feature shouldnt even be called massage. its barely perceptable.

the heating seating feature? thats on pretty much every car over 30 grand isnt it?
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      05-16-2014, 10:22 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mainly View Post
lol, are you kidding? the massage feature shouldnt even be called massage. its barely perceptable.

the heating seating feature? thats on pretty much every car over 30 grand isnt it?
Not sure why anyone would refer to the seats as massaging...
They are active seats which change your core muscle group very slowly, thus preventing fatigue and locking of your muscle fibers to a set length.
Imperceptible is purposeful.
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      05-16-2014, 10:29 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mainly View Post
lol, are you kidding? the massage feature shouldnt even be called massage. its barely perceptable.

the heating seating feature? thats on pretty much every car over 30 grand isnt it?
Again, like the ventilation isn't a cooler, the massage isn't a massage, it's a movement to keep the circulation going in your butt so you don't have to keep shifting around. I think it works pretty well.

A good massage chair costs $9k and won't fit in the car.
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      05-16-2014, 10:29 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bobafettt View Post
Not sure why anyone would refer to the seats as massaging...
They are active seats which change your core muscle group very slowly, thus preventing fatigue and locking of your muscle fibers to a set length.
Imperceptible is purposeful.
you sound like the inventor of the technology. lol

they do nothing of the sort.

and how would they prevent fatigue if they're imperceptable?

im pretty sure fatigue is perceptable. so in order to eliminate that you would need a perceptable change.

theyre completely useless. even more so than the cooled seats.
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      05-16-2014, 10:31 AM   #18
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The ventilation is pushed in between the perforated leather and an additional layer of fabric or whatever so when you sit back, it compresses the 2 together and restricts airflow. It really helps cool the seats before you get in though. When I feel my low back is too warm, I lean a bit forward and then I can feel it. The seats would need to be firmer to allow continuous airflow.
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      05-16-2014, 10:41 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mainly View Post
you sound like the inventor of the technology. lol

they do nothing of the sort.

and how would they prevent fatigue if they're imperceptable?

im pretty sure fatigue is perceptable. so in order to eliminate that you would need a perceptable change.

theyre completely useless. even more so than the cooled seats.
Does Aleve reduce inflamation? Do you "perceive" it working? You don't need a perceptable change to have a tangible effect.
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      05-16-2014, 10:51 AM   #20
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We had 100 degree weather here in the last 3 days and I used the cooling option on the seats. It would dry out the shirt on my back and keep me cool.
No complaints here.

Try driving the car butt naked and testing the option, but don't post pictures of yourself doing it please.
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      05-16-2014, 10:52 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wrsbmw View Post
Again, like the ventilation isn't a cooler, the massage isn't a massage, it's a movement to keep the circulation going in your butt so you don't have to keep shifting around. I think it works pretty well.

A good massage chair costs $9k and won't fit in the car.
Top Gear can make them fit.
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      05-16-2014, 10:54 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mainly View Post
lol, are you kidding? the massage feature shouldnt even be called massage. its barely perceptable.

the heating seating feature? thats on pretty much every car over 30 grand isnt it?
Barely perceptible? We must be driving different cars. Mine nearly launches me through the roof.
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