My M3 Roasting in 85 Degree Temps? Pacific NorthWET

[northWETwa]

So the temp gauge hit 85 degrees here in the Pacific Northwest here this week......a virtual heatwave!......(pausing here while we wait for the desert dwellers to stop laughing ).........

While at work, my M3 is parked outdoors, in full sun. I work in a high security facility, so my personal phone is turned off and stowed away in the car. As such, I have no access to the onboard controls from the app while at work. I have to use my key card to lock/unlock the car when I come/go.

On the day that it hit (gasp!) 85 degrees........I opened my car with my key card after work to head home (3pm). When I went to put car into Drive & head out, the car wouldn't move & came up with a message saying that the computer was too hot & the car would need to cool down before it could move. Five or so minutes later........all clear for take off.

So.....I guess my question......is there a button that should be toggled to address this?? Geez....what do you poor desert dwellers do? Surely you don't spend all your time sitting around in the sweltering heat waiting for your M3 computer to cool down enough to be able to drive the car??

Thanks for any assistance you may be able to offer!

 

[M3 2018]

Activate Cabin Overheat Protection.

 

[RayK]

Here in the slightly warmer WestWest, I've seen 90°+ days several times this year (and last) and have never seen such a message. Mind you, I've felt the back of the screen many times in those cases and it's too hot to touch. I do use a Tesla windshield sunshade and also have a roof sunshade but no tint on the windows. My suggestion would be to use cabin overheat protection.

 

[jjrandorin]

So the temp gauge hit 85 degrees here in the Pacific Northwest here this week......a virtual heatwave!......(pausing here while we wait for the desert dwellers to stop laughing ).........

While at work, my M3 is parked outdoors, in full sun. I work in a high security facility, so my personal phone is turned off and stowed away in the car. As such, I have no access to the onboard controls from the app while at work. I have to use my key card to lock/unlock the car when I come/go.

On the day that it hit (gasp!) 85 degrees........I opened my car with my key card after work to head home (3pm). When I went to put car into Drive & head out, the car wouldn't move & came up with a message saying that the computer was too hot & the car would need to cool down before it could move. Five or so minutes later........all clear for take off.

So.....I guess my question......is there a button that should be toggled to address this?? Geez....what do you poor desert dwellers do? Surely you don't spend all your time sitting around in the sweltering heat waiting for your M3 computer to cool down enough to be able to drive the car??

Thanks for any assistance you may be able to offer!

If it was 85 outside, if you were not parked in a covered parking spot, the inside of your car was probably 120+. The inside of a car gets MUCH MUCH hotter than just the outside temperatures (thats why animals and babies can die fairly quickly when left in a closed up car).

To answer your question though, as mentioned, cabin overheat protection is what you are looking for. You can turn it on, and it will keep the cabin below a certain temperature (and use electricity while it is doing so, so be aware that you will have less "miles" left when you come out than you had before you turned on that feature).

 

[NOLADriver]

Get window tint with UV reflection. Even in the 70-90% light transmission type (very see thru), it still stops a lot of the radiant heat.

 

[Noodles]

your complaining about 85 degrees? your car is not roasting but the screen temp maybe close to 105

just use cabin protection (it should be on automatic)

 

[hamtonp]

Not sure if the battery is hot or the interior of your car was too hot. I'm guessing the back of the screen was overheated.
I have never came across this problem but I do have full ceramic tint including the front windshield. Parking the car in full mid day sun, the black dash is just warm to touch.

 

[house9]

Turn on Heat Protection (I think it triggers when the inside of car reaches 105 - if enabled)

Consider: sun shade for the front window? Of course this doesn’t do much if the sun is shining in through the rear window or roof

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FCXW18M

 

[texas_star_TM3]

i live in North Texas and *Never* had such a message even on the hottest 104F summer days. I have to park outside at work and with sunshield in front window (and no tint or sunshield on roof) but with cabin overheat protection on ("fan only") it keeps the interior temp bouncing between 105 to 125 F.

question: did you run sentry mode (always on for me at work) ?

if the computer is on and running ... it is actively being cooled ... also sunshield for the windshield is a must

 

[northWETwa]

Got it! General consensus is to......Turn on Heat Protection! And maybe add a sunshade for the windshield.

Definitely NOT complaining about our ONE 85 degree day......just seeking a solution to an inconvenience (not a problem!). Thanks a million for your helpful instruction!

 

[RayK]

You could also lower the windows a little bit but you'd have to be absolutely sure that it's not going to rain..... Yeah, I know, difficult to determine in your neck of the woods.

 

[XLR82XS]

Ceramic window tint.
Occasionally I'll use cabin overheat but with NO A/C. Even in S. Florida summers my cabin doesn't get blazing hot when sittting outside the office all day.

 

[texas_star_TM3]

Ceramic window tint.
Occasionally I'll use cabin overheat but with NO A/C. Even in S. Florida summers my cabin doesn't get blazing hot when sittting outside the office all day.

from my understanding and tests the ceramic windshield tinting helps initially quite a bit with slowing down the heating and it's great if you park for 2-3 hrs. if your vehicle sits in the sun for 6hrs and especially from 10am to 4pm ... it will heat up as much as a car without tint... just takes longer to reach the temps

 

[MacGreiner]

Regularly see interior temps of 130 deg. here.

 

[hamtonp]

from my understanding and tests the ceramic windshield tinting helps initially quite a bit with slowing down the heating and it's great if you park for 2-3 hrs. if your vehicle sits in the sun for 6hrs and especially from 10am to 4pm ... it will heat up as much as a car without tint... just takes longer to reach the temps

Ceramic tint does slow down the heating of the car but there is more to that. Based on my experience, it blocks the a lot of the rays that causes items in your car to heat up. If you ever sat down on a car leather seat that was in direct sunlight, you get that immediate burn. That doesn't happen if you have ceramic tint. That heating of items causes the interior of your car to heat up even more and takes longer to cool the car down.

 

[northWETwa]

Wow! As always here on TMC, what a great group of informed owners!

We have a 2014 MS (still love it!) and have had our DM M3 for going-on 2 yrs now, and this is the first time we've run into a "hot car" issue!

If anyone's interested in an information swap, we're extremely well versed in locating the heated seats buttons! haha!

Thanks again!

 

[john5520]

Even with cabin overheat protection (fan only), when parked outdoors in the sun down here, it maintains a temp of about 100 degrees. I've seen up to 140+ without COB. Luckily, I have covered parking at work. I'd recommend getting a heatshield to protect the dash and screen from direct sunlight.

 

[jpfive]

Activate Cabin Overheat Protection.

Yep, only choice here in FL. Also, reflective sunscreen for windshield and dash will prevent direct solar baking of your control pad. Increases parasitic drain, but keeps components safe.

 

[lolder]

Consider Tesla or aftermarket snap in mesh screens for front and back roof. Tesla's are pricey but perfect. Use a twist-fold snap in rimmed windshield shade. Make up a white cloth sleeve cover for the display. There has never been another report of a computer too warm to run the car. If your phone is paired to the car how can it be locked if you leave it in the car?

 

[untilcomplete]

My car has routinely hit over 100 almost everyday for the past few weeks and that message has never popped up for me. I do not have cabin overheat protection because I think the car should be able to start when I get in, like any other car available on the market.