MY AC sucks - BMW Forum

cam540 · 07-22-2003, 04:31 PM

It is so miserable to drive around in my car lately, something is wrong with the AC. It doesn't blow hard enough to keep the car cold at all. Does anyone have any sugeestions. It has always been like this but lately the temp has been up 15 degrees so it sucks.

Thanks in advance.

donutchow · 07-22-2003, 07:48 PM

is the temperature gauge in the car off? maybe the car is overheating or something. or maybe the car is on circulate and it's not circulating correct.

m42technic · 07-23-2003, 03:36 PM

BMW A/C sucks in general.

When was the last time you had your A/C system checked out?

GreenDragon · 07-23-2003, 06:46 PM

Get your AC system Charged. That's probably all you need.

cam540 · 07-23-2003, 10:09 PM

How much???? I have a warranty with the car, will I need to use it? Because the warranty has a $100 deductible.

m42technic · 07-23-2003, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cam540@Jul 23 2003, 09:49 PM
How much???? I have a warranty with the car, will I need to use it? Because the warranty has a $100 deductible.

Couldn't tell ya, as I dont really know what is specifically wrong with your car...

DesmoBob · 07-24-2003, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cam540@Jul 23 2003, 06:49 PM
How much???? I have a warranty with the car, will I need to use it? Because the warranty has a $100 deductible.

recharging yourself will definitely cost less than $100.

http://www.bmw-forums.com/forum/index.php?...&st=0#entry8709

when you say "it doesn't blow hard enough," do you mean that the temperature of the air is warm? or the air is cold, but it isn't pushing a sufficient volume of it?

cam540 · 07-24-2003, 01:13 AM

The air is cold but when I turn the AC on full blast it only blows at the lowest speed.

Furious · 07-24-2003, 07:14 AM

im incline to agree with Bob, i think maybe you need a freeon recharge or your compressor is starting to go.

DesmoBob · 07-24-2003, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cam540@Jul 23 2003, 09:53 PM
The air is cold but when I turn the AC on full blast it only blows at the lowest speed.

ah, ok that is good info.

if it is cold, your compressor is fine, and you don't necessarily need a recharge, although that never hurts.

no air movement = fan is dying or microfilter is completely plugged.

when i get home i can look up the symptoms for you in the TIS. in the meantime, check the fusebox. there is a diagram inside the fusebox cover, and there are about 4 or 5 fuses associated with various components of the a/c, i can't remember offhand if one of them is the cabin fan.

microfilter is easy diy. but i've never worked on fan before, so i can't tell you how hard it would be. but i would bet that labor alone would exceed the $100 deductible, so it may be worth it to put it on the warranty (after you rule out microfilter).

DesmoBob · 07-24-2003, 09:24 PM

ok, i didn't find anything in the TIS.

but on the m3forum there was somebody who also has a 97 m3 with exactly the same problem, so i thought it was you.

anyway, somebody posted a reply, has something to do with the final resistor. i don't know if this is your problem, but it is worth a read anyway:
http://216.118.86.224/m3forum/showthread.p...&threadid=12777

DesmoBob · 07-31-2003, 12:31 AM

:vroom (bump)

update: what somebody said about the final stage resistor seems to have fixed the problem

http://216.118.86.224/m3forum/showthread.p...&threadid=12777