01 Jul BMW AC System Failure in Boca Raton: Top Reasons Why This Happens
Air conditioning makes life a lot more bearable, especially in the summer months. In your BMW, your air conditioner is one of the luxuries you may take for granted due to the all-around top-notch driver comfort features built into the car from the outset. By comparison, standard air conditioning may seem quite boring. However, if your air conditioner quits functioning altogether, you’ll notice in a hurry, especially when the temperature and humidity rises.
It’s fairly easy to run your own diagnostic on your air conditioner before you take it to a mechanic. While you may not pinpoint the problem directly, it will allow you to give the mechanic a general idea of where to start looking under the hood.
How to Diagnose Your Own Air Conditioning Issues
There are 4 basic questions to ask yourself if your air conditioner seems to be on the fritz:
Is your A/C blowing cool air instead of cold air?
If your A/C is cranked up high but only moderately cool air is blowing, the issue could be with your condenser’s cooling fans or your radiator. Alternatively, your cabin air filter could be clogged.
Is your A/C blowing air at all?
If your air conditioner is not blowing any air at all, it’s possible that part of your compressor has gone bad. Possibilities range from a blown fuse to a bad cycling switch, which leads to a lack of pressure in the system.
Do you notice an old “gym locker” type smell coming from your vents?
If you notice that the weak or warm air blowing into your cabin also has a funky smell, the most likely cause is a moldy evaporator case. This may cause, or be caused by, a blockage in the case’s drain.
Are there unusual puddles beneath your vehicle in the morning?
If you notice that there is green, oily fluid beneath your BMW when you move your vehicle, it’s possible that you have a refrigerant leak. If this is the case, your air conditioner may blow cool or hot air when your system is set to maximum cold.
Reasons Your Air Conditioner Might Be Failing
There are several reasons your air conditioner may fail, with each one requiring a slightly different course of repair. The first is a freon leak.
Freon, otherwise known as refrigerant, is the green, oily fluid in your engine that cools down your vehicle, including your cabin, via your air conditioning system. A freon leak may be due to:
- cracked or damaged hoses
- a failed sensor
- a failed condenser
- cracked, damaged, or loose seals
Loose hoses can also cause your air conditioner to blow warm or weak air. As long as there is no structural damage to your engine, this can be a relatively simple fix. Furthermore, you may experience a clog in the system. Most commonly, clogs build up in the refrigerant charging hose or expansion tube, but the problem is not isolated to these areas.
If your ventilation fan is damaged or old, your air conditioning will likely blow very warm or very weak air. This problem may develop over a period of weeks or months or may suddenly appear overnight. Most likely, the issue is the result of a blown motor.
A faulty compressor clutch may be causing your BMW’s air conditioning system to lose pressure, which will result in warm or weak air blowing into the cabin. If the clutch is unable to engage with the compressor, then your system will be unable to maintain the correct pressure to function.
Shores Automotive Is Here to Help
If your BMW’s air conditioner is not 
working as well as it should, be it that it’s blowing warm air, smelly air, or no air at all, Shores Automotive is here to diagnose and repair the issue. We service the Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Highland Beach, Lighthouse Point, and Deerfield Beach, Florida areas.
Our automotive technicians are all car enthusiasts with a passion for sleek, well-running European models, though we serve all makes and models. Whatever you’re driving, from the largest SUV to the smallest coupe, we have the tools and expertise to get your vehicle running smoothly once more. Call us today.