Air-con only (sort of) working on one side

[robjwood]

When I switch the air-con on, the vents on the passenger side both blow air but it's not cold air-conditioned air.

On the drivers' side, the air is definitely a little cooler but not as cold as it should be.

When you click the air-con switch, you can hear a little click and sound a bit like a balloon being deflated. If the air-con just needed re-gassing would it behave like this?

Has anyone else experienced the same thing before?

[Buki]

This is a classic symptom of a lack of gas in the system. Evaporation ends at half of the evaporator so the other side is not cooled at all.
Fill up with gas and check for leaks.

[robjwood]

I'm hoping that's all it is. Thanks for the response.

[Bellendingo]

I'm hoping that's all it is. Thanks for the response.

Do not go to Halfrauds and let them try filling it with a can, it's a joke and 50 quid, they have no clue.
Look on Groupon etc for deals at local fitting centres you can get for as little as 30 bucks which is half of everyone else wants.
I missed out recently grrrrrrrrr paid Citroen Drydon 65 of my hard earned.
Of course it depends which gas you use as the older systems are cheaper to fill otherwise double those figures.
I will add my ac shut down completly because it was totally out of juice, soon as it was filled I heard that lovely compressor click, I love ac.

[Buki]

All B9's use the old r134a refrigerant until at least 2016 and most likely until the end of production (2018).

[robjwood]

Thanks for the replies

[ffrenchie]

Look under the bonnet. If the gas is too low the compressor clutch will not kick in. It's a safeguard to preserve the compressor from running dry.

[Buki]

The B9 fitted with variable displacement compressor, it does not have a magnetic clutch. The compressor rotates all the time along with the belt, the air conditioner is turned on by a control valve inside the compressor.

[ffrenchie]

Thanks Buki, our older M59 still has the clutch and can hear it kick in.