2003 X5 A/c problem

[X5Paul6729]

I have used the search feature and have not been able to find my problem. My a/c does not blow cold air on my 2003 X5 3.0. The clutch on the compressor does kick in when switched on and the compressor does continue to turn. The turn wheel on the dash is turned to the 3 blue dots. It is also full of freon. When you first turn it on, it starts to blows cool air just never gets cold like it use to. It also quits blowing cool air after a few minutes. I have notice that the auxiliary fan does not come on when the a/c is switched on, the auxiliary fan will run if I disconnect the pressure switch on the bottom a/c line, but then the compressor kicks out. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance

[dworthy]

Welcome to the Forum!

Have you scanned for codes in the HVAC ECU? You may have several problems, and the best way to start is getting it scanned for codes.

Did you fill the A/C system yourself? If so what tools/gauges did you use? Or was this done at a HVAC specialist shop?

[X5Paul6729]

It has been full ever since we purchased it several years ago. Checked with a Freon add kit. I scanned the ECU and found no codes. Just not sure where to check from here. We purchased the car with 55K on it, it now has 120K and things are starting to fail, just yesterday the drivers door will not open using the door handle from the outside. Searched that and have found it to be a common problem. Wondering if it might be time to get rid of it?

[dworthy]

Most hand-held scanner will only talk to the Engines Computer or DME in BMW speak (Thanks Marc).

What are you using to scan the codes? There is a relative cheap way to talk to that car just using a laptop and an OBD-II cable called INPA. INPA will talk to every ECU in that car, and can perform basic testing plus show you live data.

[White94RX]

And by the way, checking your refrigerant level any other way that recovering it and measuring it, is highly inaccurate. There's a reason professionals don't just add Freon from a can with a crappy gauge on top. Your system may or may not have much Freon in it. Or could even have too much.

Typically, the first step in any A/C problem is to have the system recovered (to measure how much was in it), vacuumed, and recharged to the proper level. I have been fixing BMW's professionally now for over 13 years. 80-90% of A/C problems have been fixed this way. It's usually low on refrigerant due to a leak.

[jclausen]

Yea I would go for an ac service first because the amount of freon in the system and high and low pressures are very important