A/C=San Diego, Max A/C=Antarctica
 

2008 535i, have had the car about a month When A/C button pressed, t'stat knobs turned down to coldest, air blows cool but not cold. Max A/C, the air blows so cold I could store fresh fish in the car.

Obviously not a freon issue since it gets plenty cold in Max A/C.

Is this normal, or is something else possibly going on?

Have you checked your setting in iDrive. Make sure it is turned to cold

I think Max focuses all the air on the main cabin vents. The dash and footwell vents are not active.

I sort of found that phenomenom once in a while in my car. Ie the other day it was almost 50ish outside and sunny.. Although I leave the knobs "around" 65ish" it was getting really really warm.

I had to crank it lower to get it cool.. my "max" temp also is super cold. It hasn't warmed up enough for me to tell. I also had to fiddle with my "low, medium, high" setting

Max also usually does not take in outside air (recirculates the cabin air).

Another problem with these cars? When the defroster is on....it's HOT. I've yet to get the defroster on with a cooler air temp.

Thanks for the input.

Turns out it was the setting in the iDrive. For some reason it had been put on the warmest setting.

Which setting.. I'm curious? Is it the comfort low medium high etc setting?

As best as I can 'splain it:

In iDrive-----Climate-----Vent Settings

On driver's side there is a little box to the right of the vent diagram that you can set how cool or cold you want the air coming ot.