Howdy! So I've been using my Mini's air conditioning system at full blast recently, and I've noticed this odd thing it does. About every 10 minutes or so, the A/C will sort of "power down" about 50% for a few seconds, then ramp back up to full blowin'.

Does everybody's do this? I called my local service dept and the Ask-Mini people, and they both shrugged at me.

By the way, I have the regular stock a/c system, not the auto air option.

Thanks!

 

I think that is either your compressor coming on, or your evaporative core is icing up. It will melt away, and air will flow through it again...hence the puddle of water under your vehicle when you run your A/C. If your A/C runs cool, but not as cold as it should, you may want to get your charge checked...may need more.

 

I have the auto ac in my '05 mcs and it always did what you explain. I never questioned why though? To be honest I'm not exactly thrilled with the ac in mine.

 

Same here, I also feel it powering down; then it comes back on.
I have the Auto AC and cold air has always blown in....

 

Is your name "Fridge", or Fidge?

 

According to the manual, when the system is on high it keeps recirculating and cooling the inside air, then every so often it brings in fresh air from outside. Which is why it sounds like it has lost power, when the outside vent is opened up the air flow is changed making the system breathe easier. Hope this helps...

 

If you are used to the A/C system in an older car, and now you have a newer one, and it doesnt feel quite as cold, its because the refridgerant they use is different. They went from R12 to R134a, for environmental issues.
As far as the 'cycling' goes, I have the auto-A/C and it does the same thing. The bringing in of fresh air makes sense too. I know my manual mentions that one should not stay on the recirculatory cycle for too long.
But, if I do, my evaportative core does ice, which runs it through another 50% cycle to get the ice to melt.

 

same thing happens here with auto ac. The fresh air thing makes sense. The ac is quiter when selected to fresh air than it is on recirc.

 

Thanks for all the answers, makes a lot of sense and alleviates my concern.

My question now is why my local service department rep just shrugged at my question with something along the lines of, "Well, all the '07 issues are new to us." ?? Nothing about the compresser, air intake, etc. duh?

 

That answers my questions too as i was wondering the same thing. thanks for sharing.

 

My 95 Eclipse turbo had two A/C levels - not the fan speed but the AC actually had two levels. When it is on green, it is like regular AC on any other car but when it is on orange, it is like weaker version of AC to conserve energy and give more power to the engine. I though it was neat.

 

WOW! Thats amazing. He should know better, its common with all cars. Maybe he's like my husband...not really listening, and occasionally agreeing or shrugging his shoulders, you know the selective hearing thing.