Read your manual!

Although this is an old subject about "when all else fails then read the instructions" I thought I needed to post my latest experience as a reminder to all the other clever people out there......

About a year ago the air conditioner in my one Y61 started playing up and during the following few months tried to trouble-shoot it without success; each time threating to then take it to an auto electrician when I failed. I just needed to could get round to taking it. Finally did so and was told that there was something wrong with the electronic unit and I should replace it, so I decided to take one more look at the system myself before I do so. Last week I finally took out my nice clean collection of bound workshop manuals, downloaded a few years ago, and read up on Heating & Air Conditioning.

Surprise! The unit has a diagnostic program! To cut it short, within a few minutes the diagnostics had told me fault 22 (in vehicle air sensor) and an hour and a soldering iron later the loose thermocouple/resistor had been soldered back into place. Aircon working perfectly again - after a year of mucking about!

When all else fails, read the manual!