BMW 5 Hybrid Climate Controls Dead, Common Fix Inside

Had the exact same issue with my 2015 BMW ActiveHybrid 3 last winter. The climate control symptoms matched yours, no AC response and minimal heat output. Initially thought it was the solar sensor too, but turned out to be a faulty wiring harness connection to the climate control module. The main wire bundle had some corrosion at the connector pins, causing intermittent communication issues with the control unit. My diagnostic scan showed error code similar to yours. The repair involved replacing the wiring harness and cleaning the connector ports. Not a major repair, but definitely needed a certified technician who knew BMW's systems well. Found this problem is fairly common in these models after a few years of use. The fix has held up perfectly since then, full control of AC and heat working as intended. Suggest getting it checked soon though, as continued issues could potentially affect other electrical systems.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really helpful since it sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. Would you mind telling me how much it set you back for the harness replacement and cleaning? Also curious if you've had any other electrical gremlins pop up since getting it fixed? Trying to figure out if I should budget for any other potential issues while I'm at it. Appreciate your input!

Hey there! Just wanted to update you on my repair costs, the final bill came to 95 € to fix the cable and connector issue. Much better than I initially feared! Since getting it sorted at the mechanic, the solar sensor fault cleared up completely and everything's been working like a charm. The AC and heating are both back to full strength. I'm actually really glad I got it fixed when I did, haven't had a single electrical gremlin show up since then. Been about 8 months now and the climate control's still working perfectly. My mechanic mentioned these issues rarely come back once properly fixed, and so far that's proven true for my car. If you're budgeting, I'd say just focus on this repair for now. From my experience, once the wiring connection is sorted, you shouldn't need to worry about related problems popping up. The BMW electrical systems are pretty solid once you get rid of the actual fault. Let me know how it goes when you get yours fixed!

Hey, thanks so much for all the details! Just wanted to update you, I took your advice and got it checked out. Turns out you were spot on about the wiring harness! Took it to a certified BMW specialist and they found corroded connectors, just like you mentioned. The repair was actually cheaper than I expected, only cost me about 85 € for the whole job. The mechanic was great, showed me the old corroded parts and explained everything. Been a couple of weeks now, and the climate control is working perfectly. Both AC and heat are back to full power, and that pesky error code is gone. Really glad I didn't waste time replacing the solar sensor first. You saved me from going down the wrong path and probably spending way more than needed. The mechanic even gave the electrical system a once-over and said everything else looks solid. Definitely sleeping better knowing it's all sorted now! Thanks again for sharing your experience, it really helped me make the right call on this one!