We were driving around CA this sunny weekend, with the A/C set to 72. We noticed as we drove through Sacramento that it was 101 outside, but inside very comfortable. We have the leatherette seats and we're surprised how well they're working out - we were on the road for four days.

 

I agree it is the worst of any car I have owned. Vents open. Windows tinted. Still sucks! Maybe they low balled some of us on refrigerant????
BTW, manual A/C, maybe it is just a problem with ours??

 

mine is manual AC as well...also ended up with dark tint, still not good enough

 

I don't know if it makes a difference, but we really didn't like the manual AC when we drove vehicles for evaluation. The temp-controlled AC seemed to work much better for us, and that's what we invested in. We haven't found a condition where the AC doesn't keep up - so far.

 

Magpullin

I am manual also - maybe more to the Auto AC systems than just the control side, Bigger condenser perhaps?

 

The ac in my cm sucks, it fees like it's blowing at about 74 degrees took it in to have it checked when I was having other problems already, and the tech said it was blowing out at 58 degrees. I don't think it's that cold, I didnt get the auto air controls b/c I thought it came with that, and you could get the auto climate control for a price, can't tell what u get when all the cars on the lot are set up with all the goodies and my ma didnt tell me different so I'm stuck with the crap controls,rolling the dials but it's pretty hot the last week hight 90's and it doesn't keep u cool and the leatherette doesn't help when your back and butt are just swett y. Think I jumped in the deep end too soon on this car burning but problems. Oh and windows tinted and have big towels covering the seats and still sucks

 

The guts of the A/C is the same in both systems.. The auto system will vary the fan speed and vent distribution and try to maintain the temp you have set.
Setting the temp colder doesn't physically make the air colder at the condenser, it just adjusts the flow/distribution to try and get to your desired temp.
Since the auto system is always self adjusting, it is sending the air where it needs to go rather than all in the same place like the manual system does.
If your car isn't cold enough then most likely it needs some tuning.. either too little or too much refrigerant will give problems....
If you have a sunroof you're going to have a harder time cooling, most cars have a solid some what insulated shade, I don't know why MINI has never put one in... IMHO the mesh screen is useless for keeping the heat out, living in Houston is why I chose not to have a sunroof..

I had a loaner for a while and cut a piece of cardboard to cover the sunroof, and it did make the car cooler...

 

Living here in Dallas, window tint is a requirement, not a "nicety". I also have ordered and installed a pair of Seat Armor Black UNion Jack Twoel seat covers(they look awesome!) as the standard vinyl seats were my "heat up" problem. Those suckers DO NOT BREATHE at all! Didn't have this issue in my Clubman. The towel seat covers have helped the most and the A/C works fine...now the question is "Order a pair of those Zippee Shades for the sunroof?" some people like them, others do not....

 

Do those seat covers have an opening on the seatback side? the side impact airbag is in the seatback... I have Wet Okole seat covers, they are made of a wetsuit like material and are custom fit with an airbag opening... they are much better than the stock seats but not quite as good as the towel kind...
I like the look of the Union Jack cover....

 

No you are not wrong. I went to real oem parts listing for BMW. The compressor for the countryman is the same v belt driven magnetic clutch compressor that I have in my 07 R56 justa, the part numbers are identical. For some reason the listing didn't list the part number for my 56 condensor, but pictorially it looked the same part as the countryman condensor.

It would appear BMW along with just dropping the engine into a different body has also just dropped the same AC system from the hatchback coupe into the countryman. Given the much larger volume of cooling required of the countryman, I can see the reason for some complaints. I'm driving in 95-100 with high humidity and although my cooper does just fine, I have to wonder if the same system would be sufficient in a countryman with more volume to cool off and more window area.

It won't dissuade me from buying a countryman. I only use the AC in the most extreme temperatures (90+) and I don't like the sunroof and won't have one.

My recommendation is to make sure that you have the dealer fine tune the system and make sure the pressurant if right if you are experiencing poor performance. Also have the dryer checked (dessicant to remove water). Water vapor in the refrigerant can also cause poor performance. If you have a sunroof, put a dark tint on it, or get a complete sunshade. When you get in the car and its sizzling from being closed up drive the first couple of blocks with the ac on max and the windows open to get a lot of the heat out of the car, then close the windows. It should cool off quicker.

For some its adequate and probably some fine tuning and care on use will help those who seem to be having problems.

 

Thanks for looking into how the system is _really_ configured. I have it on good authority (an MA) that the AC is electric, not on an engine belt.

 

In the first part of the thread I professed my CM's ability to dish out the cold. However, Ohio has been on fire this summer and I have to say the A/C has barely kept up with the 100 degree temps we've experienced. There has been many times where, I have had everything maxed out from the beginning to the end of my trip. So while it's good enough all things considered, I am interested in adding more coolant or possibly tweaking the temps as mentioned in the thread.

My windows have a quality dark tint as well. Love car overall though

 

It may not be a matter of adding more coolant, but optimizing the coolant that is there. Too much coolant can make it run poorly as well. Have it checked for proper levels of coolant.

 

I just don't get the discrepancy, the A/C in my Countryman has been ice cold all summer, in constant 90-100 degree weather here in NYC. So much so I'm constatntly raising the temp after the first cool off period on max A/C, I can't keep it lore than 68 most days as it's just to cold. I'm also a person who loves it cold I keep my house central air around 74 most of the summer, my poor wife wears a hoodie all the time. Now the A/C did suck in my R56 MCS, I dealt with it, but it would take way to long to get cold.

 

I just got my Countryman and we noticed the A/C was not providing cold air and took it in where the Mini Technicians discovered a leaky Schrader Valve. the replaced it and recharged the system and is working pretty well now. It was a faulty part right out of the factory.

 

reached 90 degrees here in LA yesterday and noticed that my A/C was pretty weak. i was thinking that it was because everything is black and i haven't tinted my windows yet but it looks like i'm not the only one with this issue. sucks because it's only going to get hotter.

 

Agreed! In Seattle we get about 1 week of this in Sept.. LOL

 

Last summer our car was intermittent for cooling. I asked about it at the first service and the tech explained how it works. I'm pretty savvy when it comes to gears and things but he gave me a headache with this explanation. I think my brain rejected it cause I can't recall what he said only the pain of design concept rings in my head.
will see what happens if we keep this car or if they buy us a new one.

Lots of problems so the AC got dropped to the least important.

 

So it's getting warmer out here and again the AC is hit or miss. Sometimes it can cool the car and other times it can barely blow air 5 degrees cooler than what's in the car. It doesn't matter what mode it's in or how hard the fan is on.

Add this to the list of items I tried to have fixed which turned out to not get fixed. I will need to take it to the dealer again. Yea! this will make for over 20 days in the past four months.

While it's there I will have to get the rear latch adjusted replaced as it sometimes doesn't indicate it is locked even though it is. The passenger rear view mirror cracked at the hinge? It's maybe the first or second time my wife actually used it. And then the rear seat latch which is clunking all the time.

Oh and finally the idle is getting stumbly again when it's rained!

 

My 2012 MCS w/manual air was pitiful - barely kept the front cool, and the back seat passengers roasted. MINI of Dallas changed the Schrader valve, and fine tuned the coolant, and it is SO much better!Don't know what a Schrader valve is, but changing it worked for me.

 

Schrader Valve:



Look familiar? On an auto A/C system, they are used as a port to add coolant.

 

Thanks for the info. Since I will be in the dealer for the 'temperature sensor recall' I'm going to have them tweak the AC as well including asking them to replace the valve and make sure the coolant level is where it should be. I've noticed that sometimes the AC seems fine and other times it literally blows.

 

They also use schrader valves to keep the air in your tires.

Dave

 

Dealer told me the system is fine. Apparently it meets the specs on a document Mini has which calculates the amount of cooling needed versus the ambient air and humidity. Senior tech said a difference of 5 degrees is within spec?

Maybe it works on paper but it sure makes for an uncomfortable driving experience in hot weather. Nothing is more fun than 100 degrees temperatures and 95 degree airconditioning!

Jumped into my friends 14K dollar Toyota and the Ac is so cold you have to keep the setting on low and divert the ducts from your legs.

Same on My other car and on most I always thought.

The service guys won't do a thing about ours.

Really sucks.