Coolant Leak
05-24-2009, 07:52 AM
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Well my coolant light came on for the first time about 2 weeks ago, so I filled it up, it seemed very dry. Well yesterday again it came on. I parked it in the garage that night and when I woke up I saw a small puddle of coolant. I am not under warranty anymore. For anyone that has fixed a coolant leak can it be as easy as a cracked hose? If I take it to the dealer are they going to rape me on costs or should I try a smaller shop?
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05-24-2009, 08:05 AM
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Originally Posted by tex_phil' post='888318' date='May 24 2009, 10:52 AM
Well my coolant light came on for the first time about 2 weeks ago, so I filled it up, it seemed very dry. Well yesterday again it came on. I parked it in the garage that night and when I woke up I saw a small puddle of coolant. I am not under warranty anymore. For anyone that has fixed a coolant leak can it be as easy as a cracked hose? If I take it to the dealer are they going to rape me on costs or should I try a smaller shop?
Thanks
Thanks
I had thde same exact situation and no it was not as simple as a hose. Some gasket had to be changed but luckily it was under warranty. How close are you to 4yr/50k maybe they can do it under warranty as good will gesture...plenty of stories here about that. Good luck
05-24-2009, 08:57 AM
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BMW cooling system leaks are frequent < 50K miles .. could be reserve tank or radiator; The plastic parts crack under the repeated stress of hot/cold and vibration.
A good independent BMW mechanic should be kinder to your wallet. The availability of quality after-market parts is limited.
As long as you're in there it's wise to check serpentine belts and hoses. Remember to use the proper coolant (I recommend BMW Original since it only takes about a gallon + an equal amount of distilled water.)
On my older BMWs [thru the 2001 740i] the recommended preventative maintenance routine included replacement of radiator, reserve tank, hoses, and water pump every 50K miles. I used to stretch that to 75K+ miles because I was putting on that many miles every 18 months. Sounds extreme but when you factor in the hourly labor rate at $100+, as long as everything else was apart spending an extra $150 on misc parts made good sense to do it all at once.
A good independent BMW mechanic should be kinder to your wallet. The availability of quality after-market parts is limited.
As long as you're in there it's wise to check serpentine belts and hoses. Remember to use the proper coolant (I recommend BMW Original since it only takes about a gallon + an equal amount of distilled water.)
On my older BMWs [thru the 2001 740i] the recommended preventative maintenance routine included replacement of radiator, reserve tank, hoses, and water pump every 50K miles. I used to stretch that to 75K+ miles because I was putting on that many miles every 18 months. Sounds extreme but when you factor in the hourly labor rate at $100+, as long as everything else was apart spending an extra $150 on misc parts made good sense to do it all at once.
05-24-2009, 11:04 AM
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Since I've had my car the expansion tank was replaced twice because of a hairline crack. One of the hoses was also replaced because it to had a leak. BMW does a "pressure" test which can tell you more info. Gluck!
05-24-2009, 11:57 AM
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yeah check if your reservoir is cracked i had that replaced at the dealer, an independent shop is much cheaper. They will pressure test your car for leaks before and after repairs to find where the leaks are at. Good luck, common problem.
05-24-2009, 12:20 PM
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I actually found the hose that is the problem, I got a mirror and put a papertowel on it, having the retractable mirror below the hose, I was able to have the hose drip on it. I'll try to post a picture of the hose later, its the one that goes into the front of the engine that is kinda thick.
05-24-2009, 12:25 PM
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Originally Posted by tex_phil' post='888516' date='May 24 2009, 03:20 PM
I actually found the hose that is the problem, I got a mirror and put a papertowel on it, having the retractable mirror below the hose, I was able to have the hose drip on it. I'll try to post a picture of the hose later, its the one that goes into the front of the engine that is kinda thick.
05-24-2009, 12:57 PM
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Mine was a leaking hose/clamp. It could also be the coolant expansion tank, these are prone to cracks at around 65ish miles.
EDIT: sorry, didn't take the time to read through all of the posts.
EDIT: sorry, didn't take the time to read through all of the posts.