I’m on a handful of Mini Cooper sites, and it seems to me (judging by the number of threads) that the Automatic A/C control module is prone to failing. This is the one with all the buttons and the center dial, just to be clear.

A lot of the problems seem to be related to not getting any hot air out the vents. If you have had this problem, what fixed it?

 

I have mostly seen them go bad because of sodas in the cup holder spilling on them on bumpy roads. They buttons stick or go bad. The one in my car has a loose adjustment ring but works when you push on it.

There are some for sale in the marketplace.

 

I’ve got one on my bench that needs a new chip.

The chip that drives the actuator for the hot / cold air door has a grounded output, and I’m wondering if this is how most of these A/C controls fail causing the loss of heat from the vents.

The chip in question is at the end of it’s lifecycle and will soon be obsolete. Trying to decide how many more I should order, got 5 coming.

 

Just hit 120k with my R50 and my climate controls are working fine (knock on wood). I could see them failing, like stated above, because something got splashed or spilled on it though. Electronics do have a lifespan, however.

 

My '04 R53 climate control unit failed last year....I think due to some sort of liquid getting inside (not from me)....the AC would not turn on...turns out the little push buttons inside on the circuit board were sticky and dirty...used an entire can of electrical spray cleaner on the circuit board and everything works fine now

Bryan

 

Mine are fine on my 2005. I did have a A/C compressor that went bad and when i hit the button, nothing would happen, found the a/c clutch was shot and the compressor was also at the point of locking up. People spill drinks on the controls as its close to the cup holder. thats when i see them bad or sticky.