A/C problem! PLEASE ADVICE

[EKS PYB]

Dropped off the X5 this morning at the dealer where I got the CPO from because earlier this week was hot and I turned on the A/C and it was blowing but not cold air.

This is a recurring problem since I had this fixed by the dealer under warranty last year but now, same thing. So I dropped it off and now the SA just called after being in the shop for 6 hours to tell me that its hard for them to figure it out. He suggested I pay them $480 to put a dye in there and let me drive it for a day, a week to see if it leaks then I have to bring it back. WHAT THE HECK IS THAT? I was dying so bad to say go ahead and do it but at the same time, I decided I wanted to take it to another dealer to have it checked. It's so frustrating that the problem that they supposedly fixed last year is back again and this time they won't fix it this time even if my car is still under warranty.

Are they just trying to jack me for my $$$ since this morning he wanted me to do my INSPECTION II for $1125, Replace Coolant Hoses for $1300 and a Coolant flush for $380 and I said NO to all of it. I'd rather have my indy do it for alot cheaper.

What ya guys think?

[mrbmwx5]

what dealer did you go to? Pacific BMW in glendale?

[TaMbALoLoNg]

OR
Just let some outside air in...Its getting colder now in SoCal.

[ZsX5o3]

wow I'm so confused by this. does BMW's CPO program really suck this bad? I'm amazed at the amount of things people have come out of pocket for.

[Zulu95]

You can bye a can of 134a freon/dye at any auto parts store.

[jpnut]

I had an a/c issue this past summer where driver vents were cold and passengers were warm, I had low refrigerant and a loss of blowing power which was due to a leak in a hose they had tested. CPO covered this just fine. Good luck.

[TwinsPoppa]

If they truly don't know the problem, thats fine. They should tell you so and you can take it to another dealer. Otherwise, they should not charge you anything to find the problem. IMO.

I wouldn't pay for them to guess.

[lotusing]

I need more detail as what other symptoms you are have like do you hear the compressor come on when the a/c button is pressed,etc. There is a way to jump a switch to rule out the compressor. If the compressor is not on just go the parts store and get a can of 134 and try charging it. If the compressor comes on then you have a leak.Then by a can of u/v leak kit and find the leak yourself.

[EKS PYB]

UPDATE:
After an hour that I posted this after getting that call from my SA at Southbay BMW, he called me back and said that he talked to his guy and told him to fill it up with freon and everything should be good to go. I was so surprised. Another surprise was, after picking up the car Saturday morning, I didn't even have to pay the $50 deductible. WOW!!! So I have no idea what made him change his mind.

I am not sure what BMW's standard operating procedure is when fixing A/C whether they fill it up when fixing it or just filling it up half ways but like I mentioned in my original post, I had the A/C fixed april of last year with the same thing...air blowing but not cold air...and they fixed it and I did see on the invoice that they filled it with freon. I can't recall how much though, have to look for the invoice.

[TwinsPoppa]

Thats great to hear that the BMW dealer came around to their senses!