I just purchased a 2007 Jaguar XKR. The fan is working as expected (blows pretty well) but the air conditioning is not very cold. It is a little cold but not as cold as it should be.

The previous owner said he just had the air conditioning serviced but I have no way to verify that.

Are there any known issues with this model, any service bulletins or any general advice for troubleshooting this?

Also, if a compressor has to be replaced, is this something I can do (I have done a lot of work on two previous Jaguars) and then have the system charged by a shop or are there toxic gases that would make this a bad idea?

 

AC Compressors rarely go bad, there have been a handful in this forum. Being as your car is ten years old, chances are a seal somewhere has developed a leak. Best bet is to see pretty much any reputable shop who does AC. They can run a leak check on it, and also see if maybe you're just a tad bit low on freon. It's not an expensive proposition for just a check and top off. Seals, depending on which ones where, could be a bit costly or very cheap. With any opening of the system to repair a seal, you will need a full service to drain and refill.

 

My 2010 had the compressor replaced before I bought it because the ac took a while to get cold. There's a valve in the compressor that causes this. If I recall, there was a TSB about this issue, but I'm not sure if it affects your year. Call a dealer and ask them or do some googling to find out the details.

DO NOT use one of those quick charge cans from the parts store. An overcharge can damage expensive parts.

 

One more vote for NOT using a quick charge can. I overfilled my AC system majorly and I believe when I took the car in to have the AC serviced, they determined there was like a half pound of extra refrigerant in there.

 

If you want to check it yourself it is not that big of a deal if you are not afraid of wrenches. You need a manifold gauge set to look at the pressures. You should be able to find one for less than $50. The service manual should list the correct pressures. I am traveling so mine is not available. If the pressure is low, fill it until the pressures are correct.

if it leaks down again you can get a leak tester and try to find the leak.

Freon is not toxic, unless you are smoking in its presence. When it gets hot (R12 anyway) turns to phosgene (mustard) gas.

 

My 2012 compressor went bad but had different symptoms. It would blow completely hot air for a minute or two then work fine. This could cycle 2 or 3 times in a 20 minute drive.

Don't know about DIY repair as I was under CPO warranty.

 

I don't know if I'd 'want' to do a compressor swap on these. When I had mine apart I could see the clutch but the rest was hidden by the suspension cross member. It did not look like a fun proposition.

Maybe a dumb question, but how low did you turn the temp? Mine at 70 will blow humid air but at 68 will blow frosty regardless of the outside temp. Weird...

 

This guy did it. Check out this thread:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...emoval-170640/