[ed102030]

It's getting colder here in the DC area and when the temp outside reaches 37 degrees my car beeps.

What's the significance?

 

[MrMotorwerk]

its a warning to you that you might encounter slippery roads due to ice/black ice situations.

 

[TeKNiC330]

Yup, just an ice warning

 

[woobiee]

i was kinda wondering the same. shouldnt it be 32 since water freezes at 32, not 37. am i wrong on this?

 

[GarrettF]

bmw knows its temprature guage isnt that accurate so it beeps at 37 casue it maybe 32 out there on the ground

 

[bmwfan328]

also, even if the temp really is 37 degrees outside, it may actually be colder on certain areas such as bridges, which tend to freeze over quicker than regular roads. nonetheless, it's nice to have a warning before roads actually do freeze.

 

[woobiee]

cool deal.

 

[bobm3]

that is a warning to the driver

that their may be black ice on the road. usually when the weather goies below freezing that message will come on when you start your car. giving you the temp. outside. usually it it at the freezing temp. mark and below.
bobm3

 

[CYBER PETE]

bmw knows its temprature guage isnt that accurate so it beeps at 37 casue it maybe 32 out there on the ground

Generally speaking the ground is warmer than the air (for example snow doesn't always stick when it snows because the ground is warmer than the air.) Also in my experience the temperature gauge is VERY acurate. 99% of the time it's within 1 degree of the temperature as reported on the radio or the thermometer on my porch. :thumbup:

The beeping is actually extremely annoying. I live in Buffalo I know it's cold! Evertime I turn my car on for 4 months out of the year the dam car beeps at me. I'm still not use to it..when I hear my car beeping at me I'm looking to see what the hell is wrong with it. Can this feature be turned off? :banghead:

 

[SHICKS]

I know the anwser to this question, but I'll ask anyway. Does it beep if you don't have the OBC?

 

[tanium325]

bmw knows its temprature guage isnt that accurate so it beeps at 37 casue it maybe 32 out there on the ground

Actually It beeps at 37 because that is the temprature that ice can form on overpassses and bridges. I thas nothing to due with accuracy of the thermometer, in fact it is very accurate to within 1 degree 1+- while moving.

 

[bookus11]

Actually It beeps at 37 because that is the temprature that ice can form on overpassses and bridges. I thas nothing to due with accuracy of the thermometer, in fact it is very accurate to within 1 degree 1+- while moving.

:werd:

its just for bridges, its true that the ground is warmer than the air, except with bridges because they have the air moving underneath them. hence, the warning.

 

[Dukes]

It's in the manual too I believe.

Also you wouldn't want your car to warn you when it is 32 degrees F would you? That's way too late.

 

[RichP]

You guys need a science refresher course! 37 is significant because it is cold enough where evaporative cooling of wet surfaces (especially bridges where there is no warmth from ground below) is enough to bring the surface water to 32 degrees and thus ice formation. In this scenario you only see black ice, which as anyone knows, is the most dangerous because road simply appears wet.