My Automatic AC didn't turn on this morning! It was a pretty cold morning (17F) as I headed out to work, and I had NO HEAT! For some reason, the electronic AC controls were dead. No manual override, so I very glad I had my hat and gloves with me for what was going to be a very cold detour to the dealer.

I figured I must have blown a fuse or something. Everything else in the car was fine (radio, wipers, dashlights, toggle switch controls). Just as an experiment, at the next red light, I tried shutting the car off and restarting. That fixed it, ACC back on, and heat at last. Praise the lord, I had heat at last.

Anyway, what an odd experience. If it happens again, I will take it in, but I thought others may benefit from my experience. Has this happened to anyone else on MCO?

This brings me to on a slight detour (heck Mini's like Detours) on this post, but...

Is the ACC a good choice for an option and what is the value proposition for the Premium Package?

I LOVE my MINI, but I'm not impressed by the ACC. I felt this way before this morning, but today didn't help change my mind. I find this ACC is not implemented as well as in other cars (VW) and for $300 I'd go with manual. Like others I've read in different threads, I find the Temp Control portion works fine but the Fan control never brings the fan speed to the lowest setting. I find I set the temp and forget it, but I manually control the fan speed as I drive. For $300, I would gladly take control of both temp and fan.

But now if you consider the Premium Package cost structure this is a harder choice. Personally, I don't care about the On-Board computer ($200), but agree with many that the MFSW ($350) is a great option. Also, I like and want the sunroof ($800).

Given the MFSW and Sunroof are $1150, the premium package for $100 more is hard to turn down! It seems likely that the ACC and computer would add more than $100 to the resale value of the car, so in a very real sense, it will cost money, not save it, to opt out of the premium package!

Does the ACC detract from the car or simply not add value? Until today, I couldn't say the computer or ACC detracted from the enjoyment. The threat of no heat on a COLD day wasn't the stuff happy motoring is made of, so I'm wondering about that. It will depend on if this becomes a recurring issue or just a fluke. I'm pretty sure that time will make this a non-event.

My conclusion: Even though I think the ACC is not very good, if you want a sunroof, you just have to get the full package.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Off to go driving,
Wactuary

_________________
Andromeda: IB/W MCS 1,2,3,H/K, WW & BS
Born on 1/27/03, Adopted on 2/22/03.
7 Sub 21

 

My automatic climate control works fine, and I have plenty of mornings below freezing here in Oregon. With the system in auto, the fan doesn't seem to kick on until the engine warms up, but I can always control the fan speed manually. I think it's great because it warms up the whole car without blowing hot air on my face (a pet peeve.)

Good luck with your ACC, I hope you don't have any more problems with it!

 

Believe I come from February club too and my thinking was exactly same. It would cost me more with manual AC . have only 293 miles on my month old MCS and did not like auto Ac from the order time - just economics pushed me into it. Will se what time brings - but plan to store my MCS for winters so might be not big problem.





>My Automatic AC didn't turn on this morning! It was a pretty cold morning (17F) as I headed out to work, and I had NO HEAT! For some reason, the electronic AC controls were dead. No manual override, so I very glad I had my hat and gloves with me for what was going to be a very cold detour to the dealer.
>>
>>I figured I must have blown a fuse or something. Everything else in the car was fine (radio, wipers, dashlights, toggle switch controls). Just as an experiment, at the next red light, I tried shutting the car off and restarting. That fixed it, ACC back on, and heat at last. Praise the lord, I had heat at last.
>>
>>Anyway, what an odd experience. If it happens again, I will take it in, but I thought others may benefit from my experience. Has this happened to anyone else on MCO?
>>
>>This brings me to on a slight detour (heck Mini's like Detours) on this post, but...
>>
>>Is the ACC a good choice for an option and what is the value proposition for the Premium Package?
>>
>>I LOVE my MINI, but I'm not impressed by the ACC. I felt this way before this morning, but today didn't help change my mind. I find this ACC is not implemented as well as in other cars (VW) and for $300 I'd go with manual. Like others I've read in different threads, I find the Temp Control portion works fine but the Fan control never brings the fan speed to the lowest setting. I find I set the temp and forget it, but I manually control the fan speed as I drive. For $300, I would gladly take control of both temp and fan.
>>
>>But now if you consider the Premium Package cost structure this is a harder choice. Personally, I don't care about the On-Board computer ($200), but agree with many that the MFSW ($350) is a great option. Also, I like and want the sunroof ($800).
>>
>>Given the MFSW and Sunroof are $1150, the premium package for $100 more is hard to turn down! It seems likely that the ACC and computer would add more than $100 to the resale value of the car, so in a very real sense, it will cost money, not save it, to opt out of the premium package!
>>
>>Does the ACC detract from the car or simply not add value? Until today, I couldn't say the computer or ACC detracted from the enjoyment. The threat of no heat on a COLD day wasn't the stuff happy motoring is made of, so I'm wondering about that. It will depend on if this becomes a recurring issue or just a fluke. I'm pretty sure that time will make this a non-event.
>>
>>My conclusion: Even though I think the ACC is not very good, if you want a sunroof, you just have to get the full package.
>>
>>Have a great weekend everyone!
>>
>>Off to go driving,
>>Wactuary
>>
>>_________________
>>Andromeda: IB/W MCS 1,2,3,H/K, WW & BS
>>Born on 1/27/03, Adopted on 2/22/03.
>>7 Sub 21

 

Can't figure out the ACC!!!! When we got the lesson from the MA I understood it but implementation has confused the heck outta me. Is it supposed to come out of the defrost vents on the dash? i want it to blow on me not the windsheild. I can put it on fans but then the auto light goes out. A little help, please?

 

>>Can't figure out the ACC!!!! When we got the lesson from the MA I understood it but implementation has confused the heck outta me. Is it supposed to come out of the defrost vents on the dash? i want it to blow on me not the windsheild. I can put it on fans but then the auto light goes out. A little help, please?

I found it a little confusing also-I've never had a car with ACC before. My hubby says the ACC on his Maxima works exactly the same! I found reading the Owner's manual also helped. It seems to be working just fine now that I understand it a little bit better.
Lois

 

I guess I may not be the best person to give help considering my views, but here goes...

As far as I can tell, when you take it out of complete "Auto" mode, the Auto light goes out, but some level of auto is retained.

Full auto controls temperature, fan speed and which vents open or close. It calculates these factors based on sensors around the car (at least my VW van does). On a cold day, the fan should start slow/off. As the temp of the engine warms, the fan should kick in to high. Then as the car warms, the fan should come down to a slower speed. For the vents, it should move the air to the feet, middle or top of the car based on the relative temps. On a hot summer day with sun beating down, or cold winter day with the sunroof cracked, more AC should be directed to the top of the car.

Now, if you either adjust the fan, or the vents, then the auto light shuts down. I assume if you ONLY touch the fan control then the Auto still controls which vents are used. I think this is true, but don't know how to test it explicitly. Similarly, if you override the vent control the Auto still manages the fan speed. This I think I confirmed because the fan speed indicator doesn't come on just be hitting a vent control button.

I have found that fan speed is generally adequate on a cold day at 1 or maybe 2. My Auto has never moved the fan speed to less than 3 bars, which is too loud. Also, I have found that hitting the foot and middle vent buttons pulls the air away from the defrost vents and that has Drastically reduced the fan noise.

I hope this helps. These are my observations, YMMV. Also, I live in NJ and haven't had the car on a day above 45F since I got it. :smile: Brrr...

Wactuary

 

Wactuary,

Sorry to hear of your troubles so soon, and I hope they correct themselves. I totally agree with your post about the premium package...if you want a sunroof and MFSW, you might as well go for the package including the ACC.

I like manual systems, but IMHO, the controls on it just did not have the solid "click, click" that I am used to. Felt like the ***** were stuck into a piece of cardboard IMHO. So it made it easier to get the ACC.

But on a test ride, it had a mind of it's own, and was very frustrating. Sounds like most people are overiding it. And the manual is no help.

Perhaps when you shut it off and started it again you "rebooted it"! Oh my!


Good luck.

 

I dug this one up again. About 6 months ago my ACC didn't turn on either. Once I turned off my car, 2 hours later (I was on the highway when I realized it wasn't working), and restarted, it worked just fine. Haven't had the issue again.

Anyone else had this issue recently? Can't be just the two of us, can it?

 

I've had the same thing happen with my auto a/c system twice in the past 16 months - it is completely off, as if it has no power. Both times, on restart, it started working again.

I've also had the same happen with the radio once, and the nav system twice. I just figure it's part of the English wiring system

I'm going in for my first oil change in a couple of weeks, so I will probably mention it to them.

S

 

Lucas, the Prince of Darkness still lives.

 

It's happened to me two or three times also. The "reboot" has fixed it every time so far

 

The manual A/C controls are much better and they never go "offline"

 

Theres an old computer technician joke that goes like this:


4 guys are driving in a car when it dies and they pull over tot he side of the road. One man is a auto mechanic. He says "Lets dissasemble the engine and see whats wrong." Another man is an insurance agent. He says "Lets call the manufacturer and see if they can tell us what to do." One man is a car salesman. He says "I'll have to speak to my supervisor before I am authorized to take any definitive action in this matter." The last man is a computer technician. He says "Lets all get out of the car, turn it off, then turn it on, then get back in and see if it is fixed."



Your car proves him right! When in doubt, reboot!

 

A couple weeks ago on a very hot SoCal sunday the ACC didn't come on. As others have reported, everything else was functioning. So, I gave it the boot. Shut off ignition. Turn on ignition. ACC works. Again. Forget Lucas, think Microsoft.

 

This has happened to our 12/03 build MCS 3 times in the last 6 months. Most recently today, with temps around 70.

Has anyone had their dealer look into this problem? If so, what was their response?

 

I have had the entire unit replaced once. Then it happened again and they cleaned the "contacts". It still happens every once in a while.

 

This has happened to mine as well... and a simple restart did it... the ACC must have Windows...

 

Happens to me every month or so. I have to reboot every now and then. Cars are rolling computers now a days. Please tell me my cars OS is not WIndows XP!!!

 

Funny, I never have to "reboot" my manual A/C controls.