BMW i8 Climate Control Gone Haywire, Multiple Failures

Hey there! I had a similar nightmare with my 2016 BMW i3 Hybrid at 132K kilometers. Same symptoms, climate control going crazy and fog sensor issues. After dealing with a couple of dead-end diagnostics, turned out it was a damaged wiring harness connector to the climate control module. The issue looked minor at first, but it was actually pretty serious since it affected multiple systems. The corroded connector was causing intermittent failures across the HVAC system. The mechanics had to replace the entire wiring harness section and recalibrate the climate control module. If your symptoms match what I experienced, I'd suggest getting it checked by a certified BMW tech who knows these hybrid systems well. The error codes alone won't tell the full story, they needed specialized diagnostic tools to pinpoint the exact issue in my case. Hope this helps point you in the right direction.

Thanks so much for sharing your experience, that's super helpful! My symptoms sound exactly like what you went through with your i3. I'm actually relieved to hear it wasn't something even more complex with the hybrid system itself. Just curious, do you remember roughly how much the repair ended up costing you? Also, has everything been working perfectly since the fix, or have you noticed any other quirks pop up? Thanks again for the detailed response!

Hey! Great to hear back from you! Yeah, glad I could help point you in the right direction with my i3 experience. Actually, I just got mine fixed last week, turned out it was indeed a faulty connection on the fog sensor, just like what I suspected from my previous issues. Only cost me 95 € to sort out the cable connection, which was way less than I was worried it might be! Everything's working perfectly now, climate control's back to normal, no more foggy windows, and the whole HVAC system's running like a charm. Such a relief! The certified BMW tech I mentioned really knew their stuff and spotted the problem straight away. Makes such a difference when you find someone who actually understands these hybrid systems properly. Just keep an eye on it for the next few weeks, but honestly, once these connection issues are properly fixed, they usually stay fixed. Let me know how you get on with yours!

Just wanted to update you on what happened with my i8. Took your advice and found a certified BMW specialist. You were spot on about finding someone who knows their stuff! Went in yesterday and, would you believe it, they found a similar wiring issue. Had to shell out a bit more than you did though, the mechanic found some corrosion had spread to nearby components. The whole thing set me back about 250 bucks, but honestly, it's worth every penny. The car's running like new again! No more foggy windows, AC's perfect, and even those pesky frozen spray nozzles are working properly. Really appreciate you sharing your experience, saved me from going back to that first useless mechanic who couldn't figure it out. Funny how these hybrid systems can seem so complicated when it's sometimes just a simple wiring problem! Thanks again for all your help!