Surely this is not a first .....somebodys bound to have seen this before...One additional note there seems to be extremly more condensate draining from the bottom of the x

That adds some more vital info to the equation... Lets get this straight. When you first start it, it blows cold... the longer you drive it, the warmer it blows. Yet it drops ALOT more water condensed out of the air... That all leads to just one situation! Your AC is working FINE, just the air is being re-heated by the heater core before it makes it to you!

I believe the wheel on the vents operates a cable as well as a microswitch when it gets to the full cold position, likely just a microswitch thinking about it...(differrent on different cars) The heater is controlled through electronically operated valves. If the wheel is not fully going to the end position, it may be hanging up on the switch lever... Whatever the cause is, the problem is that the heater is reheating the air after the ac cools it. For a temporary solution just to get cold air until the cause is found/fixed, simply unplugging the heater valves might leave them closed. (unless they default to open, but I doubt it) If you look near the drivers side inner fender, kinda at the inside of the strut you should see the heater hoses... the valve body in them with metal solenoid valves on it, unplug it and try again. If I'm right, you will retain cold air... if not, try gently crimping one of the hoses from it to the firewall closed with pliers to see if they're mechanically stuck open. Which would mean heater valve replacement.

Sounds like great advice, but I think i confused myself, lol.

Just the fact of the extra amount of condensation water dropped by the ac proves that the evaporator is getting as cold as ever... Now it's just a matter of figuring out if the heater problem is a control problem or a mechanical fault. Yet again, I love the BMW diagnostic equipment at the dealer... "status requests" accessed through "control module functions" will tell you the status of all switches and signals in the system, and "component activation" will let you play with the system telling it what to do.

Without that, it just takes knowledge of the system to be able to diagnose it yourself... much of which can be obtained through the WDS link on this site. That is the same wiring schematics system we have at the dealer. You can look up all the switches and controls in the system if you know how to use it.;)

:cool:

Weasel
I have autoengunity would it show that faulty switch.
HEY THANKS
Thats very handy Gridlock Im gonna print that and keep it :) :thumbup:

:welcome:

the switch is just one of the possible problems, it is more likely that the valves are sticking. But it is worth checking to make sure it is not still being told to stay open... which just means checking it with a voltmeter. But from the sound of it, I'm pretty sure thats your problem.

Ok heres the update on my situation I come home thur and as I pull in my driveway the check coolant light comes on ...ok no biggie so I check the coolant resivoir and its needs coolant so I add it problem solved I thought. The next morning I get ready to leave I look under the x and I have a puddle about the size of a baseball I examine it and its antifreeze I need to make a short trip into town 7 miles round trip so I take the x and a gallon of h20 with me. I get to the store come out and I see more antifreeze under the x so I let it cool..... check the coolant level and its low again I add more water and drive home. Im successful in making the short trip with out elevating the temp and getting a coolant alarm. After getting home I call a friend and he brings over a pump we put it on the radiator resevoir and pressurize the system I discover a leak on one of the small hoses on the back of the motor coming from the heater core ....damn near impossible to get to. So the x is now at the shop to get that fixed and they will take a look at the a/c also while there. More news to come as I get it. I passed on all the info to the s/a hopefully that will save some time troubleshooting.

Well hopefully you will get it all fixed in one shot. Maybe it's just coincidence, but the heater hose's life was probably cut short by having constant pressure in it... I still seem to think it's a heater valve problem with the ac, judging it was ac condensation seen previously and not coolant.