[richatha]

Morning, had a coolant level warning on the car today. Not sure why as it's only 1 year old.

Anyone able to advise on what's best to do?

[RENT-A-GOAT]

Have you had the egr recall done?

[richatha]

Originally Posted by RENT-A-GOAT

Have you had the egr recall done?

No i've not had a letter through yet stating I need to come in for the EGR.

Car was built feb 2018 delivered march 2018

[Rhino at Work]

Originally Posted by richatha

Morning, had a coolant level warning on the car today. Not sure why as it's only 1 year old.

Anyone able to advise on what's best to do?

Welcome to the world of B58s needing coolant top ups. I've had the same warning message. A bit of googling will show you it's a very common thing but also (I hope!) not too serious as long as you keep an eye on it.

[richatha]

Originally Posted by Rhino at Work

Welcome to the world of B58s needing coolant top ups. I've had the same warning message. A bit of googling will show you it's a very common thing but also (I hope!) not too serious as long as you keep an eye on it.

Thanks for the reassurance. Have you done a DIY job on yours or taken it to a dealership. I've searched various places but can't get the type of coolant I need for it to try and do it myself.

I've got a 140 mile trip tomorrow so want to get it done before that.

[Rhino at Work]

Originally Posted by richatha

Thanks for the reassurance. Have you done a DIY job on yours or taken it to a dealership. I've searched various places but can't get the type of coolant I need for it to try and do it myself.

I've got a 140 mile trip tomorrow so want to get it done before that.

I did it myself with genuine coolant from BMW mixed with de-ionised water. I would think if you can get to a Halfords or similar today you'll be able to get something similar and do the top up.

(and at the risk of teaching you to suck eggs, make sure the engine is flat cold before undoing the filler cap!)

[richatha]

Originally Posted by Rhino at Work

I did it myself with genuine coolant from BMW mixed with de-ionised water. I would think if you can get to a Halfords or similar today you'll be able to get something similar and do the top up.

(and at the risk of teaching you to suck eggs, make sure the engine is flat cold before undoing the filler cap!)

Thanks I've been searching the Internet to try and find the type of coolant I need to DIY it but can't find it anywhere. Don't suppose your bottle tells you what I need does it?

[Rhino at Work]

Originally Posted by richatha

Thanks I've been searching the Internet to try and find the type of coolant I need to DIY it but can't find it anywhere. Don't suppose your bottle tells you what I need does it?

The bottle just describes it as antifreeze for radiators free from nitrite and tells you to mix it 50:50 with tap water.

Part number is 83512355290 and you can see it here https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-B...-/152350036864

[Mikesmith2939]

I use Comma Xtreme G48 for my 2013 320i, bought in Halfords.

It may be different for yours though.

[RoShambolt]

Originally Posted by richatha

Thanks I've been searching the Internet to try and find the type of coolant I need to DIY it but can't find it anywhere. Don't suppose your bottle tells you what I need does it?

I had the same message on my 340i, I called out BMW assist. Not because I'm not capable of topping off myself, but to have it logged with BMW if I had future issues. I thought it best to have a paper trail documenting the issue if I ever had to raise the case with BMW because of further problems. Also I thought it would save me having to go out of work to find the right coolant and de-ionised water myself.

I've not had the massage since and at the first oil service last week I asked that they investigate and pressure test the system. There were no further problems, so I have the feeling the cap wasn't on properly or it was under filled at manufacture.

[richatha]

Originally Posted by RoShambolt

I had the same message on my 340i, I called out BMW assist. Not because I'm not capable of topping off myself, but to have it logged with BMW if I had future issues. I thought it best to have a paper trail documenting the issue if I ever had to raise the case with BMW because of further problems. Also I thought it would save me having to go out of work to find the right coolant and de-ionised water myself.

I've not had the massage since and at the first oil service last week I asked that they investigate and pressure test the system. There were no further problems, so I have the feeling the cap wasn't on properly or it was under filled at manufacture.

Thanks Roshambolt, I'm going to phone them now and see what they say i think it's a good idea to get a paper trail. I have looked around and found that the coolant I need is G48 by putting my reg into a commaoil.com and they've said g48 but I just want to be 100% sure it is before going to Halfords to buy it.

[richatha]

Originally Posted by Mikesmith2939

I use Comma Xtreme G48 for my 2013 320i, bought in Halfords.

It may be different for yours though.

Thanks for this I think this is what is needed from a bit more research!

[richatha]

Well i've called BMW Assist who were awesome if i do say so.

Got a call with an engineer in 30 mins & if needs be someone will come out in 90mins from that to fix / investigate.

[RoShambolt]

Originally Posted by richatha

Well i've called BMW Assist who were awesome if i do say so.

Got a call with an engineer in 30 mins & if needs be someone will come out in 90mins from that to fix / investigate.

Good stuff, I thought it was pretty slick when I used it too. Although I wasn't 100% happy that the guy just put in de-ionised water in, effectively reducing the coolant ratio. But it's not the end of the world, I guess it's luck of the draw with what "engineer" you get out(it was a low loader guy with very little in the way of tools and stuff) I was expecting a guy in a 5 series tourer in BMW livery.

[richatha]

Originally Posted by RoShambolt

Good stuff, I thought it was pretty slick when I used it too. Although I wasn't 100% happy that the guy just put in de-ionised water in, effectively reducing the coolant ratio. But it's not the end of the world, I guess it's luck of the draw with what "engineer" you get out(it was a low loader guy with very little in the way of tools and stuff) I was expecting a guy in a 5 series tourer in BMW livery.

Yeh this is what he told me was put 1L of water in which I've done but I'm going to order that coolant you suggested too and I'll put some in too just to keep it a bit topped up.

[Soul_Glo]

If this is a common problem where is all that coolant going? Leak? Evaporation?
How many miles between coolant top ups?

Rhino at Work

Thanks

[richatha]

Originally Posted by Chelsea_Tractor

If this is a common problem where is all that coolant going? Leak? Evaporation?
How many miles between coolant top ups?

Rhino at Work

Thanks

They didn't say where it went but I'd imagine evaporation. Mine has covered 10k miles which seems to be common reading some American posts on here about it.

[howardmarkland]

Same problem with my 440i in December 2018 , mileage 13726
Warning message came on when checked coolant was just below minimum level
lloyds BMW carried out the work and they found that the heat management module needed to be replaced. I was told "the flaps " were open all time which presumably explains loss through evaporation. Since then everything okay
I have a P3 multigauge fitted and coolant temperature ( when warmed up) is always between 228-230 degF
I have no clue if these temps are normal for a petrol engine but the readings are now steady. Cant say what they were when warning message came on as i was measuring boost pressure. it is now always on coolant temp and will be for some time till iam sure everything is ok!

[Rhino at Work]

Originally Posted by Chelsea_Tractor

If this is a common problem where is all that coolant going? Leak? Evaporation?
How many miles between coolant top ups?

Rhino at Work

Thanks

It's a good question but I'm not really a techie person when it comes to engines. It's the sort of thing I'd expect HighlandPete to know about. I had to top mine up with 1 litre a couple of thousand miles ago - this thread did make me go and recheck it yesterday and all was fine.

Originally Posted by howardmarkland

Same problem with my 440i in December 2018 , mileage 13726
Warning message came on when checked coolant was just below minimum level
lloyds BMW carried out the work and they found that the heat management module needed to be replaced. I was told "the flaps " were open all time which presumably explains loss through evaporation. Since then everything okay
I have a P3 multigauge fitted and coolant temperature ( when warmed up) is always between 228-230 degF
I have no clue if these temps are normal for a petrol engine but the readings are now steady. Cant say what they were when warning message came on as i was measuring boost pressure. it is now always on coolant temp and will be for some time till iam sure everything is ok!

Interesting about the heat management module. As it happens my car is in for its first service tomorrow so I'll raise it with them and report back any pearls of wisdom that might be forthcoming. I'm not holding my breath though.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Rhino at Work

It's a good question but I'm not really a techie person when it comes to engines. It's the sort of thing I'd expect HighlandPete to know about. I had to top mine up with 1 litre a couple of thousand miles ago - this thread did make me go and recheck it yesterday and all was fine.

Interesting about the heat management module. As it happens my car is in for its first service tomorrow so I'll raise it with them and report back any pearls of wisdom that might be forthcoming. I'm not holding my breath though.

I've not got my head around why so many B58 engines are losing coolant after a few thousand miles. The idea there are airlocks from new, just doesn't explain it. Also does it just drop quickly, or is it progressive over the mileage before anyone realises it?

I wonder if it is as simple as the pressure caps. The reason why, when I first had my N55, it would drop the level, just a little between checks. Made me suspect a small leak somewhere. Then at one check I noticed a bit of staining around the filler neck and on the cap. Clue to a leak under pressure. I sprayed a bit of silicon around the cap and since then no lose at all.

Do any of you guys with the issue notice the cap is weeping coolant? Any staining around the filler neck? A dry filler cap?

[Russbmw]

Given cooling systems are sealed (until a certain pressure, at which the cap lets go to prevent something dramatic happening!) I can't fathom how coolant gets "lost". It's a leak of some description, be that leaking externally or internally.

The radiator cap leaking was part of a recall a number of years back (e39/e46 era) because they would leak under pressure, and less that the pressure they were supposed to leak at! So that could well be a sensible place to start looking.

From what I remember about the B58 engines, wasn't one of the big things a revised coolant flow around the engine? If anyone remembers the M20 engines, they were a real pig to bleed - you had to have the cars front end raised a bit to ensure all the air came out - so the suggestion of some having excess air in the system doesn't sound too far fetched.

Trouble with brand new cars is that the owners don't really check anything religiously - because, and rightly so, you wouldn't expect to have to keep checking fluid levels on brand new cars every fortnight. You might well check it after 3 months or so, just out of curiosity more than anything else, so the first you might hear of a problem is the car telling you about it.

There's also probably a decent helping of "don't give a shit, it's under warranty", which is also fair enough.

[SW6Steve]

Is this genuine BMW coolant 83512355290 used across the range? 330D?
AFAIC loosing coolant means a leak somewhere!