06 550i Radiator Failure
#1
Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2006 550i, 6 speed manual
Model Year: 2006
06 550i Radiator Failure
Hi All,
Radiator failed on my 06 550i driving home from work the other night. Stopped immediately and has it flat bedded in. Thank God for AAA.
Per my indie, apparently a split in the aluminum developed in the upper hose coupling. Thought it was unusual that the radiator would just fail like that as the car only has 89k miles on the odo at the moment. Anyone else aware of this as a common point of failure? The mechanics at the repair shot indicated that this problem is not unusual with BMWs.
Thanks!
Radiator failed on my 06 550i driving home from work the other night. Stopped immediately and has it flat bedded in. Thank God for AAA.
Per my indie, apparently a split in the aluminum developed in the upper hose coupling. Thought it was unusual that the radiator would just fail like that as the car only has 89k miles on the odo at the moment. Anyone else aware of this as a common point of failure? The mechanics at the repair shot indicated that this problem is not unusual with BMWs.
Thanks!
#5
New Members
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: ponder texas
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2007 550i sport pkg 6MT
Copper rads used to crack on tanks and necks would crack at solder joints. Al rads actually go longer before they do it and also run higher pressure radiator caps (actually tank caps in our cars).
The part that is frustrating to me is that for the 30 years that Al cores with plastic tanks have been around and have been cracking tanks, cracking hose necks, and leaking at crimp of core to tanks I figured the all aluminum radiators would do none of that......I guessed wrong.
The part that is frustrating to me is that for the 30 years that Al cores with plastic tanks have been around and have been cracking tanks, cracking hose necks, and leaking at crimp of core to tanks I figured the all aluminum radiators would do none of that......I guessed wrong.
#6
Members
Senior Members
Wife's 2009 X5 with 70K miles is on its third radiator. No off-road use and no accidents. First replacement was under warranty. Second replacement was last year out of warranty. X5 radiator is expensive compared to E60. But, at least it is easy to replace.
#7
Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2006 550i, 6 speed manual
Model Year: 2006
Of all the components under the hood, the radiator is one of the last things one would expect to outright fail given current automotive engineering knowledge and technology. As much as I love driving this car I'm having serious second thoughts around it's longer term viability as a daily driver.
#8
Members
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2006 550i, 6 speed manual
Model Year: 2006
And to add insult to injury, the PDC is now malfunctioning. I suspect something got disconnected during the replacement of the radiator.
#9
Senior Members
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 3,652
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My Ride: 2006 BMW 550i
Of all the components under the hood, the radiator is one of the last things one would expect to outright fail given current automotive engineering knowledge and technology. As much as I love driving this car I'm having serious second thoughts around it's longer term viability as a daily driver.
#10
Members
Senior Members
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Tampa Bay, FL
Posts: 2,539
Likes: 0
Received 10 Likes
on
6 Posts
My Ride: 530i
Model Year: 2004
Engine: M54
They're running them super hot. Most people know that engines run more efficiently the hotter they run. BMW currently has the N20 thermostat set to open at 250 degrees F. I hesitate to buy one too, as running a motor that hot is not a recipe for longevity.
My next car will likely be a '13 128i. After that I'm going electric, hopefully with a Tesla Model 3.