My MINI knows how to hit me where it hurts

I have an 03 MCS. Historically, I've had to keep the ACC set around the mid 60s and, in most cases, didn't even have to have it actively blowing. Lately, however, I've noticed that my comfort temperature has been moving towards the low 70s, and it has to be turned on. I initially blamed this on my weenificat--erm, I mean Georgia-fication -- however last night I finally realized the reason behind my recent lack of warmth:

While copious warm air comes through the feet vents, the dash front/dash top vents are blowing cold air. In an odd way, I can now say that my MINI has dual-zone climate control, as the top half of me gets to be cold, whilst my lower portions are being roasted out of the footwell.

Has anyone had this issue? Suggestions and/or rampant speculation?

(Partsman, have you moved to Savannah yet? My car is broken! )

EDIT: Leif just called and said he talked to some people and that what I'm experiencing is completely normal. I find this mildly irritating, as I have owned the car for almost 4 years and it has never done this. I have always had the same temperature air coming from all vents. I enjoy my heat, I would have noticed. Nobody tell me that this is normal, or a product of crappy ACC (I have thus far liked the ACC in the car).

 

Thats what I want ,some fresh air out of the vents but to keep warm too, can we trade?

 

Gadly! Toast wants to be toasty! As it happens, our vehicles are rather similar -- if you can live without the "crap" and the Nav (and the tint, and would prefer some 17" summer performance runflats) they're practically identical! Which is to say, they're the same color

 

I took my '02 to Classic this past spring for this very same issue. They said it was normal. I said no way. So we checked a few '03s and a couple 04's and they were the same as mine.

Sorry OT...Les

 

^^ Did it just start doing it out of the blue, or had it been like that the entire time?

 

All my MINIs do the air flow that way too. It depends where exacly the setting is (my cars have manual A/C) - I can find a setting between "feet" and "face" which gives a better mix of air.

If you're certain your car has not been like this before, it's possible the auto A/C needs to be re-calibrated - there's some sequence you can do that gets the unit to re-learn the vent control motor ... ask your dealership or experiment at your own risk:

(from MINI Complete)
press OFF and BLOWER PLUS simultaneously for two seconds with ignition in position 2. See a single "streamer bar" displayed.
Press "OFF" again to light second "streamer bar".
Press AUTO to activate "mode 2" which is "calibration".
It will display "CA" (calibration active) and when finished "CC" (calibration complete)

 

Not yet, but it hasn't been ruled out!

I would try what Ian posted(the guy is a fountain of MINI knowledge)and see if that works.
I don't ever use mine on "auto", I leave the dash and foot vents on and no recirculate, and adjust temp and fan accordingly.
In contrast to what Leif was told and what moreorless posted, I can't believe it's normal.