Coping with the Ice Age!
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Members
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 78
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From: Oxfordshire, UK
My Ride: Alpine White F11 520D SE 2013
As the temperature has now plummetted in the home counties of the UK, I get to my 530i at 7am to go to work to find that it is no longer black, but white as it is covered in ice and frost thanks to the -1.5degree C temperature. I've noticed some interesting behaviour from the car while cold as a result of the ice cover and thought I'd share it with you and ask for any of your observations so I can prepare myself for anything else the car wants to surprise me with.
1. the folding wing mirrors don't unfold correctly - one doesn't move at all and the other folds out too far, effectively all the way round as far as it will go. After about 5 minutes normal service is returned. I just hope this is not doing any permanent damage.
2. the windows are iced up and do not open, a message in the dash confirms this. I am impressed that the car is intelligent enough to know the windows are not functioning but think maybe the warning message is superfluous.
3. the car cabin warms up very quickly once moving but I need to wait at least 5 minutes until the windows have defrosted enough to be able to get moving, any tips to reduce this wait time welcome.
4. the doors stick, I presume due to the ice again. I can open them with extra force however again I am worried that this will cause permanent damage.
Does anyone have any winter defrosting tips they can give me?
thanks,
Cojo
1. the folding wing mirrors don't unfold correctly - one doesn't move at all and the other folds out too far, effectively all the way round as far as it will go. After about 5 minutes normal service is returned. I just hope this is not doing any permanent damage.
2. the windows are iced up and do not open, a message in the dash confirms this. I am impressed that the car is intelligent enough to know the windows are not functioning but think maybe the warning message is superfluous.
3. the car cabin warms up very quickly once moving but I need to wait at least 5 minutes until the windows have defrosted enough to be able to get moving, any tips to reduce this wait time welcome.
4. the doors stick, I presume due to the ice again. I can open them with extra force however again I am worried that this will cause permanent damage.
Does anyone have any winter defrosting tips they can give me?
thanks,
Cojo
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
From: Belgium
Originally Posted by Cojones' post='495127' date='Nov 16 2007, 10:40 AM
1. the folding wing mirrors don't unfold correctly - one doesn't move at all and the other folds out too far, effectively all the way round as far as it will go. After about 5 minutes normal service is returned. I just hope this is not doing any permanent damage.
2. the windows are iced up and do not open, a message in the dash confirms this. I am impressed that the car is intelligent enough to know the windows are not functioning but think maybe the warning message is superfluous.
3. the car cabin warms up very quickly once moving but I need to wait at least 5 minutes until the windows have defrosted enough to be able to get moving, any tips to reduce this wait time welcome.
4. the doors stick, I presume due to the ice again. I can open them with extra force however again I am worried that this will cause permanent damage.
2. the windows are iced up and do not open, a message in the dash confirms this. I am impressed that the car is intelligent enough to know the windows are not functioning but think maybe the warning message is superfluous.
3. the car cabin warms up very quickly once moving but I need to wait at least 5 minutes until the windows have defrosted enough to be able to get moving, any tips to reduce this wait time welcome.
4. the doors stick, I presume due to the ice again. I can open them with extra force however again I am worried that this will cause permanent damage.
2. This is probably because of the safely security => to much force = stop action
3. Several options: use deicer, scrape it off, use car cover, cover window with newspaper or something else, buy a garage
4. Rub the door rubbers with vaseline or some other lubricant (silicon spray, teflon spray, ...).
Hope this helps.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,290
Likes: 0
From: Runcorn, NW-UK
This is what I do in the mornings.
10 minutes before it's time to leave, I follow this procedure;
1) Unlock the E60. Get in, _shut the door_ and start the engine.
2) Stop the engine.
3) Remove the key fob.
4) Foot on brake, Start the car. YES - It will work - without the key fob in.
5) Turn heated seats to full, aircon to highest heat setting, push all the defrost and demist buttons.
6) Open door and get out, with key in hand. Engine still running.
7) Lock the door, go inside, and wait.
8) Come out 10 minutes later, car is nice and warm and defrosted. Unlock it, get in, put key fob back in just incase, and drive off.
Being able to start the car again without the key fob in is just genius as it allows you to preheat the car without the fear of it being stolen, as you can lock it and take the key back inside with you.
10 minutes before it's time to leave, I follow this procedure;
1) Unlock the E60. Get in, _shut the door_ and start the engine.
2) Stop the engine.
3) Remove the key fob.
4) Foot on brake, Start the car. YES - It will work - without the key fob in.
5) Turn heated seats to full, aircon to highest heat setting, push all the defrost and demist buttons.
6) Open door and get out, with key in hand. Engine still running.
7) Lock the door, go inside, and wait.
8) Come out 10 minutes later, car is nice and warm and defrosted. Unlock it, get in, put key fob back in just incase, and drive off.
Being able to start the car again without the key fob in is just genius as it allows you to preheat the car without the fear of it being stolen, as you can lock it and take the key back inside with you.
Senior Members
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 637
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From: Detroit, USA
My Ride: E46 330, E60 550 on order: Carbon Black/Natural Brown, 6MT.
Originally Posted by Bart sMartWeed' post='495153' date='Nov 16 2007, 08:01 AM
4. Rub the door rubbers with vaseline or some other lubricant (silicon spray, teflon spray, ...).
NO!! DON'T DO THIS!!
You will turn your car into a squeaky mess. Do a search on door seals if you don't believe me.
Thread Starter
Members
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 78
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From: Oxfordshire, UK
My Ride: Alpine White F11 520D SE 2013
Originally Posted by Russ1974' post='495171' date='Nov 16 2007, 02:08 PM
This is what I do in the mornings.
10 minutes before it's time to leave, I follow this procedure;
1) Unlock the E60. Get in, _shut the door_ and start the engine.
2) Stop the engine.
3) Remove the key fob.
4) Foot on brake, Start the car. YES - It will work - without the key fob in.
5) Turn heated seats to full, aircon to highest heat setting, push all the defrost and demist buttons.
6) Open door and get out, with key in hand. Engine still running.
7) Lock the door, go inside, and wait.
8) Come out 10 minutes later, car is nice and warm and defrosted. Unlock it, get in, put key fob back in just incase, and drive off.
Being able to start the car again without the key fob in is just genius as it allows you to preheat the car without the fear of it being stolen, as you can lock it and take the key back inside with you.
10 minutes before it's time to leave, I follow this procedure;
1) Unlock the E60. Get in, _shut the door_ and start the engine.
2) Stop the engine.
3) Remove the key fob.
4) Foot on brake, Start the car. YES - It will work - without the key fob in.
5) Turn heated seats to full, aircon to highest heat setting, push all the defrost and demist buttons.
6) Open door and get out, with key in hand. Engine still running.
7) Lock the door, go inside, and wait.
8) Come out 10 minutes later, car is nice and warm and defrosted. Unlock it, get in, put key fob back in just incase, and drive off.
Being able to start the car again without the key fob in is just genius as it allows you to preheat the car without the fear of it being stolen, as you can lock it and take the key back inside with you.
Thanks Russ, unfortunately my e60 is still key start so I can't take the key out. Also I was of the belief that leaving a car engine running for a period immediately after starting without going anywhere is bad for the engine - no chance for the engine to become fully lubricated or something. Is that a myth or did it just apply to cars in the 80s/90s (my first car was a 74 Vauxhall Viva)?! Obviously I don't want to harm the engine.
Contributors
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 5,851
Likes: 5
From: Kajaani, Finland
My Ride: Bmw 530d 2004
My back window (or the shelf back there) started an AWFUL cracking sound after the first snow and ice. I guess this is caused by ice in the seal of the trunk door.
EDIT: I have a garage
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EDIT: I have a garage
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Thread Starter
Members
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 78
Likes: 0
From: Oxfordshire, UK
My Ride: Alpine White F11 520D SE 2013
Originally Posted by joelk01' post='495244' date='Nov 16 2007, 05:28 PM
I've had good luck keeping my car in the garage during the overnight. 
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 586
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From: Vancouver, Canada
Do you have kids? I grew up where winter temperatures reached -40C. By parents trained me by age 11 to go out and start the car, scrap the windows (at least what I could reach) and clear the snow off the car (as well as shovel behind it if neccessary). Now remember this is a car with a carburetor - give it some gas, but don't flood it it, don't expect it to start on the first turn, but be careful not to run down the battery, remember to unplug the block heater....
Boy, I just realized how easy my kids have it.... think I will make up a job list for them this weekend....
Boy, I just realized how easy my kids have it.... think I will make up a job list for them this weekend....