a/c problem 96 328is

[328isbimmer]

I was driving to the gas station today with the a/c on working fine. However, I did notice it was making a faint noise that was out of the ordinary. After I filled my car up, I started the car and went to turn on the a/c but the screen remained black. The buttons arent working to get the a/c on. Has anyone else had this happen? and what needs to be replaced?:help

[JDStrickland]

I'd start by checking the pressure on the Low Side and adding a can of R134a. You can buy 134a at any autoparts store, and if you look around you will find a can that includes the Low Side Pressure Indicator.

If the pressure is too low, the safety switch will kick in and protect the compressor. It's not a problem for an older car, like yours, to have low pressure. If you put in a can of R134a and it holds for a couple of years, then blow the whole ordeal off. If you need another can in a week or two, then you need professional service.

The directions on adding a can of R134a are printed on the can.

[Seeker]

sounds like your digital climate control took a crap..

usually when they go bad, it's because a capacitor inside it needs replaced

check this DIY page about the capacitor fix... its usually the problem when a DCC goes totally dead.

http://www.macadamizer.com/bmwfix.html





JD- read his post again.. his controls for the HVAC is not lighting up.. this control unit is what turns the compressor on/off

this is what a DCC looks like

http://pic.mukerji.co.uk/2005-10-16-dup/32.jpg


yours and my cars have the older rotary analog HVAC controls... pretty sure his '96 model is digital like above.

[Tontizzle]

sounds like your capacitor is shot mate. Check out this DIY (http://frontiernet.net/~Papi/Clim_Ctrl.html)

The part will cost ya sweet feck all and its not hard to do

[Seeker]

sounds like your capacitor is shot mate. Check out this DIY (http://frontiernet.net/~Papi/Clim_Ctrl.html)


hmmm...

I like the pics in your DIY link better Tontizzle.. :devillook

[Tontizzle]

hmmm...

I like the pics in your DIY link better Tontizzle.. :devillook


didnt notice da other poster! ah sure my DIY has a chick doin it.... gives some sort of a raunchy element to it

[328isbimmer]

Thanks a lot for the replies guys the diy looks like its gonna be a big help

[JDStrickland]

Sorry, I missed that. I was thinking he issue was that the compressor went south, but it's that the controller took a dive. My bad.

[bigMphan]

Look for the symtoms described in
http://www.macadamizer.com/bmwfix.html

Does it seem to have a mind of its own?
Does the fan sometime work and sometime not?
Does the compressor engage and disengage here and there on its own?

Otherwise this DIY is straightforward and been working for me for like 65,000 miles:redspot

I've been waiting to find the fuel filter DIY for the "BIG" filter for a while.
Nice work!

[Seeker]

gee..

did anyone mention it might be that the capacitor is shot and this is a DYI link to fix it??

http://www.macadamizer.com/bmwfix.html



nope.. dont think so.. I musta missed it if it was :D

[arctic28]

I have a question for the OP. Did any of your buttons light up after the screen wouldn't turn on? I got in my car today and the screen wouldn't turn on and I pressed every button a bunch of times and nothing would turn it on, not even the lights for the snowflake ,defroster or any of those buttons on the sides. I did check my fuses and all of them seemed fine.

[flyfishvt]

That's what happens with the digital climate control units when they go bad.

[arctic28]

Well I ended up trying out the capacitor thing and it fixed my problem. My only hiccup in the process was that when I was checking the fuses before I didn't put the one for the blower motor in the right place.

[pgu44]

I would like to add something. I did not read/see the DIY before I jumped into the problem. My digital climate control would turn on and off randomly. I removed the climate control and only found that my RTD (resistive thermal device)was extremely clogged with FUZZ! I cleaned out the fuzz and put it all back together.....it still worked as before. Then I decided to give a little side-to-side action on the big connector in the back. It now works fine. So to all the readers.......don't always assume the worst.
pgu44