BMW 5 Hybrid AC Not Working, Cooling System Failure Help

Hi there! I have some experience with car maintenance and actually went through something very similar with my 2019 BMW 7 Series Hybrid (also have a 3 Series in the family). Had the exact same symptoms, AC completely dead, wouldn't even start up. Took it to my regular workshop and turned out there were faulty valves in the AC system that needed replacement. The whole thing set me back about 1000 Euro, but it's been working perfectly since the fix. Could you share more details about any warning signs you noticed before it stopped working completely? Also, what's your mileage? This might help pinpoint if it's the same issue I had. Feel free to ask any specific questions about the repair process, happy to share more details about what they did to fix mine.

Thanks for sharing your experience! My mileage is currently at 107942 KM and last service was just 2 months ago. Before the AC stopped working completely, I did notice it was blowing warmer air than usual for about a week, but I foolishly ignored it thinking it would sort itself out. Really regretting that now! That's interesting about the faulty valves, I was worried it might be something more serious with the compressor. Did your repair also include any refrigerant recharge? The price you mentioned seems reasonable compared to what I was expecting for a BMW repair.

Hey again! Thanks for those details about your car. Yeah, that sounds really familiar, mine also started with warmer air before giving up completely. My mileage was pretty close to yours too, around 112000 KM when it happened. And yes, actually they did have to recharge the refrigerant as part of the repair. The faulty valves had caused a slow leak, which is why the cooling gradually got worse. That warm air you noticed was definitely a warning sign, pretty much identical to what I experienced. You're lucky you caught it relatively early though. In my case, driving with the failing system for too long could have damaged the compressor too. The workshop explained that low refrigerant levels can cause the compressor to work harder than it should. The total repair included the valve replacement, new seals, and the refrigerant recharge. Like I said before, it cost around 1000 Euro, but it was worth every penny. The AC has been running perfectly for the past year now. Given how similar our situations sound, I'd definitely get it checked out soon. Better to fix the valves now than end up with a damaged compressor later. Let me know how it goes!

Thanks so much for all that detailed information! That's really reassuring to hear, especially since our situations are so similar. I've actually just booked the car in for next week, didn't want to risk any damage to the compressor like you mentioned. The cost seems fair for a proper fix, and honestly, I just want my AC working again, especially with the warmer weather coming up. It's good to know what to expect and that it's likely just the valves rather than a complete system failure. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and breaking down all the repair details. I'll definitely keep an eye on these things in the future instead of ignoring the warning signs. I'll update once I get the car back from the workshop and let you know if it turned out to be the same issue! Thanks again for your help!