<E34> AC Failure

[ingraham@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Curtis A. Ingraham)]

In BMW Digest v09.n080 Brant M. Miller <brant@domain.elided> wrote:

> My 1995 525i with 49,350 miles on the odometer  just turned its air
> conditioning on without request from me. 
> ...
> The green indicator lights on both the AC and the air recirculation 
> switches were out as they should be.  
> ...
> The refrigerant return line to the AC compressor had a layer of white 
> ice on it
> ... 
> Probably non-related information: when activated, the AC compressor 
> or something near it emits clattering noise - the sort of sound that 
> I would expect to hear from bits of metal on an old car banging 
> against each other due to rough-idle vibration.

The symptoms I quoted above make me wonder if a mechanical problem
is making the compressor clutch lock up.  If you can make it happen
again, measure the voltage to the clutch to see whether it's mechanical
vs. electrical.

> C.  Finally, and probably most importantly, if my dealer is unable 
> to locate and correct the problem on Thursday, what do I need to do 
> to ensure that my warranty does not expire before the problem is 
> corrected?  

When you check in on Thursday, be sure the service advisor puts a 
thorough description of the problem on the service order.  (Help him
by bringing your own brief but specific written description.)  That will
be your record that the problem started before the warranty expired.

Curt Ingraham
'72 2002tii
Oakland, California

------------------------------