Land Rover Discovery AC Failure: DIY or Pro Fix?

Hey there! I actually faced a similar issue with my 2005 Land Rover Defender TD5 last summer. The symptoms were exactly like yours, weak airflow and warm air instead of cold. Initially thought it was just low refrigerant, but turned out the air quality sensor cable was damaged, causing the whole climate control system to malfunction. Had it fixed at the garage, they found the sensor cable was corroded and partially broken near the connection point. It wasn't a major repair in terms of complexity, but it was tricky to access the wiring behind the dashboard. They also discovered that this had caused some minor electrical issues with other AC components. After replacing the cable and sensor, the AC worked perfectly again. It's a fairly common issue with these older Land Rovers, the wiring tends to deteriorate over time, especially around the sensor connections. My advice would be to get a second opinion if you're not confident with your current mechanic. It's worth having someone specifically check the wiring and connections, not just the refrigerant levels. Hope this helps!

Thanks for sharing your experience! That sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. I've been hesitant about getting it fixed because of varying opinions from different mechanics. Did you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the repair? Also, has everything been working smoothly since then, or have you noticed any other AC-related issues popping up?

Hey again! Just wanted to update you, I got the repair done and it cost me 95.00 € to fix that faulty sensor line. The mechanic found the cable from the air quality sensor was indeed defective, just like I suspected. Once they replaced it, the problem was completely solved! Everything's been running perfectly since then, the AC blows nice and cold, and the climate control system works like a charm. No more warm air or weak airflow issues. It's been about 8 months now, and I haven't had a single AC-related problem pop up. I'm actually really glad I went ahead with the repair despite my initial doubts. These old Land Rovers can be tricky, but sometimes it's just a simple wiring issue that needs sorting. The repair was definitely worth every penny, driving in comfort again! Let me know if you need any other info about the repair. Always happy to help another Land Rover owner!

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! That's such a relief to hear, and the repair cost sounds way more reasonable than I was expecting. After reading your update, I finally went to a different mechanic yesterday, someone who specializes in Land Rovers. Funny enough, my issue was slightly different. Turned out I had a clogged cabin filter and a small refrigerant leak. The total fix came to about 150 with parts and labor. Been driving around today and the AC is blasting cold air like it's brand new! Really appreciate everyone's help on this. It's always nerve-wracking dealing with car issues, but getting advice from other owners definitely helped me feel more confident about getting it sorted. At least now I know what to look out for if the problem ever comes back! Take care!