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      02-21-2013, 06:55 AM   #1
mtbmaniac
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Coolant Issues

I have a 2013 X3xdrive35i with approximately 4200 miles on it. I've had to add coolant three times after the warning light came on. The first time was at roughly 600 miles when starting it up in my garage one morning. The second time was at about 1500 miles while driving on the highway and it was roughly 0 degrees F outside. The final time was last friday while driving on I70 up to Vail. There has never been any spots from leaking under the car during this time. I'm bringing it to the dealer today and thought I would see if anyone on this forum has any thoughts or ideas. Thanks in advance for your help.
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      02-21-2013, 07:03 AM   #2
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Most (all?) reports of low coolant levels that have been posted here have been one-time issues, where dealer pressure tests have not shown a problem, and a small top-up of the cooling system resolved the issue. The need to add coolant more than once is a problem that I don't recall seeing previously.
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      02-21-2013, 08:53 AM   #3
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You might be leaking coolant into your combusion chamber, does your car produce more white smoke than usual?
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      02-21-2013, 09:19 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by The X Men View Post
You might be leaking coolant into your combusion chamber, does your car produce more white smoke than usual?
Check oil to see if white/milky - oh, wait,... no dipstick.
But electronic measurement in iDrive could also tell if overfilled (e.g. if enough coolant mixed with oil and it was at maximum to begin with).
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      02-21-2013, 09:52 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by noka View Post
Check oil to see if white/milky - oh, wait,... no dipstick.
But electronic measurement in iDrive could also tell if overfilled (e.g. if enough coolant mixed with oil and it was at maximum to begin with).
Usually, if coolant is in the oil, you should be able to tell by looking in through the oil filler nozzle. Either way, the thing is under warranty and will be repaired at no charge to you. My guess is that it is simply a leak at a connection somewhere that probably only leaks when under pressure (i.e. under load with the everything hot) and therefore you maybe losing coolant while driving but not while parked.

FYI, I added coolant to mine as well but I did so proactively because of threads I saw here... never got a warning light. My bottle was just below the min so I added 8 - 10 oz. and got it up to just under the max line. Seems like many were underfilled at the factory... my guess is that has to do with a misprint in their build manual or some sort of issue with their air purging process.
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      02-21-2013, 02:29 PM   #6
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I spoke to the service coordinator this morning two hours after dropping off the X3. They said they conducted a pressure check and everything appeared normal. They also stated that it is normal for these engines to consume coolant and that I should not be concerned. I asked to speak to the service manager to voice my concern that having my low coolant light come on three times in under 4000 miles is considered normal. We had a civil discussion and I asked them to check multiple other variables, some of which were mentioned in previous posts. I received a call back a few hours later and they said that a slow leak was found on a line on the bottom half of the motor and a new hose would have to be ordered from Germany. I thanked them for their diagnosis of the problem and will now wait for the part to arrive in a week or two.

I can't help but feel frustrated by this entire experience. First, since when is adding coolant three times in two months to a vehicle considered normal? I am a previous multiple Audi owner over the past twelve years and have never had to add coolant to any of the three vehicles I had. Secondly, why can't the service department take the time to thoroughly do their job?

I guess I just had to rant a little bit about the experience. At the end of the day, the problem was identified and will be corrected without any damage done to the vehicle. Thanks to everyone for responding and offereing your advice.
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      02-21-2013, 03:42 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mtbmaniac View Post
I spoke to the service coordinator this morning two hours after dropping off the X3. They said they conducted a pressure check and everything appeared normal. They also stated that it is normal for these engines to consume coolant and that I should not be concerned. I asked to speak to the service manager to voice my concern that having my low coolant light come on three times in under 4000 miles is considered normal. We had a civil discussion and I asked them to check multiple other variables, some of which were mentioned in previous posts. I received a call back a few hours later and they said that a slow leak was found on a line on the bottom half of the motor and a new hose would have to be ordered from Germany. I thanked them for their diagnosis of the problem and will now wait for the part to arrive in a week or two.

I can't help but feel frustrated by this entire experience. First, since when is adding coolant three times in two months to a vehicle considered normal? I am a previous multiple Audi owner over the past twelve years and have never had to add coolant to any of the three vehicles I had. Secondly, why can't the service department take the time to thoroughly do their job?

I guess I just had to rant a little bit about the experience. At the end of the day, the problem was identified and will be corrected without any damage done to the vehicle. Thanks to everyone for responding and offereing your advice.
I had Audi, MB and BMW vehicles and never had to add coolant. Having to add three times in two months is, without a doubt, abnormal. Let us know the final outcome, after the hose is replaced.
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      02-21-2013, 07:02 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mtbmaniac View Post
I spoke to the service coordinator this morning two hours after dropping off the X3. They said they conducted a pressure check and everything appeared normal. They also stated that it is normal for these engines to consume coolant and that I should not be concerned. I asked to speak to the service manager to voice my concern that having my low coolant light come on three times in under 4000 miles is considered normal. We had a civil discussion and I asked them to check multiple other variables, some of which were mentioned in previous posts. I received a call back a few hours later and they said that a slow leak was found on a line on the bottom half of the motor and a new hose would have to be ordered from Germany. I thanked them for their diagnosis of the problem and will now wait for the part to arrive in a week or two.

I can't help but feel frustrated by this entire experience. First, since when is adding coolant three times in two months to a vehicle considered normal? I am a previous multiple Audi owner over the past twelve years and have never had to add coolant to any of the three vehicles I had. Secondly, why can't the service department take the time to thoroughly do their job?

I guess I just had to rant a little bit about the experience. At the end of the day, the problem was identified and will be corrected without any damage done to the vehicle. Thanks to everyone for responding and offereing your advice.
This is a big loose-loose situation. It sounds like they already charged BMW for the time the service tech spent to not find any problems, and they really can't charge BMW to look at the same problem so soon. So the subsequent time that is spent to check again is on the dealer clock, which will make any dealer get nasty.

Plus dealers don't like to admit that any of their service techs ever do anything wrong. And now you've been marked as a whiny customer, so you'll always get substandard service - until the dealer is either acquired by someone else or they get a major kick in the ass by BMW.
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      02-21-2013, 07:05 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wrp View Post
This is a big loose-loose situation. It sounds like they already charged BMW for the time the service tech spent to not find any problems, and they really can't charge BMW to look at the same problem so soon. So the subsequent time that is spent to check again is on the dealer clock, which will make any dealer get nasty.

Plus dealers don't like to admit that any of their service techs ever do anything wrong. And now you've been marked as a whiny customer, so you'll always get substandard service - until the dealer is either acquired by someone else or they get a major kick in the ass by BMW.
While that may be be true in isolated cases, I don't think it fairly characterizes all BMW dealership service departments.
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      02-21-2013, 11:27 PM   #10
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Everyone chill. There is problems with the VW looking coolant tanks that BMW has switched to. The coolant level sensors leak into the connector and cause a false low coolant light to come on. Have it checked and fixed. No problem. There is a BMW bulletin addressing this issue.
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      02-22-2013, 05:44 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by centexE9x View Post
Everyone chill. There is problems with the VW looking coolant tanks that BMW has switched to. The coolant level sensors leak into the connector and cause a false low coolant light to come on. Have it checked and fixed. No problem. There is a BMW bulletin addressing this issue.
Some people are not having false low coolant light but actual coolant loss. There are threads about it.
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      02-22-2013, 06:55 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by noka View Post
While that may be be true in isolated cases, I don't think it fairly characterizes all BMW dealership service departments.
Yes I agree - there are some isolated cases where BMW dealers are nice, but most dealers are not.
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      02-22-2013, 07:08 AM   #13
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If you are lucky enough to find a good dealer, your experience becomes more positive. My SA is an avid BMW fanatic who owns several BMW's (some vintage 2002's, 635,...) and he takes all problems seriously, as if they were his own.
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      02-22-2013, 07:57 PM   #14
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I'm calling BS on the stealership.

The car cannot pass a coolant pressure test with a leak anywhere in the coolant system.
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