Diagnosing AC in the X5

[humbertob]

My wife's X5 AC just quit working suddenly and I'm getting these 2 codes from BMW Carly app 80436E Compressor clutch open circuit or short circuit to positive and code 804370 compressor valve open circuit or short circuit to positive, as long as I know the F15 don't have any relays, so what should I do now? I just disconnected both batteries from the vehicle to reset the whole system and the ac compressor just worked right for about 2 minutes blowing really cold air as usual and then died again with these 2 codes, do you think that the coil and/or clutch is going bad? Will I need to replace the whole ac compressor? What do you recommend guys?

[DuSh]

Originally Posted by humbertob

My wife's X5 AC just quit working suddenly and I'm getting these 2 codes from BMW Carly app 80436E Compressor clutch open circuit or short circuit to positive and code 804370 compressor valve open circuit or short circuit to positive, as long as I know the F15 don't have any relays, so what should I do now? I just disconnected both batteries from the vehicle to reset the whole system and the ac compressor just worked right for about 2 minutes blowing really cold air as usual and then died again with these 2 codes, do you think that the coil and/or clutch is going bad? Will I need to replace the whole ac compressor? What do you recommend guys?

Most often it's a low refrigerant level. If there's low pressure in the system (low refrigerant level) a/c will shut off by itself as a safety mechanism. Can you check the refrigerant level/pressure at BMW dealership service or even at local a/c shop - they do this kind of things dozens everyday.

If pressure is good (assuming there's no leak in the system) - then next step is to check compressor (I doubt it's faulty if you are saying you had ice cold air for 2 min). But worst case scenario it's about $480 for a new a/c compressor: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...so-64529217868

I would let HVAC shop diagnose it - this is something I would not do as DIY unless you have experience in HVAC. Having ISTA+ would be a plus - as it explains a lot of stuff unlike Carly.

[humbertob]

Originally Posted by DuSh

Most often it's a low refrigerant level. If there's low pressure in the system (low refrigerant level) a/c will shut off by itself as a safety mechanism. Can you check the refrigerant level/pressure at BMW dealership service or even at local a/c shop - they do this kind of things dozens everyday.

If pressure is good (assuming there's no leak in the system) - then next step is to check compressor (I doubt it's faulty if you are saying you had ice cold air for 2 min). But worst case scenario it's about $480 for a new a/c compressor: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...so-64529217868

I would let HVAC shop diagnose it - this is something I would not do as DIY unless you have experience in HVAC. Having ISTA+ would be a plus - as it explains a lot of stuff unlike Carly.

I just checked high and low pressure in the AC system and are as follows: high 150psi and low 25psi, the AC is working good right now, anyway I'll let a reputable shop check the AC system asap. Thanks again for all your support.

[DuSh]

Originally Posted by humbertob

I just checked high and low pressure in the AC system and are as follows: high 150psi and low 25psi, the AC is working good right now, anyway I'll let a reputable shop check the AC system asap. Thanks again for all your support.

If you'll get to the bottom of that, please let us know what was wrong.

[humbertob]

Originally Posted by DuSh

If you'll get to the bottom of that, please let us know what was wrong.

Yes of course I'll for sure ! I just saw a post here on the F30 section with same codes and resolution was a bad relay replacement but as long as I know the F15 has no relays at all. 😳

[humbertob]

Originally Posted by DuSh

Most often it's a low refrigerant level. If there's low pressure in the system (low refrigerant level) a/c will shut off by itself as a safety mechanism. Can you check the refrigerant level/pressure at BMW dealership service or even at local a/c shop - they do this kind of things dozens everyday.

If pressure is good (assuming there's no leak in the system) - then next step is to check compressor (I doubt it's faulty if you are saying you had ice cold air for 2 min). But worst case scenario it's about $480 for a new a/c compressor: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...so-64529217868

I would let HVAC shop diagnose it - this is something I would not do as DIY unless you have experience in HVAC. Having ISTA+ would be a plus - as it explains a lot of stuff unlike Carly.

Hey DuSh, where can I get ISTA+?

[DuSh]

Originally Posted by humbertob

Hey DuSh, where can I get ISTA+?

Hey man, I'm not the one who is savvy with ISTA+ but here's some download links (it's a challenge by itself to properly download and install everything to make it work, but IMHO it's worth it):
https://mega.nz/#F!dAxihCja!0JoWxVXavz6Exwgvp6fyLA

Then there is couple torrent links, but I never tried them, so not sure if they work or not (one is from Matte Provenzale - a n63 Facebook club creator and the other is from Russian torrent website - it's huge file size I think >200Gb, it says instruction and how to is in folder Tools>FAQ-EN.pdf) : https://ufile.io/xs105 and https://ufile.io/17mro (links are active for 30 days only).

There are also couple other websites that I don't remember lol. Hopefully others will chime in.

[DuSh]

Ah! Found it - Maverik259 created a thread about it: https://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...=ista+download

[humbertob]

Originally Posted by DuSh

Ah! Found it - Maverik259 created a thread about it: https://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...=ista+download

Will try to download and configure ISTA+ and order an enet cable ! Thanks again ! 🤩

[humbertob]

A little update on this issue:

Just went to the AC expert and they connected the AC machine to the vehicle, the machine just detected low refrigerant on the system, like half pound less than the vehicle's specification, the machine just evacuated the whole system, then provided the exact amount of refrigerant to the vehicle and the ac compressor is working as expected, unfortunately we have a cold weather now here at my location, I'll need to wait for the hot weather to come back and fully test the system, hope this will be the remedy for this issue. I hope !

[CatalinP]

So you're not interested to find out where the refrigerant went missing?
By the way, there is a mixture of refrigerant and oil that should be pumped into the system.

[humbertob]

Originally Posted by CatalinP

So you're not interested to find out where the refrigerant went missing?
By the way, there is a mixture of refrigerant and oil that should be pumped into the system.

We will find out where the refrigerant is going and the system has been filled with the right amount of R134a and compressor oil by an AC computer controlled machine.

[humbertob]

Originally Posted by CatalinP

So you're not interested to find out where the refrigerant went missing?
By the way, there is a mixture of refrigerant and oil that should be pumped into the system.

CatalinP just take a look at this very informative video about oil when discharging an ac system, I think you have a misconception about oil in the ac system and evacuation of refrigerant in a liquid form.

[DuSh]

Originally Posted by DuSh

Most often it's a low refrigerant level. If there's low pressure in the system (low refrigerant level) a/c will shut off by itself as a safety mechanism. Can you check the refrigerant level/pressure at BMW dealership service or even at local a/c shop - they do this kind of things dozens everyday.

If pressure is good (assuming there's no leak in the system) - then next step is to check compressor (I doubt it's faulty if you are saying you had ice cold air for 2 min). But worst case scenario it's about $480 for a new a/c compressor: https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...so-64529217868

I would let HVAC shop diagnose it - this is something I would not do as DIY unless you have experience in HVAC. Having ISTA+ would be a plus - as it explains a lot of stuff unlike Carly.

Yep, that's what is wrong in majority of cases with a/c in f15 - it's not that i'm smart, I'm pretty dumb actually lol, but I often browse other f15 forums (non English) and sometimes it helps.

Check the tis: https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...ressor/PjHa2QC
There's a table that says exactly how much is permissible loss in grams

[humbertob]

Originally Posted by DuSh

Yep, that's what is wrong in majority of cases with a/c in f15 - it's not that i'm smart, I'm pretty dumb actually lol, but I often browse other f15 forums (non English) and sometimes it helps.

Check the tis: https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/f...ressor/PjHa2QC
There's a table that says exactly how much is permissible loss in grams

Hey DuSh, thanks a lot for the ISTA+ recommendation, I just received my ENET Cable yesterday and I already have ISTA+ installed on my Surface book and the software is working great, awesome software by the way, I already found out why my alarm siren is not functioning, so this saturday the back bumper cover will be off to replace the alarm siren. The software also detected a worn battery that has been replaced and properly registered yesterday. Thanks a bunch DuSh, people like you is the one that makes this Forum a great place !

[humbertob]

The X5 is at the AC shop, the ac compressor is being replaced along with the disecant element at the condenser, all the rubber gaskets and the expansion valve, will inform you after all the work on the X5 AC system is done.

[humbertob]

The AC compressor has been replaced along with the disecant element, the expansion valve and all the ac lines gaskets, code has been gone in ISTA+ and air inside the cabin is very cold again !

[fixingstill]

You possibly just needed a clutch coil or control valve, either of which would cost no more than $100 and less time than taking it to a AC shop.