Not the best Saturday

[vlvte90]

Gotta love repairs through BMW.
Engine cooling fan quit working yesterday so the car started to overheat. Pulled over and checked to see if anything was leaking (which there wasn't). Had the car towed to my dealer and was quoted 1375 to replace the electric fan housing unit. He said no guarantees as to if this will solve the problem due to other problems that could arise as a result of this. But luckily didn't let the engine get over the middle point between 210 and the next dot (which is 240 I presume??). Hopefully all works out well and I'll have the car back next weekend. What a beautiful start to the weekend...

[pbonsalb]

That is an expensive fan. Only takes 15 minutes to take it out or install it. Maybe a dealer only item -- no cheaper aftermarket version.

[FormulaMMM]

If you don't already, source parts online (even OE). Don't buy from dealer unless they're willing to match. Take parts to the appt and pay for labor only.

And find a good independent shop if at all possible.

These two measures have saved me thousands through the years.

[vlvte90]

Tried calling independent shops, they said the job was right around 1100-1200. So I figured if I tow the car out of BMW they automatically charge me the 179 diagnostic fee, plus tow is almost the same. Plus dealer offers 2 year warranty on the part....Hopefully he works out a better deal for me as the final price is not to exceed 1375. Wish me luck

[FormulaMMM]

Originally Posted by vlvte90

Tried calling independent shops, they said the job was right around 1100-1200. So I figured if I tow the car out of BMW they automatically charge me the 179 diagnostic fee, plus tow is almost the same. Plus dealer offers 2 year warranty on the part....Hopefully he works out a better deal for me as the final price is not to exceed 1375. Wish me luck

Good luck! What's the part no.?

[Rupes]

My cars frequently between the 210 and 240 indicators on spirited (not track) driving. Didn't know this meant the car was overheating?

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by Rupes

My cars frequently between the 210 and 240 indicators on spirited (not track) driving. Didn't know this meant the car was overheating?

Depends in what temps you are running !

[///M Power-Belgium]

Originally Posted by vlvte90

Tried calling independent shops, they said the job was right around 1100-1200. So I figured if I tow the car out of BMW they automatically charge me the 179 diagnostic fee, plus tow is almost the same. Plus dealer offers 2 year warranty on the part....Hopefully he works out a better deal for me as the final price is not to exceed 1375. Wish me luck

I wish you luck for not to much of $$$$ !

[Rupes]

Originally Posted by ///M Power-Belgium

Depends in what temps you are running !

I'm usually just a hair above the 210 marker in all ambient temps other than highway cruising (then its just below 210). The manual says anything up to 240 (I think) is normal, but I don't remember any of my other BMW's creeping past that 210 marker.

[vlvte90]

Well car was between 210 and 240 and then a message came on the iDrive saying that "Engine is getting too hot, drive moderately to reduce engine temp". So the engine never cut power which is good and I didn't drive more than 10 yards once that message popped up so not worrying about other damage thankfully.
Reason why the car was getting to the temps (normally runs at 210 or a hair higher) was because the fan was not working at all. Couldn't hear the fan when the car was running even with A/C off.

[Sinful]

They didnt cover this under warranty? Or is yours up?

[vlvte90]

My warranty is expired. Went out about 6 months ago. Just bought the car last month from private party. Heard from techs that this happens because of the variable speeds of the fan being run constantly which burns out the motor. Could just be a bad fan, but no warranty to cover it.
Seriously considering an extended warranty. Any suggestions? Whether third party or through BMW.
I consider this my "hazing/induction" into owning an M3 lol.

[Arben]

The m3 measures oil temps, not water. Our gauge is also accurate, unlike most cars that won't tell you till it's too late. Unless the temp passes 230ish on your daily commute (not including you guys that live in the hell called Arizona) you do not have an issue. I think you have a nonissue.
Edit: read a later post. How many miles do you have? 60-90k thermostat and water pump replacement isn't uncommon, but fans failing are rare.

[vlvte90]

Fault code showed up as fan housing malfunction according to dealer. Car never goes above 210. Car was completely cold and within 5 minutes driving through town, the car overheated and the engine is too hot message popped up on idrive.

[Arben]

First time I've heard of a fan failing on a relatively new car. Try to find someone parting out a wrecked m3, you can most likely diy swapping out the fan. You could follow the underdrive pulley diy. Gl, 1,300 sounds high and I'm sure you can find something in the 2nd hand market for a percentage of that. Try pulling the fan and apply voltage directly to it, also check for a blown fuse.

[///M3Fresh]

Doesnt sound right..

you were going thru town and moving how fast roughly?

at speed no fan will even come close to the amount of air being pushed thru the radiator. So i have a feeling something else may be wrong, like thermostat/WP possibly. If I was you i would consider doing a bit of diagnosing into those also before you throw money an OP fan.

[vlvte90]

Noticed the car was running hot (more than normal in 100 degree heat with A/C on also) on the freeway with the A/C on, turned off the A/C and car returned back to normal operating temp. Parked it in the garge for a few hours. Got back in after the car was completely cold and within 5 minutes of stop and go city driving, engine started to get hot and iDrive message popped up saying engine is getting hot, drive moderately (which i have never seen before). Temp was almost at the third dot before the 300 mark.
Got outside to check if leaking coolant etc and nothing, then checked to see if fan was operating and it wasnt.
Usually in 100 degree heat, the fan is constantly on and running for a minute or two even after the car is off.

[///M3Fresh]

Originally Posted by vlvte90

Noticed the car was running hot (more than normal in 100 degree heat with A/C on also) on the freeway with the A/C on, turned off the A/C and car returned back to normal operating temp. Parked it in the garge for a few hours. Got back in after the car was completely cold and within 5 minutes of stop and go city driving, engine started to get hot and iDrive message popped up saying engine is getting hot, drive moderately (which i have never seen before). Temp was almost at the third dot before the 300 mark.
Got outside to check if leaking coolant etc and nothing, then checked to see if fan was operating and it wasnt.
Usually in 100 degree heat, the fan is constantly on and running for a minute or two even after the car is off.

How fast is city driving? To some its 1-25mph to others its 5-45mph.

under normal driving say at like ~40+mph, the amount of air that youre going thru is much greater then max of what that electric fan can move. So what I was trying to get at is, if the fan stopped working and you were moving and not driving hard (assuming since youre city driving) your car really shouldnt over heat from the fan not working, unless city driving for you is stop and go rush hour sort of thing. Which leads to my previous post.

[vlvte90]

City driving is stop and go traffic in 100 plus weather. No more than 30 mph.
I travel the same route every day in relatively the same weather and have had no issues and can clearly hear the electric fan running while engine temp remains constant at 210.
Although, I have heard of blown fuses/fan clutch/disloged wires causing the fan to stop working, if the dealer ran diagnostics on the car and checked for fault codes, if the problem was one of the other issues besides the fan housing being bad, wouldn't that throw a fault code?

[1SerieStud]

Oil temp does not translate to coolant temp. You're measuring overheating with the wrong gauge - in fact, our cars do not have a coolant tempter gauge on the cluster; your car will let you know if/when your coolant has evaporated (or leaked) enough to cause the engine to overheat.

My car's oil temp stays around the 210 mark, and on very hot days during spirited driving it will go a hair past the 210 mark. It's never gotten any hotter than that, even during mid to high 90F weather here in FL. This is all within spec.

[vlvte90]

Okay, can't be anything coolant related. Part number is 17112283621. It has to be something fan related (fuse, fan clutch, or entire housing). I've spoken with several independent shops and apparently this isn not an uncommon issue, due to the variability of fan speeds and usage. Could be a bad batch of fans went on this car or just being in southern california's deathly weather.

[jimk]

The fan assembly is $635 on line. Replacing it is literally a 15-20 min job and no coolant drain is required.

http://thebmwminipartstore.com/parts...&siteid=218365