Why is the BMW 7 Series air conditioning not cooling?
2 Answers
Possible reasons can be divided into two scenarios: one is a malfunction in the air conditioning system itself, and the other is an issue with operation. Air conditioning system malfunctions: Clogged air filter, dirty condenser, cooling fan not working, refrigerant pressure too high or too low. Solutions: Replace the air filter. The condenser is prone to accumulating dust and small insects. If not cleaned for a long time, the condenser's heat dissipation will be poor, significantly reducing the air conditioning's cooling effect. You can clean the dirt on the condenser by rinsing it with water, but be careful not to use too high water pressure, as the condenser is relatively fragile. Refrigerant, also known as coolant, is the cooling agent inside the air conditioning system. There is a certain natural loss of refrigerant in the air conditioning system. If the refrigerant pressure is too low, the cooling effect will deteriorate, while if the refrigerant pressure is too high, the air conditioning may cool intermittently. Therefore, the refrigerant pressure must be adjusted to the standard range—neither too low nor too high is good.
My BMW 7 Series also had an issue with the AC not cooling properly before. After a lot of troubleshooting, I found out the cabin air filter was completely clogged like a ball of fur. The filters in this car are finer than those in regular vehicles, especially during summer when willow catkins are everywhere, making them prone to clogging—they need replacing every year. Another time, when I went for a car wash, I noticed the condenser was completely caked with mud, which ruined the heat dissipation and made the cooling system useless. Of course, don’t forget to check if there’s enough refrigerant—older cars tend to leak Freon. The most troublesome issue is electronic faults, like when the temperature sensor goes haywire and sends erratic data, causing the compressor to shut down completely. I’d recommend checking the filter and radiator fins first. Try rinsing the condenser with a water gun yourself; if that doesn’t work, you’ll need professional equipment to test the pressure.
