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Coolant low msg, help!
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11-01-2012, 07:34 PM | #1 |
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Coolant low msg, help!
I wouldn't be so afraid but BMW's choice words "Danger of engine damage!" and exclamation mark at the end is unsettling. Should I put some distilled water in? (Although have done this already in the past when I first got it in June 2011) Or is it safe to drive it to the dealership (about 10 miles)? Thanks in advance!
Last edited by ttt85; 11-01-2012 at 07:42 PM.. |
11-01-2012, 08:17 PM | #2 |
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Top off the reservoir with distilled water and then head to the dealership. Ask them for a full inspection and pressure test on the cooling system -- both on a cold engine and after it's warmed up. Hopefully they'll be able to locate the culprit.
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11-02-2012, 03:51 PM | #4 |
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Ooo...last time I had that warning, it was 1 day before my Water Pump exploded...
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11-02-2012, 03:57 PM | #5 |
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11-04-2012, 01:27 AM | #7 | |
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11-04-2012, 02:05 AM | #9 |
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At what mileage are you guys noticing the problem with the water pump/coolant? Is the coolant suppose to be flushed every X years/Y miles or is it a lifetime (till the part dies) fill fluid?
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11-04-2012, 06:50 AM | #10 | |
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I've never had a water pump fail on any of my BMW's. Most likely you have a small leak somewhere . Top it off and get it into a shop. Good luck |
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11-04-2012, 08:54 AM | #11 |
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It's apparently a
Bit normal according to various bmwexperts. Had this on my 2011. Topped it up. The dealer topped it up as well last oil change and said its " normal". Shrugs.
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11-04-2012, 09:10 AM | #12 | |
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And to the OP: you may not be leaking coolant. It may be evaporating. I spent way too long scratching my head about a slow but persistent loss of coolant. It turns out that my coolant reservoir cap was not sealing correctly and coolant was slowly evaporating out of the reservoir (I had to top it off twice in about 10 months). Multiple pressure tests yielded zero leaks. So if you find yourself in this situation that's one thing to check
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11-04-2012, 12:10 PM | #13 |
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My water pump went out at 65k not saying yours will with any certainty but if you have a bt tool check for the shadow code that has been linked to wp failure. I don't remember the code but if you search you should find it.
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11-13-2012, 03:47 PM | #14 | |
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Regards, Faz |
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11-13-2012, 04:43 PM | #15 |
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11-13-2012, 05:13 PM | #16 |
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Could be evaporation. I ve done this once but I only had to add about half cup of coolant. Warning light has not come back in about 2 yrs. Fill it up and keep an eye on it. Keep us posted. Cheers!
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11-13-2012, 05:19 PM | #17 |
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Was there a temperature drop between when it had no warning and when the warning occurred. I've had this a few times all on the other side of a pretty drastic cold spell. I always just chalked it up to that but maybe I have something more systematic.
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11-15-2012, 04:46 AM | #18 |
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Mind you that the same warning also comes on when the sensor is not working and/or not in place correctly. I had mine come on after a valve gasket replacement. The dealership had to disconnect some engine parts to gain access and apparantly didn't place the sensor back properly.
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11-15-2012, 05:05 AM | #19 | |
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Coolant logevity has nothing to do with the waterpump failing. The waterpump is a poor design that fails due to over-temp of the control electronics. This is a good thread on the whole waterpump issue. There are tons others in the Maintenance section.... http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...inty+waterpump Last edited by Efthreeoh; 11-15-2012 at 05:10 AM.. |
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11-15-2012, 08:14 PM | #20 |
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I just replaced my water pump and t stat today as a pre failure preventative measure. At just 50K miles, I didn't want to risk an unplanned breakdown, possible safety hazard pulling off to the side of the road, $200 tow bill and the inconvenience of sitting by the side of the road and not to mention engine damage risk from overheating. So took the car to an Indy, supplied him with new pump, t stat, bolts, and coolant and he supplied labor for $270.
If you run to failure, you still have to buy a new pump and coolant and it's a good idea to replace the t stat at the same time, so for $70 more than a tow bill I have cheap insurance against a pump failure for awhile. |
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01-04-2013, 01:34 PM | #21 | |
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- Faz |
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01-05-2013, 03:30 AM | #22 |
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should be changed at 100k. Unlike oil, it doesn't get the dirt build up or temp breakdown. Just top it off and change it on schedule, or when you replace your water pump.
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