E53 2006 3.0D Facelift..AirCon Probs.

[kanewesley]

I have a 2006 X5 E53 facelift model.

As you probably know, the climate control is in 2 x halves, passenger and driver.

Heating works great.

Last year, only the passenger side system blew "chilled" air, the drivers side just moved ambient cool air around.

This year, neither side is now blowing chilled air.

I thought of having the system regassed but one mechanic I rang told me he suspects more of a problem than simply regassing. He said that although the system is in 2 halves, the chilled air is fed from one common compressor. This made him suspicious as if the gas needed recharging then only one side would not have worked last year. He was talking about flaps or valves sticking etc etc.

Has anyone had a similar problem fixed please?

[kanewesley]

^^^Bump^^^

Anyone any ideas please?

[henrym3]

I assume you have the a/c switched on and set to Auto, set both dash temperature settings below 18c and the roller on dash top rolled till you see the three blue dots. If no success come off auto and onto manual ie feet middle and top switched on. Check the volume of air coming out of each side irrespective of temperature. If the volume is the same, just different temps it may indicate one of the heater valves is stuck somewhere between off/on and slightly heating the a/c on that side. Obviously if the volume side to side is different then it may be a flap. Don't take offence if have done all these things.

[kanewesley]

Sorry took a while to get back.

Not sure what you
mean by different temps???

if i select top middle or bottom, the air is fully redirected to where i require air but as the air con aint working its all the same temperature.

I coupled up INPA and when I switched the air con button ON, the compressor which was shown in INPA didnt switch ON

What criteria has to be met to for the air conditioning compressor to switch ON?

[X5Sport]

Responded to your other thread.  Gas level, switch, elec fan.

[kanewesley]

Thanks X5

[kanewesley]

...So, after all this time, just drove 400 miles to cornwall and still no aircon on the ultimate driving machine. (Ha ha ha ha ha !!)

It's now been to 4 different places to try and get it fixed but no one in this world seems to be able to understand the system or mend it.

Just before we came away,  a BMW specialist had it 3 days, absolutely c**k sure he would give us aircon for our journey.

Guess what... >:(  >:( ....no aircon !!

It's been regassed umpteen times as they keep telling me they find leaks, it's had the compressor and the ridiculous square wave variable frequency driven air con fan replaced....but still no cool air no one can mend it.

Before I contact NASA to see if they can help me,,,,does anyone know how this system actually works please?

[X5-D-Sport]

I can tell you, that this damned E53 AC system is a ball-ache of ball-aches to problem solve.

The X5 im selling now, the front fan behind the kidney grilles never worked. the modules were swapped out into other x5's & worked, the dash display the same, the fan powered up from another X5 via jumper connector leads....
But would it turn on command from my car ??  Bollox no way...

X5 AC systems are like stroppy-spoiled-children - annoying at best..


Saying that, I must admit that I have managed to solve lots of other X5 niggles easily - except the AC

[henrym3]

Interesting this subject has come up as I’m rebuilding the a/c system on the M3. Fault was similar to this thread, everything seemed to work in the engine bay, compressor clutch engaged, fan ran at low speed but no real difference in temperature. When taken to a/c specialists they talked eye watering £’s. So have done some reading and for much less money I have acquired the equipment to diy. ATM I have put in some dye to check for leaks and found one at the rear cover of the compressor, so have removed and stripped, cleaned and put back together. This I think will account for the fact that it would build enough pressure in the high side to operate the compressor clutch but not enough to get cool air. Have replaced the drier and am waiting on an expansion valve to arrive. Not easy to get some bits for a 28 year old car. Then going to vacuum the system to get rid of any moisture and see if it will hold a vacuum to confirm there is no leaks. If successful it’s ready to fill with gas. Really difficult to get two answers the same for things like how much oil to put in the compressor. How much gas to put in when filling.
You can see the dye with a uv light

[X5Sport]

Found this table on newtis.info.  States oil and refrigerant limits....

https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e53- ... k/ASsoB7Z4

[henrym3]

Amazing, thank you so much for this info X5Sport, I think I’ve followed this reasonably accurately or planned to and the confusion came in the amount of oil to put in the compressor. This article has helped, also how much R134a to put in an empty system. Various a/c shops, tell me between 800g to 870g this article tells me pre 12/1997 is 1210+/_25g, quite a difference. I did ask the BMW dealer in Cockermouth but they told me they wouldn’t possibly know that sort of information for such an old car?? Some are helpful and some aren’t. Anyway, thanks again for the article.

[X5Sport]

Pleasure, but that Dealer will have this TIS system as it is a copy of the actual service data all BMW Dealers have to use.  Sounds to me like they just aren’t interested!  The newtis website carries servicing data for most BMW models going back many years.

[H4MP]

Any luck with this I'm currently stuck with my aircon 2009 X5

[henrym3]

From my point of view, most of the bits have arrived, vacuum pump, gauges and expansion valve. All fitted and vacuumed, held the vacuum for 24 hours so am reasonably confident there are no leaks. Waiting on a tap to connect the gauges to the R134a bottle. Could just take it to a/c shop but as mentioned earlier in this article none of the shops inspire confidence even with all the fancy equipment. I’m in the corner where if I do it and make a bo**#ckes of it then there is no-one to blame but me.

[kanewesley]

:-[
OK...so how embarassing.
Aircon still not working but now I know why it couldnt be mended.
The BMW tosser I took it to was ripping me off. I kept paying him cash in hand and he kept coming up with all sorts of finds and excuses till I'd had enough.
Final straw came when the last 2 days of him having car he disappeared with it for 2 days and kept lying to me.
He took £50 her, £100 there,.....but he seemed so believable.
Turns out he was and ex jailbird, a conman who took me for a ride to the tune of £700 in all.....all I got for that was an MOT certificate and lie after lie......Can't believe I was taken in but he seemed so gen.
Still no aircon if anyone knows where I can take it Doncaster area... :-[