Hi, our 2007 R56 Mini Cooper S's Automatic clmate control has gone Pete Tong today (typical as the weathers warmed up) doesn't matter what its set on it blows hot! if you change to 'Hi' it goes a little bit hotter whilst on 'Low' its still hot. Fans running AC light on and even in auto still hot. Not good.
I'm not to familiar with mini AC systems , it could be gas but as it blows hot instead of cool I was wondering if it could be anything elses, Is there any common faults with these systems?
Is ther any checks I can do?
Is there an electric heating valve that could be stuck open so 'fighting' the AC?
Is there any electric actuators that could be faulty?
Where are the pipes run so I can feel if the ac pipes are cold? I know the heater pipes are red hot.
does any one have a heating and ventilation layout diagram?
Can any one advise?
Any help greatfully received, Thanks.

Sounds like the compressor isn't kicking on. Have you checked it? Compressors are very expensive.

Sounds like the compressor isn't kicking on. Have you checked it? Compressors are very expensive.

Engine drops revs etc when AC selected.
whats the best way to check it?

As air is hot out the vents instead of cool I'm thinking its a control circuit issue. ie valve, actuator etc.

Did this just happen or has it been gradual? The compressor could be working but you may have lost the refrigerant through a small leak. The compressor is not easy to get to but a/c systems have a high side line and a low side. The low pressure line, usually a bit bigger than the high pressure line, should be cold to the touch if the compressor is running and has refrigerant.

Hi Zanhar.

I too have a similar problem with my 2007 cooper s. I have had the car for about 6 months and over the winter i noticed that it didnt heat up hardly at all but at the time i was only travelling 5 miles to work but didnt think anything of it. I have since changed jobs and travel 20 miles to work, I now have the problem that the a/c wont cool.

I have read somewhere that a pipe to the a/c could be worn through somewhere in the engine bay due to vibrations from the radiator? (That probably isnt the right terminology at all but engines anf technical aspects of cars arent my thing). This would probably make sense so in the winter it would just pick up the cold air temperature from outside the car preventing the car from heating up and the opposite now we are in hot weather?

Driving home the other day was almost unbearable wearing a suit with leather seats and only warm air blowing at me! Let me know if this is a feasable reason or if there is something else that could be the problem.

Aologies for jumping on this post, I just though it might be a similar issue.

Mark

The problem can sometimes come to light after the air con hasnt been used for some time, like throughout the colder weather, especially the winter.
If it isnt used the seals in the compressor can dry out resulting in loss of refridgerant.
You are supposed to run the air con system regularly for a few minutes every week or so to keep the seals lubricated.
Your problem might be just down to loss of refridgerant gas, you can have it topped up again at the garage, hopefully the seals will be ok and it will work again?

Hi Zanhar.

I too have a similar problem with my 2007 cooper s. I have had the car for about 6 months and over the winter i noticed that it didnt heat up hardly at all but at the time i was only travelling 5 miles to work but didnt think anything of it. I have since changed jobs and travel 20 miles to work, I now have the problem that the a/c wont cool.

I have read somewhere that a pipe to the a/c could be worn through somewhere in the engine bay due to vibrations from the radiator? (That probably isnt the right terminology at all but engines anf technical aspects of cars arent my thing). This would probably make sense so in the winter it would just pick up the cold air temperature from outside the car preventing the car from heating up and the opposite now we are in hot weather?

Driving home the other day was almost unbearable wearing a suit with leather seats and only warm air blowing at me! Let me know if this is a feasable reason or if there is something else that could be the problem.

Aologies for jumping on this post, I just though it might be a similar issue.

Mark

Thanks hopefully at the weekend I'll have a look. I'm taking it to work to get one a fridge engineers to put some gauges on it to confirm the state of charge.

The problem can sometimes come to light after the air con hasnt been used for some time, like throughout the colder weather, especially the winter.
If it isnt used the seals in the compressor can dry out resulting in loss of refridgerant.
You are supposed to run the air con system regularly for a few minutes every week or so to keep the seals lubricated.
Your problem might be just down to loss of refridgerant gas, you can have it topped up again at the garage, hopefully the seals will be ok and it will work again?

It's automatic climate control so always on. I'm taking it to work tomorrow to get an AC engineer to put some gauges on it to confirm the state of charge. I still think its something on the controls side. If it is low on charge it should be an easier fix, if it's lost all it's charge that will be bad news.

It was low on charge and been OK since.

It's automatic climate control so always on.
That's not technically true. The AC is only on all the time when the auto button is pressed (the AC LED lights at the same time). If the AC button is pressed, the system maintains the temp set but without conditioning the air (the auto LED is on but not the AC LED).