2004 3.0 ac delay

[lynhnn]

My 03 3.0 X5 has exact the same A/C delay problem. So you say replacing the compressor will do the trick? Do you know how much part/labor cost?

[g300d]

Marine, the compressing action of the AC compressor is not electronically controlled as I understand it. The clutch is engaged and stays on when the AC is on, but the compressor internal control valve determines whether the compressor actually compresses refrigerant.

I know how you feel buddy, everytime the AC happens to cool I would say to myself, maybe it was this or that, but in my case eventually it reached the point it was not cooling more than it was cooling, and I replaced the compressor.

What you are experiencing now seems to be the "intermittent cooling" I went through, LOL!

I really do understand your hesitation as this is a problem/diagnosis that involves major work and an expensive part replacement to verify. I suggest that if your AC puts out cold air most of the time, just live with it in the meantime.

As I understand it, the valve is not a part that either works or doesnt; it can malfunction intermitently, or totally stop working. In my case, it stopped working often enough that I felt justified in taking the chance to replace the compressor assembly. AC was back to normal after that, which confirmed my diagnosis.

Lynhnn, I am not sure if your car has the same compressor as mine, my research indicates pre-facelift cars use Denso compressors as opposed to the Calsonic Kansei mine has. Labor should be about 3-4hours of work plus refrigerant costs at your favorite indy.

[Marine6531]

Sorry I haven' t been back to update. Well it seems I was excited about nothing. It lasted for two days but now it is back to the long delay. Infact the delay has seemed to get even longer. I'm gonna go ahead and replace the compressor, just waiting to find a good time to get it done.

g300d, after I read your post it always encourages me that it is the compressor. I get amped up to replace it but I seem to lose my nerve. I think I'm going to print out this thread and read it in the indy parking lot so I actually go through with it LOL!

[n00dles566]

This may be a dumb question, but have you checked the freon level? Mine was doing the same thing about a week ago and when I took it down they said that I was a pound low on freon. They also told me that this is a normal function of the AC on these cars, for the AC to delay coming on when the freon level is low. Mine now works fine since I got the freon topped off.

[Marine6531]

Yes, i had my freon checked. I even had it evacuated and refilled to no avail. 1lb low, my X only holds .97lbs? Also, I'm no expert but from what I have read it is sometimes normal for the variable displacement compresor to have a slight delay while excess liquidified gas and stuff is pumped out of the compresor but my delay is quite long and definitely not normal. Thanks though for the input.

[g300d]

I tell ya Marine, I was at the shop to get the compressor replaced, moving the car to the lift when the darn AC went cold and I almost lost my nerve right there! :-P

I myself didnt do it until the delays got so long that it would hardly go cold anymore and there was nothing to lose anyway.

Let us know if and when you go though with it, we are the first people talking about solving this problem online that I know of, I know because when I was going through this there was hardly any info on the BMW forums.

[Cisc0]

Just read through this thread and thought I share my a/c nightmare. So my a/c would have the same fooking delays explained here be OP and other posters. Sometimes the "delay" never came and I would go a whole day without a/c. Took the vehicle to a BMW dealership to get it diagnosed and after 2 hours of sitting in the waiting area, service adviser says my compressor is shot and its a $1600 repair bill with parts and labor. I ran from there with all four windows open. So now that I knew that it was the compressor because BMW said so, I purchased a reman'ed one and got it installed. To no avail, a/c still wouldn't work. Took the vehicle to a recommended shop in Jersey and after a diagnosed I was told that the climate control panel inside was not working. Got a used one and left the shop within an hour with freezing cold a/c. Drove the vehicle for 3 days with awesome a/c and on the fourth boom, a/c would not turn on again. I call the shop and explained that the shit went crazy again so I bring the vehicle back. It has been almost 2 weeks today and my vehicle is still in this shop. They have tried everything, even installing the old compressor that BMW said was shot (it wasn't). The owner of the shop has now taken my vehicle as a project because he says he has never seen anything like this. All components of the air condition system are working, and a/c works but after driving the vehicle for 20 minutes with a temperature gauge in the vents he notices that the temperature rises from 30 degrees to 70 and compressor stops. The compressor kicks back in after 10-20 minutes and this continues to happen. Finally today I call and hear the words/get the answer I was hoping to get... We have found the problem. There appears to be a short in the DME circuit that controls the a/c system. I need a new DME. Looking at a re-manufactured one now because a new one it out of the question.

[lynhnn]

I confirm with my car that

Sometimes the "delay" never came and I would go a whole day without a/c

[g300d]

Cisc0, that indeed sucks a big hairy meatball!

I would have done things differently in your situation though.

First thing I check when AC cuts out is refrigerant and compressor clutch operation.

In your case, with refrigerant in the system and the compressor cutting out it would definitely be pointing towards an electrical problem first, either with the compressor clutch itself, the AC computer and its related sensors, or DME.

It would still be a nightmare narrowing it down to which electrical system is shutting off the compressor though, and why.

In our case though the compressor clutch is always engaged, but no cooling.

That particular variable helps narrow own the possible causes in this particular AC system type.

[Cisc0]

g300d,

You'd think the professionals @ the BMW dealership I went to would follow proper diagnosing techniques but they were just looking to rape me as thy usually do. Good thing is that it is finally sorted out and I get I return the compressor I purchased.