This is the second problem I experienced on the same day. Following the window winder failure (my previous post), within one hour my AC packed up and I suspect the compressor in view of noises (not loud, or grinding but more like smooth metal on metal) that are emanating from under the bonnet. The drive belt is OK and before the incident the digital display on the dashboard started to flash - hence an initial suspicion that this may be a control problem, but of course there is the noise, but that could be a coincidentally different problem, I suppose. There was also an instance a few days earlier when the AC did not kick in until 3-4 minutes into the journey. This is Dubai, so our summer temperatures regularly reach 50 Celsius. This is also the original compressor in the car which I've owned from new and the car has done 260,000 km - yes a lot - during which time the AC has been on continuously except for rare cool days in the winter time. Is it a safe bet to suspect the compressor rather than some control problem? - no other engine compartment related problems have manifested themselves since the noise was heard. If it's the clutch assembly - would that be repairable?