I was wondering if anyone had tried the Parked Car Ventilation, also what pack if any do you need to have.


There is a Youtube video of the BMW version

 

I've tried it but haven't quite figured out the top check box. Sometimes greyed out, sometimes not.

 

I keep meaning to try it out. With the addition of my 3M Crystalline window tint the interior is a bit cooler, but this ventilation feature looks to be nifty. I'll try to use it tomorrow and report my findings.

 

I don't see the point. The F56 seems to somehow not get nearly as hot inside as you'd expect (with sunroof and shades closed), and it cools off really quickly once driving. FWIW, I have an anthracite headliner too. Who's complaining? I'm all for trying out and using gadgets, but I just don't see myself using that feature ever, if here, in the heat of summer, I don't feel the need for it.

 

I believe you have to set the times first, then you can turn it on and off.

 

If it draws on the battery while the car is parked with the engine not running I'd be reluctant to use it. As suggested above: the a/c cools my car enough (Arizona desert) that after about one minute everything is fine.

 

I've tried it and it doesn't seem to do a damn thing.

-Matt

 

I've decided to forgo it and instead just use the A/C with the sunroof cracked to expel hot air. The interior cools very quickly. Even quicker since I covered the windows with 3M Crystalline film (tint).

 

That's a great idea. I've never used the Parked Car Ventilation myself, but having never owned a car with a sunroof before, having it cracked with the AC on is a great way to expel heat without having all of the windows open and allowing the cool air to escape on especially hot days.

 

I've tried it a few times, but only for several minutes. I think if I were to use it for a longer period of time it would seem more effective.

Still not sure how I feel about it.

If the check box for the parking ventilation is grayed out, press the Auto button on the center climate control ****. It will only allow you to set the Car Park Ventilation timer if it's on auto.

 

The idea is for it to come on right before you get into the car coming from work (and you schedule it as so.) My previous BMW had the same feature. The engine has to be off and the option enabled in the first few minutes after shutdown. After that it will come on when scheduled to. There should be a light that comes on once enabled when the car is off. On my old E90 this was a little spinning fan logo. I'm not sure what the Mini has as I haven't tried it just yet on it.

 

Reminds me of 2000 Saab 9-5 I had. It had a feature called after-heater or something like that. Once the engine is warmed up, you could turn off the engine and use the heat from the engine to blow warm air for up to 30 minutes. The heat requires an electric motor circulate the coolant in the engine block. It was great when waiting for someone during winter in the car, or during car camping too.

Does the basic vanilla hardtop have Parked Car Ventilation feature too? Or is it part of another package?

 

No, you need auto AC.

 

You mean auto climate control? If so, it's default on 2015 hardtops.

 

Yes and I was not aware of that. It was optional on my 14'. :x

 

This is a great feature if you remember to set it. I had it on my 335 but seldom used it due to the number of menu items needed to be navigated through to activate. If it could be activated with a single click, it would have been loved even more. I don't believe this feature is on my Mini.

Paul

 

I don't think this is especially useful for ventilation -- open windows work a lot better and don't drain the battery. However, this does have a very useful application: if you've been driving around in humid weather with the A/C on, AND plan to leave the car for, say, more than a day, you can use the vent feature to dry off the evaporator. Why would you want to do that? Because wet dark and warm places are Fungi Playground Central. That would be the dead-mouse air conditioner smell. Not only that, by drying it off there's a much lower chance that the drain will become plugged with creeping green stuff.

 

Yes, that's exactly why I asked if standard F56 2015 (with standard automatic climate control) can do this. To dry the vents and evap after using airconditioner. So does this only work for upgraded infotainment system?

I think it's stupid that even if you set front windows defog mode with fan on, the AC always turns on even if the lights show it is off. Most of the times I would just want the air flowing over the front windshield. This is probably some stupid regulation in US cars. People are too stupid they had to lump the AC with windshield defog mode.