[tboooe]

Being in Southern Cal we rarely get cold weather. Early this morning as I was driving to the gym my 428i was indicating an outside temp of 36 degrees. I noticed a chime and then a snowflake icon on the bottom right side of the dash. What is this chime and icon? Was it just to let me know its cold outside? Or did it activate some functions?

I searched the manual but didnt find anything. I highly doubt I will see this notification often in Socal but curious anyway.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by tboooe

Being in Southern Cal we rarely get cold weather. Early this morning as I was driving to the gym my 428i was indicating an outside temp of 36 degrees. I noticed a chime and then a snowflake icon on the bottom right side of the dash. What is this chime and icon? Was it just to let me know its cold outside? Or did it activate some functions?

I searched the manual but didnt find anything. I highly doubt I see this notification often in Socal but curious anyway.

Yes, temperature warning. Something I see and hear very often.

Very useful feature where we have rapid temperature changes and roads liable to icing.

HighlandPete

[34.50]

HighlandPete got it. I get this practically every day in winter...

[tboooe]

Thanks guys! Maybe since I dont live a cold weather area I dont appreciate the importance of getting notified if its cold. If its cold outside wont I know by just looking out the window? Maybe I am being bit thick?

I guess better safe than sorry.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by tboooe

Thanks guys! Maybe since I dont live a cold weather area I dont appreciate the importance of getting notified if its cold. If its cold outside wont I know by just looking out the window? Maybe I am being bit thick?

I guess better safe than sorry.

The problem with localised cold spots (we get them up here), we can be at say 7C and within no significant distance at all, say a mile, we drop out to around freezing.

There is not always a way of telling where that temperature drop is, and as below a 3C air temperature there can be road icing, it is a very good reminder.

We have lots of signs around us up here in the Highlands reminding us the "Road liable to icing", but 'in car' reminders are of much greater value, as it warns us where.

HighlandPete

[MikeTerp]

Yes, very common warning of possible icy conditions for those of us who live in colder climates.

[fecurtis]

Yup it's to warn you of potentially icy road conditions. Here in VA I see it frequently in the winter months.

My Infiniti would do the same thing.

[kent11202]

Interesting. This morning I got a TPMS notification of a low tire pressure. It was really cold where I live - at least by CA standards in our little micro-climate.

Checked all the tires and everything looked fine. Reset the system and all is well. Just for the heck of it, I checked with my service advisor and he said this can happen when it's sufficiently cold.

[Sladester100]

Other answered. Just wanted to add I get this most days; sun or not hehe, especially now, sodding UK lol

[ADM]

Originally Posted by kent11202

Interesting. This morning I got a TPMS notification of a low tire pressure. It was really cold where I live - at least by CA standards in our little micro-climate.

Checked all the tires and everything looked fine. Reset the system and all is well. Just for the heck of it, I checked with my service advisor and he said this can happen when it's sufficiently cold.

Others have directly hit on the OPs question.
This one from Kent11202 opens up a slightly different area. One that I have experienced on both my 328-d and my spouse's Mini.

Living in the US NE on LI, we have reached the point (at least with the Mini) to check the tire pressure at the beginning of each month (the BMW every other month), especially in winter. We have found that for some strange reason, at least I can not explain why, the pressure in the run-flat tires here tends to drop during the colder months. THus, the Tire-Pressure warning icon comes on --sending waves of fear into my beloved.

Keeping a pancake pressure machine in the garage, I can easily bring all four tires back to their proper readings monthly and avoid negative vibes being invected at either the vehicle or me.

Just food for thought for those who also experience this right of winter passage.

[snj49er]

Originally Posted by ADM

We have found that for some strange reason, at least I can not explain why, the pressure in the run-flat tires here tends to drop during the colder months.

The pressure of a given amount of gas held at constant volume is directly proportional to the Kelvin temperature.

[CHCCubs]

Runflat or not, tires generally lose 1-2 psi for every drop of 10C in temperature.

[tboooe]

Originally Posted by snj49er

The pressure of a given amount of gas held at constant volume is directly proportional to the Kelvin temperature.

This just gave me really bad flashbacks to my engineering classes in college!!!!

[snowghost]

Originally Posted by ADM

Others have directly hit on the OPs question.
This one from Kent11202 opens up a slightly different area. One that I have experienced on both my 328-d and my spouse's Mini.

Living in the US NE on LI, we have reached the point (at least with the Mini) to check the tire pressure at the beginning of each month (the BMW every other month), especially in winter. We have found that for some strange reason, at least I can not explain why, the pressure in the run-flat tires here tends to drop during the colder months. THus, the Tire-Pressure warning icon comes on --sending waves of fear into my beloved.

Keeping a pancake pressure machine in the garage, I can easily bring all four tires back to their proper readings monthly and avoid negative vibes being invected at either the vehicle or me.

Just food for thought for those who also experience this right of winter passage.

I noticed that too. My car is coded for the TPM to display PSI and F°. Helpful feature.

[snj49er]

Sorry, didn't mean to put your head in a bad place. For some reason, crap like that sticks with me, but I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday.

Originally Posted by tboooe

This just gave me really bad flashbacks to my engineering classes in college!!!!