My heat sometimes doesn't work while "idling"

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nowkent

nowkent

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It always worked before, but now sometimes when my SE isn't moving the heat doesn't work. The air it blows will be cold. I know you have to have all the settings right (car fully on, defroster etc.) and wouldn't expect it to be necessarily instant, but have experienced this even after trying every combo of settings possible and waiting excessive amounts of time. It doesn't seem consistent though, sometimes I have the car fully on while sitting in place, and the heat does work. Has anyone experienced this?
 
What's it like if you start remote climatization? It should be blowing hot air within about two minutes. Using climate control with a set temperature, OTOH, will sometimes blow air that feels cool, but it's because the system decides how much heat to supply based on sensor readings, ΔT, and efficiency. If the system is functioning without issue it may still feel cool, but the forced air might be a degree or two warmer than ambient.
 
Since the SE uses a heat pump, perhaps the environmental conditions at those times are such that it just isn't very effective?
 
SameGuy said:
What's it like if you start remote climatization? It should be blowing hot air within about two minutes. Using climate control with a set temperature, OTOH, will sometimes blow air that feels cool, but it's because the system decides how much heat to supply based on sensor readings, ΔT, and efficiency. If the system is functioning without issue it may still feel cool, but the forced air might be a degree or two warmer than ambient.
Click to expand...

I haven't tried remote climatization. I'll try that next time it happens. If I put it in sport mode will it give me warmer air? lol I don't know, but I tried virtually all the settings, and the cab still felt cold after what felt like a long time (I kept thinking I was missing something, or just needed to be patient, but it never felt warmer in there). I didn't seem to be able to raise the ambient temperature significantly from where I started. I live in Sol Cal, so the ambient temperature inside was probably low 60's and ambient temperature outside was high 50's. (I do love this car though, so if this is normal I may just move with the car to Hawaii lol)
 
CuriousGeorge said:
Since the SE uses a heat pump, perhaps the environmental conditions at those times are such that it just isn't very effective?
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I could see that happening, but being in LA, CA. It didn't seem like it should have been cold enough for it to lose effectiveness.
 
My wife mentioned the other day that she was feeling cold and it wasn't blowing warm air even with the temp set way up. I switched it out of full auto mode and directed airflow to the dash and floor and have not heard a complaint since. It was about 30 F at the time.
 
nowkent said:
I could see that happening, but being in LA, CA. It didn't seem like it should have been cold enough for it to lose effectiveness.
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It's only at very cold temperatures when the heat pump can't gather enough heat to warm the cabin. There is one situation the Owners Manual describes when heat would not be available (other than by selecting Green Plus mode):

[If] The high-voltage battery is heavily discharged. The drive power will be reduced. Heating and climate control functions will be deactivated.
 
Mine has been acting up since summer, when it would sometimes blow warm air when it should have been blowing cold. Now, there is sometimes a big lag for the warm air. It's used to be reasonably quick. My dealer is a PITA for any intermittent issues...
 
nowkent said:
It always worked before, but now sometimes when my SE isn't moving the heat doesn't work. The air it blows will be cold. I know you have to have all the settings right (car fully on, defroster etc.) and wouldn't expect it to be necessarily instant, but have experienced this even after trying every combo of settings possible and waiting excessive amounts of time. It doesn't seem consistent though, sometimes I have the car fully on while sitting in place, and the heat does work. Has anyone experienced this?
Click to expand...
Does your fan come on?
 
I regularly spend time sitting in the car while parked and here’s my experience.

If the car is in Drive-Ready state (needle pointing to READY) then I get the fan with full cooling or heating as needed.

If the car is in Radio-Ready state (needle pointing to OFF, but radio is on) then I get the fan, but no active cooling or heating. To get active cooling or heating in this state I have to activate Comfort Climate using the following steps in the CID:

1. My MINI
2. Vehicle settings
3. Climate functions
4. Activate comfort climate
5. Activate now.

I use it often enough that I have comfort climate saved to one of the six programmable memory buttons.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
j5rson said:
I regularly spend time sitting in the car while parked and here’s my experience.

If the car is in Drive-Ready state (needle pointing to READY) then I get the fan with full cooling or heating as needed.

If the car is in Radio-Ready state (needle pointing to OFF, but radio is on) then I get the fan, but no active cooling or heating. To get active cooling or heating in this state I have to activate Comfort Climate using the following steps in the CID:

1. My MINI
2. Vehicle settings
3. Climate functions
4. Activate comfort climate
5. Activate now.

I use it often enough that I have comfort climate saved to one of the six programmable memory buttons.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Ya, this is even if the car is fully on. I use the "0" in the speedometer to figure out when it is ready to drive. I forgot/didn't realize that you can set the climate control to a shortcut button. I know it's to get around a challenge, but those shortcut buttons are just one more thing I love about this car.

I truly think I have something broken though. The car used to make kind of squealy noise when I turned on the climate control, and it doesn't make it anymore. At first I thought something was working better. Now, I think something is just not working at all. I'm taking it in to get looked at in a couple days. Maybe, the heat pump? Or a broken hose somewhere? Not sure, but it's still under warranty so I'm hoping for the best.

I still kind of feel sorry for a lot of other people that have different electric cars though, I know people love their software updates on their Teslas (lot to love about lots of cars), and the range of any other car, lol, but every time I get in the driver's seat of the Mini SE (when I'm not cold....) I smile.
 
pictsidhe said:
Mine has been acting up since summer, when it would sometimes blow warm air when it should have been blowing cold. Now, there is sometimes a big lag for the warm air. It's used to be reasonably quick. My dealer is a PITA for any intermittent issues...
Click to expand...
This sounds like the same thing. Although, I don't know. Whenever I move the car, the heat will work. The dealer I take it to has been extremely helpful about things so I have high hopes. (Shout out to Mini of Downtown LA). It's scheduled to go in soon. I will let you know what they say.

It's now gone over 40,000 miles and gone on quite a few road trips now in about 2 years. It's getting stress tested a bit. :)
 
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