My A/C stopped cooling late 2025. Prior to that it got so cold I would have to turn it down. No problem over the winter months. The compressor clutch is not activating so my first thought was that the clutch was bad. I jumped it in the fuse box and it works when powered. My second thought was that the freon had leaked so the low pressure was the reason the clutch wasn't initializing. Gauges showed no pressure. Stuck a can of freon in there and I can actually hear it leaking so it must be a huge leak, right? So I bought a can of dye and injected it into the system. Dark garage, UV flashlight going to find the leak and fix everything -- easy, peasy. No leak showing anywhere so seals/hoses/compressor don't appear to be the problem. Anyone else run into this problem? Help appreciated because it's about to get freaking hot in Texas.

 

Posted just in case someone else is having the same issue: Charged the a/c system with shop air today and found a massive leak in the line that runs from the evaporator to the condenser. The hard portion of the line had been rubbing against something (maybe the anti-sway bar that seems to be positionally close but that makes no sense to me) and had perforated the line. Once I applied air there was a massive hissing sound that I couldn't locate from the top. I ultimately jacked up the car, removed the front left wheel and located the leak by running by hand along that line. I'll know more this week when I replace it and that seems to be a particularly horrible task. The evaporator portion of the line attaches to the firewall behind the engine so it appears that I'm going to have remove more than a few components to gain access. It's a very crooked line and snakes its way past a lot of parts. Anyone have any helpful tips that might make the job easier?

 

i've got not suggestions, but good job finding that leak! was the area around it a mess with dye (once you found it)?

 

There was no dye at the line split which is really strange because it showed up easily at the injection point. Weirdest problem I've ever had with this car. Just returned from the garage where I was surveying how I could access the a/c line. It wasn't pretty because it appears that most all of the components on the driver's side of the engine bay must be removed, possibly even the transmission mount and that also means jacking up and supporting the engine. That's on top on putting the car into front-end service mode, removing the condenser, dryer, etc. Then there's all the vacuum pump, freon recharge mess. All of this for a stupid a/c line. If I didn't live in Texas where it gets 110° every year I'd blow it off. I can't even imagine how much it would cost to have a shop do the work. It never stops with this car!

 

as a fellow texan (in dallas), i feel ya.

maybe b/c the line is so damaged it couldn't pull the dye through fast enough?

whenever i charge a fresh a/c system i add dye from the jump.

 

This is just a far-fetched idea but I wonder if you could just use a tube cutter to salvage the fittings and as much tube length as possible at each end, then have a hydraulics or A/C shop connect a flexible line of a suitable length so you could just leave the old line in place and by-pass it.

 

Novel idea but it's the suction line and under unknown pressure so I'm not sure what type of fittings would provide a leakless seal. That and the fact that the line isn't very accessible to begin with and would be really, difficult to get a tubing cutter on. Good thought though.

 

OK. Pulled most of the front end apart (FESM) and easily disconnected the A/C line at the condenser. Now, who knows how in the hell I get to the bolt holding the other end of the suction line attached to the firewall? I've removed the CAI filter, air box, ECU, throttle body air intake hose and everything surrounding and in between them but the one 10mm bolt holding the A/C line to the firewall is tucked underneath the dash and behind the bracket holding the shift cables. Also, what brilliant BMW engineer decided to put that 10mm bolt directly underneath the line rather than to the side? That makes it, so far, impossible to get a socket on from the top not to mention how in the world am I supposed to get the bolt back in once the new line is installed? Dropping the subframe is not an option! I am completely open to brilliant ideas on how to access and replace that one @#&^%! 10mm bolt. And, no, I don't want to sell the car. HELP!!!

 

Final Followup: I was able to get the line replaced today. Worked 3-4 hours but finally was able to remove the bolt holding the suction line to the firewall. The first pic attached shows everything that had to be removed to even be able to see the fitting (see where the light is shining). The fitting is way up under there and only visible by using the right angle of your head and then you really can't see it because it's beneath the actual suction line (vertically placed). The second pic attached is the contraption I created to get a 10mm socket on the bolt. But even that was unbelievably difficult as it kept slipping off the bolt because a direct-in-front angle is impossible. That was Step 1. Step 2 was threading the bolt (M6 - 20mm) back in without dropping it into Never Never Land never to be seen again. The socket slipped off a dozen times or more --- unbelievably frustrating. BUT, done and back together after one more aggravation. Lining up the other end of the suction line where it attached to the condenser wasn't too difficult but I cross threaded that 10mm bolt and botched the threads. Luckily I'm a tool freak and had the approvate M6 tap so I was able to rethread it [wasn't really necessary as I have a new condenser/dryer headed this way (that's my OCD showing)]. SOOOOO, it's all back together again and I'm just waiting on the new condenser/dryer to arrive so I can install that and finally get the A/C system charged up again. My back is killing me from all the contortions necessary to make this happen, not to mention getting up and down from the garage floor 50 times. I don't wish this job on my worst enemy.

 

Good job on getting it done 👍

I know from experience, by replacing the expansion valve and evaporator, that this is an incredibly time consuming and annoying job to perform.

 

If I ever have to replace the evaporator, I'll either buy one of those little water bottles with an attached battery-powered fan or sell the damn car.