Murdered530xi

So I’ve had a litany oddball issues; presets clearing out in the CCC, seat adjustments steering wheel button etc. never had the time abs day need a reset but also on the list; transmission limp mode with no error and now when I’m using the AC you can hear a droning of what I think is the compressor but lately, say I go into a shop and my wife is staying out in the car, the AC will just completely stop blowing cold. I’ve only noticed this on really hot days when the car is in full sun. As soon as you start driving the AC blows cold air again.

I have a new IBC to install cause I was thinking that could be an issue with battery drain as it’s still the factory sensor…I’ve never had a lock out from starting, but it was cheap enough so I figured I’d install the updated version with the hella splitter.

im wondering if what I’m having is an under performing alternator? Maybe the car isn’t keeping up with electrical load at an idle and the car is shutting down the AC or prioritizing things to keep the battery sufficiently charging.

I did test the alternator a while back and k think it was okay, bounced between 12.3v and 12.8 but I may have been doing it wrong I’m not sure.

thoughts?

donpb

See Is My Battery Bad? - 5Series.net - Forums. I'd also suggest you buy yourself a BMW code reader.

habbyguy

FWIW, all ACs work better when you're rolling. The amount of cold they can put out is proportional to the amount of heat they can get rid of, and that's all done with the condenser (in front of your coolant radiator). You're going to notice this more on a car with a questionable performing AC though (like one that's low on refrigerant).

If your AC compressor IS making a lot of noise, that can be a symptom of low refrigerant. Another common place to look is at the power steering system - if the filter in your reservoir is clogged, your reservoir is going to have fluid all over it (the over-pressure forces it out the tiny little breather hole in the cap).

And finally, 12.3 to 12.8 volts is way too low for a working alternator. By about a volt. Verify that, but if so you have a few choices - a new regulator (not expensive, but a little more fiddly), a rebuilt alternator (the way I went, being cheap), or a new one (don't buy a BMW alternator, but an OEM - Valeo, IIRC).

plus1111

Make sure the radiator fan is working properly too.

banglenot

Unless the fan is droning, it's probably caused by about 50% refrigerant. I had the same problem. BMW has a TSB saying that refrigerant decline is normal, so if you have a 15 years old car and it's never been refreshed, it's very likely low.

Don't use the auto store can. Have it evacuated and refilled by weight, since the pressure readings may not see low refrigerant by weight..

Good luck