Originally Posted by benjihana' post='1073492' date='Dec 14 2009, 02:15 PM

General216,

This is all speculation, but it certainly sounds exactly like my situation. Try this: when the engine has been off for a good amount of time (a few hours), open your overflow cap and leave it off. Start the car (make sure it doesn't give the overheat message, if it does, then turn off immediately), and watch for about 5 minutes. How many minutes can your car stay on just idling in a parking spot from cold without driving it anywhere? If you get backflow of coolant (a lot of it), I would suspect that your water pump went out like mine, or you have a stuck thermostat.

Originally Posted by General216' post='1073144' date='Dec 13 2009, 09:54 PM

I just went out for a quick drive (wife wanted to look at Christmas lights). I wasn't driving for 5 minutes when I got an engine overheat warning and it told me to drive moderatly. 2 minutes later the car told me to shut down right away that the engine had overheated. I pulled over and chilled for about 15 minutes. I started back home and got the first warning then the next to shut down. I pulled over again and waited about 10 minutes then drove the quarter of a mile home.

One thing we both noticed right before the warning came on is that the heater was blowing cold air. I palyed with the iDrive turning up the red blocks on the climate setting but eventually just turned the air off.

I have never had this problem, and there was no puddle in the garage when I got home. Any suggestions as to what happened? I'm going to let the engine cool completely overnight and take a look at the coolant level in the am. Has this happened to anyone else?

Originally Posted by General216' post='1074047' date='Dec 15 2009, 11:42 AM

I had a flatbed pick up the car last night and took it to the BMW Store in Cincy. They called today - It was the Water Pump (good call). Anyway, they said they could have fixed today - $1500 later.

Originally Posted by benjihana' post='1074749' date='Dec 16 2009, 02:41 PM

I'm glad I diagnosed it well, but sad that you had to get it fixed and expend the cash. Did they replace the thermostat as well?