2011 X5M Air Conditioning problem
 

I only get cold air on the driver side. Ive tried adjusting the all the settings (including the individual settings for driver/passenger with no luck. Any ideas?

Sadly your Freon is probably low. Sounds like a common problem, I had to top mine off yesterday. BMW likes to run with a PSI of around 40-45. Get a gauge and a can of Freon and top it off unless you're still under warranty, then make the stealer do the work and see if you have a leak.

The freon quantity is always measured in ounces and grams. Pressure is not very accurate, but Ok. If overfilled it may cause problems too.

From the dealership maybe, but aftermarket gauges are in PSI. I would always recommend going to the dealer first if under warranty, but if not and you don't have 3500 extra lying around then I would take care of it myself.

I would never go to a dealer for an AC issue. There are great AC shops who will pump down you system, measure the freon, leak test it, top it off and (if necessary) add leak tracer dye for $100-200.

The quantity of everything is measured in units of mass/weight. Portions of an AC system run at saturation pressure, other parts are sub-saturated, saturation pressure is measured in units of pressure - force per area.

BMW does not determine at what pressure a refrigerating system runs, that's simple physics. Add enough freon and you'll hydrolock the pump.

As usual, ARD is correct.

Could this not be a blend door issue or something to do with the dual zone, before assuming your late model car has a leak check all the other vents as well. When you have an issue only on one side I don't just to low coolant charge.

I just had the same issue with our X. We were told it had something to do with keeping the driver cool when the freon is low or something to that effect. Added freon with the dye and inspection at an indy for $96 with tax and the A/C is freezing cold. BMW was $169.

Nice.

So the X is 8 years old? Does make you wonder where the freon was leaking though....

:(

R134 molecules are extremely small and they actually squeeze thru the rubber molecules and escape one by one. They cannot pass thru the aluminum though. This is why the modern cars have mostly aluminum pipes and a minimal length or rubber lines only where flexibility is required. It is normal to loose some freon over time.

I had this problem a few years ago on my 2008 4.8 (it was about 3.5 years old at that time) and it was a combination of the refrigerant being low AND a bad final stage resistor....

i kinda have the same situation with my '08 4.8i. the passenger side eventually does cool but it takes a long time all the while there's cool air available from the driver side. it's a bmw standard story, afaik, since the driver's seat is the only one guaranteed to be occupied while the vehicle is in operation the system is designed to fail there last. so it's going to be biased toward the driver while it can't achieve full cooling power for whichever reason, in this case likely low refrigerant.

there is a DIY on youtube on an e46, reporting pretty much the same issue and how to sort it. but it's laid out differently in an e70 and i don't know which connection to tap into. still trying to figure that out before i do it wrong.

I've never seen a functional diagram of the E70 HVAC. Are there two evaporators?

as far as i can tell there's only one evaporator. i can't quite fathom what kind of magic BMW employs to bias a failing a/c towards the driver, but it works quite well.

had another look the other day and there's this aluminium block to the right of the engine that has a few hoses/pipes going in and out of it and two capped connections on the top. both those are different sizes, so you *shouldn't* be able to get it wrong when hooking up pressure gauges and re-gassing your system. it's generally recommended that you drain the system completely and refill with the specified amount, which is somewhere around 3lbs, if i'm not mistaken. simply topping up the system often leads to overfills which causes high system pressure and a reduced cooling effect.

Our 2008 X5 4.8L had the same issue the last 4 years, each year I added a little Freon. I just inserted a thermometer in the Pass side vents and added Freon very slowly, stopping frequently until I had the vent blowing good cold air. About 42 degrees when 90+ outside. This year my Compressor started making noise so I replaced it and all O rings in all the hoses. So far it has blown cold both sides and I have not needed any additional Freon. I did flush and evacuate the entire system as part of replacing the compressor.

And in the UK it is 'biased' to the passenger. Go figure...

:)

actually i don't remember. neither my E36, nor my E46 had air con issues beyond a clogged pollen filter preventing air flow.

My point is that this 'carefully engineered' feature- to provide AC to the driver at all costs- or whatever, is simply a random consequence of how the evap is designed; where freon enters; how it transits; how low freon pressure results in uneven cooling and finally how one side is directed towards the driver OR the passenger, depending on the handedness of the country or market.

I had the same issue with our E70, 2008 4.8L, every year since 2012 I added Freon in the spring and it was good for the summer but not working again by the following Spring. Always the pass side not getting cold. After recharge all was good again till next year. This year my AC pump went out and I replaced all the Orings and the AC compressor. Now all is sealed and no more additions in a year.