[MidtownMike]

My October 2018 F30 is due for an oil and cabin filter change soon (under BMW service inclusive contract). I saw that the dealer also offers AC service (including R1234yf refill) and asked them about it as my car will turn 6 years old this year. They told me that normally they only recommend to do that when the AC isn't blowing cold anymore or if it stinks. In my case they would not advise me to have it serviced.
I was under the assumption that car AC systems on average lose around 10% of refrigerant per year, which gradually decreases efficiency. This is why I was considering a refill after 5+ years as a form of preventive maintenance.

I am curious about other forum members... Have you had your AC serviced or not? How old was the car when you first had it done and how much of the refrigerant was left? Are there any early model (pre-LCI) owners whose AC is still running strong or any horror stories of pumps seizing due to lack of refrigerant-lubricant?

[AlmondJayRoM3]

Originally Posted by MidtownMike

My October 2018 F30 is due for an oil and cabin filter change soon (under BMW service inclusive contract). I saw that the dealer also offers AC service (including R1234yf refill) and asked them about it as my car will turn 6 years old this year. They told me that normally they only recommend to do that when the AC isn't blowing cold anymore or if it stinks. In my case they would not advise me to have it serviced.
I was under the assumption that car AC systems on average lose around 10% of refrigerant per year, which gradually decreases efficiency. This is why I was considering a refill after 5+ years as a form of preventive maintenance.

I am curious about other forum members... Have you had your AC serviced or not? How old was the car when you first had it done and how much of the refrigerant was left? Are there any early model (pre-LCI) owners whose AC is still running strong or any horror stories of pumps seizing due to lack of refrigerant-lubricant?

System is completely sealed and not supposed to leak. Take it in if you have a degradation in performance. Otherwise don’t worry about it. Likewise leaks need to be repaired and not just constantly refilled

[Burnout]

A leak source can become the High and Low port valves themselves, if they get used too much or even just one opening where the needle is pushed slightly off centre. It’s the worst leak to have because it occurs statically in normal conditions, but won’t show when a vaccum setup and guages are connected to the system (because the valves are held open for the check).

The only added advice would be that the system can get low in the internal oil that is present for lubricating the compressor. If your compressor starts to make a chattering noise, that would be grounds to have the system looked at and lubricant added.

As per the advice above, it really is a system you avoid messing with until you have to.

[toxik]

your AC evaporator is supposed to be serviced, and there's a port by the cabin air filter to shoot a cleaner through, something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Lubegard-9603...007PHD0S&psc=1

mine did stink this summer i noticed, first time since I owned it. I already changed cabin filter in Spring so I knew it's not that. Didn't know about the evaporator stinking until I saw a thread on here, and am planning on running this cleaner after winter.

[MidtownMike]

Thanks guys! Clear. I'll leave it alone then.
My E36's AC compressor would run low on refrigerant every few years (you could tell from the noise) and I always suspected that that put a lot of stress on the bearings and gaskets. That's why I was thinking about doing a preventive extraction/refill. Guess I'll just need to drive with the music off every now and then and listen closely and measure the vent temperature.