[Scottaw]

Picked up my 2014 X3 this past June and tonight's drive from work back to home in 30 degree weather was the first real cold weather I've driven the new vehicle in. I've had several variations of the 1.8T and 2.0T (turbo) 4 cylinder motors from past Audis over the years, this is my first BMW, and all of them excelled at warming up rather quickly. Usually within the first five minutes of driving the vehicle it was coming up to temperature quickly and able to provide good heat to the cabin.

However, the X3 tonight took a very long time to heat up. It was 17 minutes until the temperature needle lifted off the needle rest to indicate it reached 160 degrees. After 25 minutes, it still had not reached its normal temp. This leads me to believe the thermostat is stuck open.

I've already called for a service appointment, but was curious if any other folks have experienced or know of any issues related to this?

Other than that...loving the X3. Chose it over the Q5 for a few reasons, and after driving Audi's since 2001 I'm happy with my selection. No other quality issues to date, it's performed like a champ.

[EvilGenius]

Ha, I can tell this is your first bmw hehe I think I see a message similar to this every winter. You dont have any problems:

1) The gauge is OIL temp, not WATER temp. It is normal for the gauge to take a long time to move up. That goes doubly so for the 4-cyl engines. This leads me to...

2) The cooling loop in BMW engines is very electronically controlled, from the flow rate of the water pump to the actuation of the thermostat. If there was something wrong with the thermostat, you would get a message on the dash. With no messages, the engine was probably warm enough to heat you in no time flat, but...

3) On the middle of the dash there is a dial selector: red one way and blue the other way. This selects how much heat (or cold) comes out of the vents. Since you haven't needed it, I'd bet good money that the dial is on full-blue and you aren't getting any heat from the vents. Turn it to red, you will be fully toasty in no time flat!

[Scottaw]

Originally Posted by EvilGenius

Ha, I can tell this is your first bmw hehe I think I see a message similar to this every winter. You dont have any problems:

1) The gauge is OIL temp, not WATER temp. It is normal for the gauge to take a long time to move up. That goes doubly so for the 4-cyl engines. This leads me to...

2) The cooling loop in BMW engines is very electronically controlled, from the flow rate of the water pump to the actuation of the thermostat. If there was something wrong with the thermostat, you would get a message on the dash. With no messages, the engine was probably warm enough to heat you in no time flat, but...

3) On the middle of the dash there is a dial selector: red one way and blue the other way. This selects how much heat (or cold) comes out of the vents. Since you haven't needed it, I'd bet good money that the dial is on full-blue and you aren't getting any heat from the vents. Turn it to red, you will be fully toasty in no time flat!

Yes, it is my first BMW.

I was aware of the extra dial in the center of the dash area, already cranked that down low this past summer when I thought the A/C was a bit on the weak side. And, subsequently, have already cranked it up to get as much head as possible out of it. By the way... I don't get the point of having this dial... What's the point of using 'auto' on the HVAC controls and yet having a manual dial...seems counterproductive.

Was also aware the gauge was for oil, and not water. Just the same, it shouldn't take 15-17 minutes of driving 45-50 mph to get the needle to break the 160 deg. F mark. I don't know how the coolant is controlled on this engine...but hopefully something can be done to address this issue. A $45,000 premium SUV should not have basic heating issues at only 30 degrees. I can't imagine how it will perform when around 0 degrees.

[richard in NC]

I've not had the X3 into winter yet but any other BMW I've owned produced heat pretty quickly. There could be a problem but not likely a thermostat issue on a new car.

PS: The center vent temp is a long time BMW feature to allow one to vary upper area temp as compared to lower areas. Most useful for cooling air to your face to help keep you from getting drowsy on cold nights. Or to prevent freezing cold air on your face with A/C on high. But yes it seems I have to re-adjust it a lot during spring and fall with cool mornings and warm afternoons.

[EvilGenius]

I drove a 3 series car as a loaner once and that 4-cyl engine never made the oil temp gauge move in regular city driving, compared to my X3 35i, which gets the oil temp moving up much quicker. However if you have the dial to red, and the temp set to a warm temp, you should be feeling heat very quickly. There is a heater control valve that turns on/off coolant to the interior heater core that may be wonky, although they usually malfunction as a function of age. The dealer can sort it though. Good thing you are getting it in now instead of when it is zero outside!

[Scottaw]

I'm still inclined to think it's simple as the tstat valve being stuck open. On my 25 minute drive in to work this morning the temperature only got to 180, and it took about 15 minutes for it to get there. This is after it was parked inside my heated garage all night, and then driving through 30 degree air on the way to work.

Another thing I've noted, and I'm not sure if it's normal or related...is this past summer/fall the temperature has been fairly stable right around 200. However, whenever I'm on the highway maintaining higher speeds/RPM's the temperature will creep up to 220-230ish. I'm not alarmed by that, since this is oil temperature and the higher RPM's are directly working the oil temperature upwards. Just thought it was interesting the first time I saw this, having been used to my past Audi's being rock-stable regardless of outside temperature or driving conditions.

[EvilGenius]

Originally Posted by Scottaw

I'm still inclined to think it's simple as the tstat valve being stuck open. On my 25 minute drive in to work this morning the temperature only got to 180, and it took about 15 minutes for it to get there. This is after it was parked inside my heated garage all night, and then driving through 30 degree air on the way to work.

Another thing I've noted, and I'm not sure if it's normal or related...is this past summer/fall the temperature has been fairly stable right around 200. However, whenever I'm on the highway maintaining higher speeds/RPM's the temperature will creep up to 220-230ish. I'm not alarmed by that, since this is oil temperature and the higher RPM's are directly working the oil temperature upwards. Just thought it was interesting the first time I saw this, having been used to my past Audi's being rock-stable regardless of outside temperature or driving conditions.

You are looking at the oil temp gauge again. Unless you see it hit or exceed 250, ignore it. It has zero to do with the operating temp of the engine. I assure you that your engine is fine and the t-stat is fine, otherwise it would be lighting your dash up like a christmas tree (it has to keep a tight control of engine temp for emissions and fuel efficiency reasons). Let us know what the dealer says.

[RhoXS]

Originally Posted by Scottaw

I'm still inclined to think it's simple as the tstat valve being stuck open. On my 25 minute drive in to work this morning the temperature only got to 180, and it took about 15 minutes for it to get there. This is after it was parked inside my heated garage all night, and then driving through 30 degree air on the way to work.

Another thing I've noted, and I'm not sure if it's normal or related...is this past summer/fall the temperature has been fairly stable right around 200. However, whenever I'm on the highway maintaining higher speeds/RPM's the temperature will creep up to 220-230ish. I'm not alarmed by that, since this is oil temperature and the higher RPM's are directly working the oil temperature upwards. Just thought it was interesting the first time I saw this, having been used to my past Audi's being rock-stable regardless of outside temperature or driving conditions.

That is exactly how my X3 behaves.

It is oil temperature you are looking at, not water temp. Only after a consequential amount of driving does my oil temperature even start to approach 230-240 degrees.

You are getting good advice - you do not appear to have a problem.

[DonC]

y oil temp gage has caused me to rethink how I drive my S2000 as it has only water temp.

[smittyxi]

My thermostat went on my '03 330xi and the temp gauge would stay low and the heater would not get hot. Still, it sounds like that might not be the issue. It's about 40 F in my area now, so I'll keep an eye on the gauge next time I drive to see how long it takes to warm up.

Originally Posted by Scottaw

By the way... I don't get the point of having this dial... What's the point of using 'auto' on the HVAC controls and yet having a manual dial...seems counterproductive.

Originally Posted by richard in NC

PS: The center vent temp is a long time BMW feature to allow one to vary upper area temp as compared to lower areas. Most useful for cooling air to your face to help keep you from getting drowsy on cold nights. Or to prevent freezing cold air on your face with A/C on high. But yes it seems I have to re-adjust it a lot during spring and fall with cool mornings and warm afternoons.

I've had the hot/cold dial on my E45 and now F25, and I still don't get this. With all the (over)engineered features like rain-sensors, auto-dim mirrors, adaptive lights etc... why is this the one manual thing in my car? It doesn't really bother me, but it adds a step to the otherwise "get in and drive" experience.

[RhoXS]

Does the X3 even have a thermostat? I don't think so. If my understanding is correct one of the many computers monitors water temperature via an RTD and then it simply controls the electric water pump accordingly. I think there is even a variable program where the temperature setpoint is not fixed but varies according to engine load based on both efficiency and performance goals. If the electric water pump fails then the engine will overheat. If it runs at max rpm continuously it will run at much too cool a temperature. The elctric water pump is the water pump and there is no conventional water pump. Someone please correct me if this is wrong but everything I have read makes me believe this is the way engine temperature is managed. This entire thread seems to be addressing a problem that just does not exist.

[Scottaw]

Oddly enough, the heat is working now. Yesterday morning it had the same issue... But since then it has been working fine. I don't know if the thermostat valve was partially stuck and somehow freed itself, or if something else was going on, but I have much stronger heat available. Heat is available within a few minutes of driving, and reaches higher heat levels soon thereafter. The oil temperature gauge behavior is the same as before, that wasn't an issue and more just an observation.

Will obviously keep an eye going forward, but for now all is well.

[EvilGenius]

Originally Posted by RhoXS

Does the X3 even have a thermostat? I don't think so. If my understanding is correct one of the many computers monitors water temperature via an RTD and then it simply controls the electric water pump accordingly. I think there is even a variable program where the temperature setpoint is not fixed but varies according to engine load based on both efficiency and performance goals. If the electric water pump fails then the engine will overheat. If it runs at max rpm continuously it will run at much too cool a temperature. The elctric water pump is the water pump and there is no conventional water pump. Someone please correct me if this is wrong but everything I have read makes me believe this is the way engine temperature is managed. This entire thread seems to be addressing a problem that just does not exist.

Yes there is one. It is down at the bottom of the engine, behind the electric water pump. To properly bring the engine to operating temperature, heat needs to be evenly distributed through the engine, if the WP just didn't run at cold temps, heat would concentrate at the bottom of the head/top of the block which would cause uneven heating quickly.

Part #2 on the diagram here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...54&hg=11&fg=35

Granted, this is on an N55 engine, but the principle is the same between 4 and 6 cylinder engines.

[RhoXS]

Originally Posted by EvilGenius

Yes there is one. It is down at the bottom of the engine, behind the electric water pump. To properly bring the engine to operating temperature, heat needs to be evenly distributed through the engine, if the WP just didn't run at cold temps, heat would concentrate at the bottom of the head/top of the block which would cause uneven heating quickly.

Part #2 on the diagram here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...54&hg=11&fg=35

Granted, this is on an N55 engine, but the principle is the same between 4 and 6 cylinder engines.

Your correct - my mistake. I just found the thermostat on OEM Parts. Thanks for correcting that.

[EvilGenius]

Originally Posted by RhoXS

Your correct - my mistake. I just found the thermostat on OEM Parts. Thanks for correcting that.

There is a youtube video on replacing the wp+ts on an N54 that I saw a couple of months back. It doesn't look very pleasant. One would think that decoupling from the engine they could put these components in a more serviceable location, but guess not! The built-in bleeding routine is kinda a nice touch compared to doing it on the old e46!

[Scottaw]

Good info to know, thanks all!