[steve090619]

2017 bmw 540xi, adding coolant every year once a year for "low coolant warning ". Service told me nothing wrong. Today, car dripping coolant front driver side by the wheel.

Appointment on Thursday. Seems like a slow drip, no warning lights yet, so I will drive it to them.

[AP]

Yeh seems to be a common issue. Search these threads and you'll see quite a few of us )myself included) have had issues due to several causes.

In my case it was both reservoirs (yes there are 2). Very small leak not obvious unless you shone a torch inside and you could see the residue beneath them.

Mine has been fine since replacement which luckily was under warranty.

[steve090619]

Originally Posted by AP

Yeh seems to be a common issue. Search these threads and you'll see quite a few of us )myself included) have had issues due to several causes.

In my case it was both reservoirs (yes there are 2). Very small leak not obvious unless you shone a torch inside and you could see the residue beneath them.

Mine has been fine since replacement which luckily was under warranty.

Originally Posted by AP

Yeh seems to be a common issue. Search these threads and you'll see quite a few of us )myself included) have had issues due to several causes.

In my case it was both reservoirs (yes there are 2). Very small leak not obvious unless you shone a torch inside and you could see the residue beneath them.

Mine has been fine since replacement which luckily was under warranty.

Warranty for 3 more months. I bet it reservoir, drip is right underneath it

[AP]

Yep sounds like it.
At least it's been caught before the warranty ran out!

[jaylazy2020]

Originally Posted by steve090619

Warranty for 3 more months. I bet it reservoir, drip is right underneath it

Would anyone have a picture of where abouts I should look for the drip ?

Cheers

[AP]

Don't have a photo to hand but if it is the reservoir at fault and it's a 540
Standing in front of the car , it'll be on the right hand side , not far back from the head light. There are 2 containers with caps on and if you look beneath those with a torch.

[steve090619]

Originally Posted by AP

Don't have a photo to hand but if it is the reservoir at fault and it's a 540
Standing in front of the car , it'll be on the right hand side , not far back from the head light. There are 2 containers with caps on and if you look beneath those with a torch.

Originally Posted by AP

Don't have a photo to hand but if it is the reservoir at fault and it's a 540
Standing in front of the car , it'll be on the right hand side , not far back from the head light. There are 2 containers with caps on and if you look beneath those with a torch.

Still waiting for car back, I'm starting to think dealership service got hit with covid. 2 days no updates, service advisor out today

[RonronEG]

Originally Posted by jaylazy2020

Would anyone have a picture of where abouts I should look for the drip ?

Cheers

If it's leaking you'll eventually see the fender liner get wet. This is looking at the driver side wheel well with a significant leak. Just recently had this repaired on my recently purchased 540i.

[Tk718]

Mine had a small radiator crack , dealer replaced radiator under warranty .

[steve090619]

Originally Posted by Tk718

Mine had a small radiator crack , dealer replaced radiator under warranty .

I think it's leaking from reservoir, not radiator. Exact same spot as pictured. Still don't have my car back, dealer not answering phone. I think there is a covid outbreak there.

[MLIFEM550]

That Could be secondary water lump. I had one replaced on my m5 it wasn't hard but it was right there on driver side wheel well

[Junebug85]

This thread caught my attention. My car is going in for its end of warranty check in 2 weeks.

I've just checked the coolant level and the bigger tank of the 2, was down to minimum. Not sure if that's because the car is nearly 3 years old or its leaking... I've only owned it since Aug 2020.

Just topped it up. Will check the level again before the warranty check and ask them just to have a look at it.

[Dephead2004]

Mine was topped up at the end of warranty check. Had received a low coolant warning on first start of cold mornings only. No drips or patches.
They also did a pressure test as recorded of the service sheet.

[RonronEG]

Are these end of warranty checks done in the US as well or is it more a EU thing?

[AP]

I'm assuming it's done in the U.K. as a bit or PR by the dealership and fishing for business no doubt! If there is anything wrong they can claim the money from bmw to cover it

Everybody wins really (except bmw potentially!)

I'm the case of the reservoirs I think the leaks are very small and take a while for the liquid to go before creating an alert. Just some residue on the bodywork below is the only clue. Easy to dismiss as once the car has been run and the fluid has expanded with heat, a subsequent restart of the car doesn't alert.

[Warp Ten]

Originally Posted by Dephead2004

Mine was topped up at the end of warranty check. Had received a low coolant warning on first start of cold mornings only. No drips or patches.
They also did a pressure test as recorded of the service sheet.

I also had received a low coolant warning on my 2019 540xi early last year. I took it into dealer worried about water pump, etc. They said a coolant warning is fairly common and they would top it up. Said if it comes on again they'll look at other things. So far it has not come on again. --Bob

[Beemerguy530]

Originally Posted by Junebug85

This thread caught my attention. My car is going in for its end of warranty check in 2 weeks.

I've just checked the coolant level and the bigger tank of the 2, was down to minimum. Not sure if that's because the car is nearly 3 years old or its leaking... I've only owned it since Aug 2020.

Just topped it up. Will check the level again before the warranty check and ask them just to have a look at it.

How do you read that yellow indicator Max and Min?

My 530d is going to be 3 years in June and for the first time during the weekend I started car in the morning coolant level low message was showing but then quickly disappeared. It also showed the Preheat message due to the cold temperature.

No messages since. Should I be concerned or wait until end of warranty check?

[Junebug85]

Originally Posted by Beemerguy530

How do you read that yellow indicator Max and Min?

My 530d is going to be 3 years in June and for the first time during the weekend I started car in the morning coolant level low message was showing but then quickly disappeared. It also showed the Preheat message due to the cold temperature.

No messages since. Should I be concerned or wait until end of warranty check?

Mine was just above the Min mark so the lettering was slight submerged. I topped it up yesterday so now the Max lettering is just under the top of the coolant level. (I hope i've done that correctly!)

Maybe top yours up too and then keep an eye on it over the next few weeks... If you see it drop dramatically then raise it at the end of warranty check. If it's causing issues before June then maybe book it in sooner to get it checked and for peace of mind.

Mines going in for the end of warranty check on 22nd Jan and will l ask them to check it

[steve090619]

Originally Posted by Junebug85

Mine was just above the Min mark so the lettering was slight submerged. I topped it up yesterday so now the Max lettering is just under the top of the coolant level. (I hope i've done that correctly!)

Maybe top yours up too and then keep an eye on it over the next few weeks... If you see it drop dramatically then raise it at the end of warranty check. If it's causing issues before June then maybe book it in sooner to get it checked and for peace of mind.

Mines going in for the end of warranty check on 22nd Jan and will l ask them to check it

Originally Posted by Junebug85

Mine was just above the Min mark so the lettering was slight submerged. I topped it up yesterday so now the Max lettering is just under the top of the coolant level. (I hope i've done that correctly!)

Maybe top yours up too and then keep an eye on it over the next few weeks... If you see it drop dramatically then raise it at the end of warranty check. If it's causing issues before June then maybe book it in sooner to get it checked and for peace of mind.

Mines going in for the end of warranty check on 22nd Jan and will l ask them to check it

Update, Dealer told me there is no leak. I said "there is a leak, find it" and sent 2 pictures of fluid on driveway. 2 hours later, we found leak, small leak in reservoir tank

[steve090619]

Originally Posted by Dephead2004

Mine was topped up at the end of warranty check. Had received a low coolant warning on first start of cold mornings only. No drips or patches.
They also did a pressure test as recorded of the service sheet.

Originally Posted by Junebug85

Mine was just above the Min mark so the lettering was slight submerged. I topped it up yesterday so now the Max lettering is just under the top of the coolant level. (I hope i've done that correctly!)

Maybe top yours up too and then keep an eye on it over the next few weeks... If you see it drop dramatically then raise it at the end of warranty check. If it's causing issues before June then maybe book it in sooner to get it checked and for peace of mind.

Mines going in for the end of warranty check on 22nd Jan and will l ask them to check it

Originally Posted by Dephead2004

Mine was topped up at the end of warranty check. Had received a low coolant warning on first start of cold mornings only. No drips or patches.
They also did a pressure test as recorded of the service sheet.

Pressure test will be normal, you have a leak in tank

[admg]

Whats the likely cost to fix this? I think I have the same thing but my warranty ran out in March last year, tanks look cheap enough but whats labour like?

[OmahaDB]

I had to top off both my reservoirs over the past week. No drips, but I suspect I know where this is headed.

American cars: Cheap blow-molded polyethylene coolant tank, looks cheap, lasts forever.

German cars: Expensive multi-piece coolant tanks, looks fancy, leak like hell.

I went through this with my Mercedes as well; ended up needing to replace a few O-rings and the coolant tank. Meanwhile my 2011 F-150 hasn't ever needed coolant added.