AC Does not Cool immediately sometimes?

It could be something in the control circuitry, it could be low refrigerant charge but it sounds like the temperature control actuator could be sticking.

Hi
I toox the X5 to the dealer. They said the refrigerant was low. They worked on that....put some dye in to see if it was eaking and told me it is fine

The problem is still there. Hot air but after 10 minutes it works fine.....so cold!!!

What would cause a delay of 8 - 10 minutes?

The Problem Restated and Clarified

Over the past few months the air conditioning sometimes take 5-10 minutes of the car either idling or running before any cool air is generated. It's not a question of cooling the car down or even blowing the hot air out of the ducts, it is positively NOT allowing the compressor or some part of the system that must kick in for cooling to happen at all, until some sensor or switch flips, then it cuts on and immediately puts out very cold air. In other words, its not something to do with a gradual change in the temperature of the air coming out of the vents; it operates for a few minutes as if it is on fan-only and then, in a fraction of a second it seems, the air suddenly turns extremely cool and stays that way. Once it has kicked in and operated normally for at least, oh, 15 minutes or more, it will usually start putting out cool air within 30 seconds or so after re-starting. However, once the car is off for a few hours it reverts back to delaying the a/c from cooling for that 5-10 min. delay.

The service team insisted that it was caused by low coolant even though it cools perfectly after the initial delay.

On 07/09/10 it was checked, the a/c was discharged, and refilled. Of note, It was re-gassed with leak dye and I was advised to return in a few days to check for leaks.

I still have the problem!!

Here is the location of the temperature door actuator so you can change it out. Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know what happens.

Thanks for this post I had this problem and got it fixed cost me 132.00 for the part all set thanks guys!

The a/c works fine except when the vehiclle is stopped. When the vehicle comes to a stop, the cold air gradually becomes warm but not hot. Reving the engine to 1,600 RPM does not help. As soon as the vehicle starts moving, cold air gradually returns. Happens every time.
At about the same time that this problem started, I noticed a musty smell when initially turning the a/c on.

There may be several factors at play. Is the auxiliary fan working? Is the system fully charged? With the new A/C systems these days if there is a small leak in the system and there is even a small amount missing, then it will not blow cold. Try evacuating and recharging the system to the correct amount and see if aux fan is working and let us know.

Yup, it was the auxiliary fan all right.
But, I can't find a shop manual for the car, & I can't figure out how to get it out.
Does it come off the front without removing the radiator? It is held in place with (2) 10 mm bolts down low, but I can't figure out what's holding it in place at the top.

Thanks

Robert Bentley publications for your manual. Your condenser comes out the top after the system is evacuated, there are two brackets holding the condenser in from the top, they also hold the radiator.

The a/c works fine excpet when the vehicle is stopped. Upon comeing to a stop, the cool air gradually becomes warm but not hot. Reving the engine to 1,600 rpm does not help. When the vehicle starts moving, cool air gradually returns. Happens every time.
At about the same time that this problem started, I noticed that the a/c had a musty smell upon initial start up.

I have forwarded your question to our BMW tech. He will be with you shortly, thank you for your patience

The Problem Restated and Clarified

Over the past few months the air conditioning sometimes take 5-10 minutes of the car either idling or running before any cool air is generated. It's not a question of cooling the car down or even blowing the hot air out of the ducts, it is positively NOT allowing the compressor or some part of the system that must kick in for cooling to happen at all, until some sensor or switch flips, then it cuts on and immediately puts out very cold air. In other words, its not something to do with a gradual change in the temperature of the air coming out of the vents; it operates for a few minutes as if it is on fan-only and then, in a fraction of a second it seems, the air suddenly turns extremely cool and stays that way. Once it has kicked in and operated normally for at least, oh, 15 minutes or more, it will usually start putting out cool air within 30 seconds or so after re-starting. However, once the car is off for a few hours it reverts back to delaying the a/c from cooling for that 5-10 min. delay.

The service team insisted that it was caused by low coolant even though it cools perfectly after the initial delay.

On 07/09/10 it was checked, the a/c was discharged, and refilled. Of note, It was re-gassed with leak dye and I was advised to return in a few days to check for leaks.

I am still having the problem. Any suggestions

Maybe the pressure switch at the high side is intermittent.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=FA13&mospid=47745&btnr=64_1422&hg=64&fg=60

Air Conditioning problem
2004 BMW X5 6 cyl All Wheel Drive Automatic

I have a 2004 X5 3.0. When i start the car, the thermostat automatically turns on to what ever temp was last set. If i turn the thermostat control off it goes off. If i shut the car off and the turn the car on again the thermostat is off, but if i shut the car off and wait awhile the thermostat will come on again even if i shut the thermostat off before i shut down the car. Any suggestions? thanks
Reply With Quote

I am not sure I understand that there is a problem.

Hi. Dr Hagerty. . How are you. Thanks for responding to my post listed below. I dont know if i stated my question correctly. Basically, is my air conditioner/heater supposed to go ON when i start my car? I turn it OFF before i shut down my car. thanks

The IHKA is the acronym BMW uses for the air handling and climate controls. It may be needed to be replaced because they cannot be coded.

noticed aux fan was bad for few months back. did not repair/replace. Air condition stopped working three weeks ago. No cool air at all. Few days I noticed light burning smell in the car.

1. How to identify the aux fan problem? switch, bad fan, etc?
should I replace the aux fan since it is related to air condition.
2. where is the burning smell possibly come from? this really concerns me.

thanks,

For the aux fan, you would need to perform test to determine if it is the fan itself or its controlling circuit. With no aux fan, air con will not engage at all

Yes, the aux fan is important for the AC to operate efficiently. Without efficient cooling of the condenser, the AC system would not be cool enough and can cause the system to fail.

As to the burning smell, this can be the controller due to excessive amperage draw.

it is a 3.0 model.
Any DIY can be performed on aux fan to determine if the fan itself or the control circuit? Can aux fan be replaced DIY? Local dealer charge $300 for inspect this kind of thing.

The dealer service technician reported aux having issue about 5 months ago that the aux fan had intermitent on/off problem while this car was there having services. I dd not let them fix the issue at that time. air condition was working fine in last 5 months. It was suddently stopped working while I was driving few days back. No cool air at all. Do you think the condenser turned bad? Shall I focus on aux fan per these syptom? thanks.

Our database does not have any information on testing the cooling fan which is controlled by the Engine Computer.

Symptoms indicates a possible fault with the fan motor.

As to the AC failing, you need to check if it is loss of refrigeants or a fault in the compressor or controlling system.

If the fan is the cause of the problem, the AC compressor might work for a brief perod of time before it cuts off.

For such jobs, it is best to be done by professionals as any mistakes can be costly.

I agree with my associate that the issue should be dealt with by a BMW knowledgeable technician. If there is an issue with the A/C that was caused by the aux fan being inoperative, then you will need to seek out a local BMW pro, we can guide you, but in the end, the choice is up to you.

A/C system does not function. Fan does not run. No cold air produced.

It did this on an intermittent basis for a while and now does not work at all..

Suggestions...

Hi there,
Start with the basics, have the system leak tested as low refrigerant is the most common cause of a system shut down.

mark (mhpautos)

The final stage unit is faulty. Part # 64-11-6-923-204. Go to Realoem.com for the part. It is a high failure item.

Ac control still lights up but aircon is not working at all, no air is coming out on vent either. 2months prior to this a/c is acting up, vent blows hard then soft and even if the engine is turned off the blower still goes on and you have to turn blower to max then turn it down, only then will it stop. Help and advice appreciated!

The blower motor control unit known as the final stage will require replacement. It is a fairly high failure item and the part # is 64-11-8-385-549. It is accessed through the passenger foot well and removal of the side carpet trim is needed.

Air Conditioning problem
2003 BMW X5 6 cyl Four Wheel Drive Automatic

Hello I have a problem with my X5 A/C. I checked the freon and is good but the compressor doesn't start the blower is working bot not cold air.
Somebody have any idea what could happened.

Thanks

Is your car's air conditioner blowing warm air only and no cool air? Your A/C cooling problem could be caused by any of the following:

Your A/C system may have lost its charge of refrigerant, or the compressor may not be engaging when you turn on the A/C, or the blend air door inside the HVAC unit may be stuck in the HEAT position so no air goes through the A/C evaporator.

Start with the compressor. Does it engage when you turn on the A/C?

If so, the compressor is working and the A/C system probably contains enough refrigerant to make cold air, so the problem is inside the HVAC unit. Replace the motor that controls the blend air door (this is a difficult job and best left to a professional since it involves tearing apart the HVAC unit -- about an 8 to 10 hour job!).

If the compressor does not engage when you turn on the A/C, see if it will run by jumping the compressor clutch wire directly to the battery (use a fused jumper wire). If the compressor works when you jump it, and the A/C blows cold air, the system contains refrigerant and the fault is likely a bad A/C compressor clutch relay or a bad clutch cycling switch or pressure switch.

If the compressor does not engage when you jump it, the problem is a bad compressor clutch.

If the clutch engages but the compressor does not turn (the belt will start to slip and squeal), the compressor is loced up and you need a new compressor.

If the compressor clutch engages and turns the compressor, but the A/C still does not blow cold air, the system is probably low on refrigerant and needs to be recharged. If you Have an A/C gauge set, hook it up and see if the system has any pressure.

If it is out of refrigerant or is low, check for leaks, then have the A/C system vacuum purged to remove air. After the air is out, it can be recharged with the specified amount of refrigerant. It is important to get any air out as this will reduce cooling efficiency and may make the compressor noisy.

My advice to you if you know nothing about A/C service is to find a repair shop that specializes in A/C repairs and let them fix your cooling problem for you. Today's A/C systems with automatic climate control are very complex and reuire special tools and know-how to diagnose and repair.

2002 BMW X5 6 cyl
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Hi. Suddenly my vents do not blow any air/heat, although the lights/buttons on the temperature control panels operate, etc. I replaced all fuses that could possibly be linked and still, no air. I even replaced te Final Stage Unit (Blower Motor Resistor) and still, no air. Any other suggestions on what to check out?

The final stage has been replaced and still no air flow usually means the fan motor has got a bad spot on the commutator and needs replacement as well. Be sure the wiring connector is not the issue here, I have had that happen to me.

Repair shop replaced the AC condensor after the car would only blow warm air. Now on long drives (over 2 hours) the system seems to radiate cool air but will not blow it. Makes me wonder if the system is frozen up or something. Are there controls to baffles that might malfunction or a clutch that would work only when the system is beginning to cool but not later on? Shop can't/won't diagnose the problem since it works fine when we take it to the shop after a short drive. We spent a TON of money on the condensor and don't want to pay for a fishing expedition, dismantling the dashboard again, etc. without a specific idea of where to direct the repairs. Any ideas on why this new problem would arise??? Would be happy to discuss further. Thanks.

Your reply deals with lean fuel condition but my question was regarding an Air Conditioning problem. I saw some of your other AC replies on BMWs and you appear to really know your stuff. Can you reply to my AC question? You can hear the AC system working and apparently the fan, and it cools OK for a couple hours but then seems to not push any air through the dash despite the noise. Advice? I saw your earlier posts about a final stage unit or motor for the blend air door. Would those things work for awhile and then quit?

An A/C system that blows cold air for awhile then warm air is probably freezing up. This can be caused by air and moisture in the system that allows ice to form and block the orifice tube.

Evacuating the system with a vacuum pump will purge it of unwanted air and moisture. Evacuation should be done with a vacuum pump that is capable of achieving and holding a high vacuum (29 inches) for at least 30 to 45 minutes.

For best performance, an A/C system should contain less than 2% air by weight. For every 1% increase in the amount of air that displaces refrigerant in the system, there will be a corresponding drop of about one degree in cooling performance. More than 6% air can cause a very noticeable drop in cooling performance, and possibly cause evaporator freeze-up.

Air can get inside a system through leaks, by not evacuating the system prior to recharging it, and/or by recharging the system with refrigerant that is contaminated with air. Recovery equipment can suck air into the recycling tank if an A/C system contains air or if the system has a leak. For this reason, the refrigerant recovery tank on recycling equipment must be checked and purged daily. On some equipment, this is done automatically. But on equipment that lacks an automatic purge cycle, tank pressure and temperature has to be measured and compared to a static pressure reference chart.

Some refrigerant identifier equipment can detect air in the system as well as other contaminants. An identifier should be used to check the refrigerant before the system is serviced to prevent cross-contamination of recovery and recycling equipment.

Possible causes of intermittent cooling in a manual A/C system that might be caused by an electrical problem include:

Faulty low pressure cutout switch. This switch prevents the compressor from running if the refrigerant level is low. If the cutout switch is not reading correctly, it can prevent the compressor from coming on.

Faulty compressor clutch. The magnetic clutch on the compressor requires full battery voltage to engage. If the voltage to the clutch is low, or the clutch coils have too much resistance, or the air gap in the clutch is too great, the clutch may not engage to drive the compressor.

Faulty compressor clutch relay. Check to see if the relay is receiving voltage when the A/C is turned on. Also check the relay wiring and ground connections. If bypassing the relay with a jumper wire or routing battery voltage directly to the compressor clutch makes the A/C work, the relay is probably bad.

Faulty A/C control switch. The switch may be worn and not making good contact when it is turned on.

Some possible causes of intermittent cooling (or no cooling) on automatic A/C systems include all of the above, plus:

A problem in the control module or control head (this usually requires using a dealer scan tool to read fault codes and perform self-diagnostics).

A bad temperature sensor (an ambient air temperature sensor, interior air temperature sensor, evaporator temperature sensor, or sunload sensor). Again, a factory scan tool is usually required to perform diagnostics on the system.

Thanks for the fantastic information. I suspected it might be freezing up. It also blew fog for awhile after the condensor was installed and it had been recharged and that might have been an indication of moisture in the system. I will ask the shop to evacuate and recharge the system again.

The E-53 tends to be sensitive to refrigerant amount so that any shortfall is systemically amplified. Be sure the correct amount of R-134 is in the system and the right amount of oil too.

The air conditioning in my 2003 BMW X5 has been on the fritz for a few weeks. Exactly one year ago the A/C broke (explosion with white vapor emerging from under the hood) and I had a new compressor, fan and expansion valve put in. Now suddenly the A/C will not work from time to time. I brought it to my mechanic and after he looked under the hood and said things looked ok the A/C kicked in so he thought I was crazy. Even when the A/C doesn't work I hear the compressor turning on and if I open the hood I see the fan running, but no air (hot or cold) emerges from the vents. Then the next day or a few days later it will suddenly kick in. What gives?

First, thank you for donating. And you seem to have what is a typical problem with the E-46, E-53, E-39 cars. It is called a final stage unit and it controls the fan speed. Replacement is through the passenger footwell area.

Thank you! I will ask my mechanic to replace the final stage unit. Can I assume that even if I tough it out with intermittent A/C in the summer, that this will be a problem with heating during the winter? (I live in New England but I am not tough enough to go through a New England winter with no heat!)

You are welcome. The final stage is the module that controls the fan speed, so yes it will effect the A/C as well as the heater as they both depend on the same fan.