My local Subaru dealership replaced both the AC clutch and compressor with the new, updated one FOR FREE even though I was out of warranty by over 12k miles. What a great dealership. Will report again when I see how it works now...
My 2015 GSW had to have A/C compressor replaced at about 5000 miles.
I got the GPD one for a 1999 Buick century and it has held up well. Make sure you follow the recommendation for the compressor oil that the make calls for. The compressor I got shipped with the wrong PAG in it. Wasn't a huge deal to drain and refill, just a little messy.
I've owned my late 2007 build since new and it now has 80,000 on the clock (2.0T FSI). Only major problem was that the A/C compressor went at about 40k, but was replaced for free under warranty.
initial released comp by denso - low drag seals resulted in premature shaft bearing failure 2nd release revised denso - w/continued premature shaft bearing failure 3rd release "Sanden" & shaft bearing failure significantly reduced...
Ran into similar issue here- dealer thought it was a defective valve ($1200) then after fixing that they said I need a new compressor ($3k). My biggest fear was this- what if replacing compressor isn't going to solve the issue? They could come back with another $8k bill as they have done to you. I think this approach is underhanded and not comprehensive at all.
So I decided $1200 was enough and sold it. Even with broken AC, the market is paying damn well for the EVs now. I'd take advantage of it if you can and get another car. I'm definitely staying away from BMW.
I have a similar problem coming up, my OBD dongle mentioned a pressure-discrepancy in the aircon system, and it is simply not blowing cold air anymore. It also makes a 'tikking' sound when it is enabled. (from the left-rear-wheel-well) Sounds like I might have the same problem. I have a 2014 REx with 60k miles.
My take on the whole thing: BMW dropped the ball here. Replace it now if you have a 2014/2015 i3, and you have not replaced it yet.On BMW's advice of basically replacing the whole system (incl the loops in the battery), I don't quite agree with this, because when you replace the compressor, you should also replace the drier, which (if I'm not mistaken) contains a filter. Which would filter any metal particles.
Add me to the club of owners who are being hit with $8K+ repair bills because of the faulty ac compressors in the 2014-2015 i3.
Recently, a random sound started after I turned on the a/c, so I immediately turned it off. No warnings or notifications came up about anything malfunctioning. I took my car in for a diagnostic test and nothing came back. They checked off that the a/c was working properly.
Not satisfied, I eventually took it to another dealership and they said that they couldn’t reproduce the problem. I finally was able to take it to another BMW dealership when the sound came up recently . The service attendant immediately noted that it sounded like the compressor was going out.
The next business day, I took it to my normal BMW service center and they set it up to be looked at. After I explained the problem with the compressor they quoted a diagnostic charge of $170. They connected it to a diagnostic code reading device and saw codes for the compressor. First, they quoted me $3,200 to replace the compressor and parts (labor included), but then after I approved the service they called me back a few hours later and told me they needed to look further into the problem, and that it would cost an additional $600.
They concluded that metal broke off of the compressor and contaminated the connecting parts.
The new repair total was now $8K, with over $4K for labor. The compressor, condenser, and HV battery accumulator need to be replaced. A flush is also needed. How was none of this discovered before I told them what to look at. Eventually they will need dedicated EV specialist.
I immediately called BMW’s EV department for assistance with this issue. This is clearly a known issue. How did they not catch this before it was even a $3K issue, my car has had multiple diagnostic test run.
A few years ago, my last car (C-Max) had an issue with the transmission, but the manufacturer replaced it at no cost because they acknowledged the problem with that particular model. I didn’t have to call them at all. They even gave me a loaner car. I have loved driving my 2015 i3 for the last 3 years. After this, I think I may be a “one and done” BMW owner.
If you are currently thinking about purchasing an i3, refrain from purchasing any i3 model with this common problem.
Pretty upset that my 2020 Model Y Perf with only 60k miles needs its A/C compressor replaced after 2 years. Was really hoping to make it to 100k without issues but I guess Tesla quality just isn't there...
A/C compressor spontaneously sprung a leak up top a month ago.
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