[TommyC123]

I have a 2017 530i. There are 3 active air vents under the bumper below the kidney grilles. When parked in a shaded garage for a few days, the right and centre vents are open whereas the left vent is closed. Is this normal? Why would one side be closed and one side be open?

The kidney grilles are closed (just got that one fixed last week).

Edit: When the engine is running, the centre vent closes (I saw it close and open several times). The driver vent remains closed and the passenger vent remains open. So the side vents didn't move at all.

[Frozen Fractals]

I'm wondering the same thing. Mine does the exact same thing as yours. The left one is always closed (never seen it open) while the right one and center one stays open (I've seen the center one close once or twice, I think). I had my upper blinds replaced due to them staying stuck open. I wonder if the lower ones are broken too?

[TommyC123]

Got a reply from my service agent. She said only the centre upper and lower shutters are active shutters. The bottom left and right are not. Those are fixed.

[Frozen Fractals]

Huh...that's quite odd. Why would the left one be closed while the right one be open?

Can anyone else with G30 chime in?

[steve090619]

Originally Posted by Frozen Fractals

Huh...that's quite odd. Why would the left one be closed while the right one be open?

Can anyone else with G30 chime in?

Originally Posted by Frozen Fractals

Huh...that's quite odd. Why would the left one be closed while the right one be open?

Can anyone else with G30 chime in?

Broken

[SteveinArizona]

Perhaps one has an intercooler behind it and not the other?

[Frozen Fractals]

Originally Posted by steve090619

Broken

I figured as much...

Your lower blinds open/close together (left, center and right sections)?

[TommyC123]

https://www.getbmwparts.com/v-2017-b...and-components

Mine has M-Sport package. So scroll down. Part #3. Rear Cover are for those w/o aux oil cooler. So I guess one side has oil cooler (no rear cover) and the other side has no oil cooler (has rear cover).

[steve090619]

Originally Posted by Frozen Fractals

I figured as much...

Your lower blinds open/close together (left, center and right sections)?

Originally Posted by Frozen Fractals

I figured as much...

Your lower blinds open/close together (left, center and right sections)?

I had my active shutters replaced. It was throwing check engine light when not working

[Frozen Fractals]

Originally Posted by TommyC123

https://www.getbmwparts.com/v-2017-b...and-components

Mine has M-Sport package. So scroll down. Part #3. Rear Cover are for those w/o aux oil cooler. So I guess one side has oil cooler (no rear cover) and the other side has no oil cooler (has rear cover).

Seems like this is the correct answer! The side air dams (vents) are fixed and not part of the active grille system (the technical training documents also corroborate this). The driver side (left) air dam is blocked due to there being nothing behind it. The passenger side (right) air dam is unblocked (and always open) due to the aux radiator being behind it.

[530iDriver]

My lower active grilles have been replaced TWICE under warranty.

This is a prone failure part and BMW may be issuing an extended warranty on it.

[TommyC123]

Originally Posted by 530iDriver

My lower active grilles have been replaced TWICE under warranty.

This is a prone failure part and BMW may be issuing an extended warranty on it.

The active shutters and climate control LCD are very prone to failure on the G30. Several owners have them replaced more than once.

[530iDriver]

Originally Posted by TommyC123

The active shutters and climate control LCD are very prone to failure on the G30. Several owners have them replaced more than once.

True. Fortunately my car has the 3-Zone climate control system so it comes with the more reliable LED HVAC panel with physical buttons.

[jwong77]

Originally Posted by TommyC123

The active shutters and climate control LCD are very prone to failure on the G30. Several owners have them replaced more than once.

Count in me in as one of those who's been replaced twice so far. Also, I've never seen the lower shutters closed ever, but my dealer claims this is normal and only closes at speed.

[Frozen Fractals]

So after some research, I figured out with TommyC123's comment above about the "grille cover".

See here: https://bimmercat.com/bmw/en/search/...58/USA/51_4126

Part "6" in the diagram covers either the left and right lower grille. The active shutters only exist on the top kidney grille and the center portion of the lower grille. If you have a M-Sport package 530i/e or 540i, then your left driver-side grille will be covered, but your right passenger-side grille will be uncovered. This is due to an aux radiator sitting right behind the right passenger-side grille. M550i have aux radiators on both side and hence both lower side grilles will always be open (uncovered).

This is said aux radiator: https://bimmercat.com/bmw/en/search/...58/USA/17_0995

And from this diagram you can see that it is sitting right next to the main radiators: https://bimmercat.com/bmw/en/search/...58/USA/17_0996

In essence, only the main kidney grilles and the center portion of the lower grilles are active (open and close). The left/right portion of the lower grille are either always open or always closed depending on your equipment. Hopefully this clears some of the confusion

[TommyC123]

Originally Posted by Frozen Fractals

So after some research, I figured out with TommyC123's comment above about the "grille cover".

See here: https://bimmercat.com/bmw/en/search/...58/USA/51_4126

Part "6" in the diagram covers either the left and right lower grille. The active shutters only exist on the top kidney grille and the center portion of the lower grille. If you have a M-Sport package 530i/e or 540i, then your left driver-side grille will be covered, but your right passenger-side grille will be uncovered. This is due to an aux radiator sitting right behind the right passenger-side grille. M550i have aux radiators on both side and hence both lower side grilles will always be open (uncovered).

This is said aux radiator: https://bimmercat.com/bmw/en/search/...58/USA/17_0995

And from this diagram you can see that it is sitting right next to the main radiators: https://bimmercat.com/bmw/en/search/...58/USA/17_0996

In essence, only the main kidney grilles and the center portion of the lower grilles are active (open and close). The left/right portion of the lower grille are either always open or always closed depending on your equipment. Hopefully this clears some of the confusion

That's my understanding after some research as well. Btw, your information is super clear