recirculating (orange) button question

[Doughnut]

When i push this button, what exactly does it do?

Ive just pulled my dash out to look at the previous owners audio wiring and noticed this little mechanical device:

It was jamed by some of the wiring. i cleared all the wiring out of the way and operated the orange circular pictured button to find that the motor that drives the arm is broken off its bracket and makes a nasty crunching noise. What exactly does this button do?

Any help would be great, cheers.

 

[Big Daddy]

The button you point out is the re-circulate/fresh air button. The little motor opens and closes the air circulation ducts in system. Replace the arm and it should work fine.

 

[jrt67ss350]

The switch also shouldn't be located where it is currently at in your car - it should be down by the A/C heater controls.

 

[Doughnut]

yeah ive relocated the orange and blue button down by the heater controls now, there was a blanking plate that was covering it. and i originaly wasnt sure on why it was up there.
Last owner looked like he had abit of a "do it yourself FRENZY" in there, electrical tape EVERYWHERE!

ta jrt67ss350, and big daddy

 

[E30m42cab]

Joseph, if you press that button, and it works, you'll be the first BMW owner to press that useless thing on purpose. Has anyone ever found this to be usefull?

 

[Doughnut]

lol E30m42cab, i think bmw just wanted to add another iluminating button to fill the space and this is what they came up with, so..... scary.

 

[E30m42cab]

they really just wanted another small button that fails after a few years so they can charge $160 for a new one, and laugh all the way to the bank.

 

[jrt67ss350]

Joseph, if you press that button, and it works, you'll be the first BMW owner to press that useless thing on purpose. Has anyone ever found this to be usefull?

I use mine all the time when it's hot out. The A/C in my car works much better on recirc than on fresh air.

 

[Big Daddy]

Exactly that is how the system switches to "Max" air!

 

[Doughnut]

I use mine all the time when it's hot out. The A/C in my car works much better on recirc than on fresh air.

LOL jrt67ss350, you sound like a real hardcore BM driver
So when u push the button it recirculates air within the cabin... so your a/c is "sucking in" cold air?

 

[Abdoman]

exactly

 

[E30m42cab]

Justin is totally hardcore, he drives around in Winston Salem, with his AC on and his windows down (look at his sig) [joke]

He's lucky to have working AC... I've never had working AC in any of my 4 Bimmers, but then again, I don't need it in the winter beater, or the convertible, and it's really only very hot for about 3 months of the year up here. Maybe someday I will be able to press that button myself.

 

[jrt67ss350]

You guys can joke all you want - I don't care how "hardcore" of a driver you are, when you live in the southeast US, it's absolutely miserable from the end of May through the end of September if you don't have working A/C. Heat I can handle - it's the 100% humidity combined with daily 98-99 degree F temperatures that makes life during the summer absolutely miserable.

 

[Doughnut]

LOL jrt67ss350!
Awsome how your car can put up with that amount of "hardcore" weather,
we dont really get that sort of humidity down here in Australia, except when ur near the coast. I know when its only slightly stuffy my car hates starting :S
My a/c doesnt work, infact im thinking of removing it (including condensor) but leaving the a/c's thermo fan for push button engine cooling system

 

[E30m42cab]

Don't worry Justin, I've been to NC (drove through W-S on the way to Cary).... the plan was to drive through the night in the convertible to avoid the sun and the heat of the day, but I got 4 flat tires just north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at 2 in the morning and had to leave the car at a sketchy truck stop on cinder blocks for 4 days till I could get new tires... In the meantime, we rented a Pick-up Truck (brand new!) with A/C, and we were so glad to have A/C it wasn't even funny... we would have died without it. I can't stand that kind of humidity.