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      09-18-2013, 12:31 PM   #1
mullini
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Low Coolant Level alert

Yesterday as I got in my X1 after work, I got a "low coolant level" alert. I called Beverly Hills BMW and made an appointment for this morning. They have my X1 now so I'll update later. Mine's an sDrive, 2013 with 11,600 miles.

By the way, a quick search last night for "BMW coolant level warning" brought up a fair number of forum hits, for other models. Apparently it is not infrequent on newer BMWs in the first 10 to 20,000 miles. Some theorize that the coolant level wasn't "settled" in production, or something like that. I saw some older posts where the OP followed up later to say the problems hadn't reoccurred.

When I got in the X1 this morning the warning light was gone, but of course I still took it in. I didn't actually pop the hood and check the coolant, but in the search I read where those who had done so quickly verified that the coolant was indeed dangerously low.

On another forum someone had suggested that using EcoPro uses more coolant, so I will ask the SA about that when I pick it up. I do use EcoPro on the freeway, which in LA means, I use it a lot...
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      09-18-2013, 01:51 PM   #2
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Yeah, ours did this around 5k miles. I just added some distilled water and it went away. We're overdue for our low mileage annual oil change, I guess I can have them check the codes when it goes in.
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      09-18-2013, 07:24 PM   #3
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All Eco Pro does is keep you in a higher gear so how would that use more coolant? Less rpms would mean the engine is not working as hard so wouldn't the opposite be true?
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      09-18-2013, 08:01 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucky13 View Post
All Eco Pro does is keep you in a higher gear so how would that use more coolant? Less rpms would mean the engine is not working as hard so wouldn't the opposite be true?
Less rpms doesn't necessarily mean that, no.
Think about bicycling. If you shift up after you reach speed, you'll work less hard, but if you shift up earlier when accelerating, or when going uphill, you'll have to put more strength on the pedals, cranking them slower.
You may burn fewer calories, but you pay for it with lactic acid.

That said, I don't see why it would affect the coolant either. If it's a 35i, check the oil temp after running for a while. If that seems high too, it may be indicative of other problems.
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      09-18-2013, 11:59 PM   #5
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Mullini, I had this same issue 2 weeks ago. I checked the coolant overflow tank and there was no coolant in the tank at all. Ran to store and got some prestone 50/50 premix coolant to get me home. Took to dealer and apparently it was a defective coolant overflow tank. when the engine gets to full operating temp, overflow tank may fail due to pressure building in the tank. Dealer replaced my overflow tank under warranty. Have your dealer check this and hose/clamp connections in coolant system. I was leaking coolant and did not know it until check coolant warning came on.
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      09-19-2013, 10:35 AM   #6
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Thanks for input everyone. Here's what my SA at Beverly Hills BMW told me: the coolant was a little low but not dangerously so. "New BMWs sometimes go through a period of adjustment and things like this happen," he basically said. He didn't say anything on the EcoPro theory. He suggested that if I get the warning light again, I could either bring it in or just put some distilled water in. Writing it up it might come across as if he didn't take this seriously, but that wasn't the impression as we talked. Anyway, my one year service is in two months, so we'll see. They checked the whole coolant system and saw no defect. But if the coolant level gets low again, I'll definitely bring up the "overflow tank" issue.

One slight annoyance - I had never reset my main trip computer, but when I got the X1 back it had been reset. So before I coudl read my average speed and MPG since I bought the X1 last November. I forget what the average speed was, but I know my MPG was exactly at 28, through 11,600 miles, due to one long road trip in early July where I was able to get some real highway cruising in for a few hundred miles. Oh well, no big deal. I'll just compare my trip computer MPG readings now to my pump calculations. In regular Los Angeles driving, I average around 27.5 per refill.
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      09-19-2013, 02:37 PM   #7
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Interesting. I also just had a low coolant warning. Checked the expansion tank (cold), and it was dry. Topped it off with distilled. Vehicle is just less than 1 year old, has about 14k miles. Never noticed any leaks or spots on garage floor.

It did phone home to request an oil change. BMW called and I scheduled an appt. Will have them investigate the cooling system.

Expansion tank seems rather small, and it doesn't seem like it holds much at the max mark.
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      09-20-2013, 07:20 AM   #8
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My wife had the issue with her 135i... just needed topped off. no biggie.
Cars do not consume coolant... if they are consuming coolant then there is a leak or a bad head gasket somewhere and the oil will have coolant in it. It does however evaporate and breakdown over time thus the need for flushing and refilling.
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      09-22-2013, 09:54 PM   #9
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I got the light when the car was at about 18 000 km. Checked the coolant and the overflow tank was almost dry. Filled up with a 50/50 mix of bmw coolant and distilled water. Been fine ever since.

Checked my 128 and it was fine. The X1 is new so i guess chalk another one up for the "new car needs to settle" theory.
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      09-23-2013, 05:13 PM   #10
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just got this today on my x1. @ 49k
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      09-24-2013, 10:22 AM   #11
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Others who got the low coolant level alert - were you using EcoPro often? I was.

I have stopped using EcoPro and am watching my mileage, which at the moment seems to be holding up real well. If I don't start to notice a significant drop in MPG, I'll lay off the EcoPro, even though it's not substantiated that the low coolant level phenomenon is related to sue of EcoPro. But why use it if it barely makes a difference to MPG?

I drive in Los Angeles, a lot of freeway traffic - sometimes flowing, sometimes not. Using EcoPro my fill up calculations were usually around 27.5 (sDrive 28). I'll have my first big fill-up this weekend since the X1 was serviced for low coolant and the trip computer was reset. Right now the trip computer actually shows an even 28 for the 200 or so miles on the current tank of gas. If that holds up - goodbye, EcoPro. And we'll see if the coolant problem ever resurfaces.
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      09-24-2013, 09:00 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mullini View Post
Others who got the low coolant level alert - were you using EcoPro often? I was.
Nope, i don't have ecopro (canadian model).
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      09-28-2013, 09:33 AM   #13
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Low Coolant

Quote:
Originally Posted by spiff dude View Post
I got the light when the car was at about 18 000 km. Checked the coolant and the overflow tank was almost dry. Filled up with a 50/50 mix of bmw coolant and distilled water. Been fine ever since.

Checked my 128 and it was fine. The X1 is new so i guess chalk another one up for the "new car needs to settle" theory.

I got the same low coolant warning at 20,000km that used to show-up only for the first 3 minutes of driving than went off... It appeared the first time while I was driving on a very steep hill ... however the warning began afterward to stay more than few minutes... Called my dealer and they answered it wasn't dangerous as long as the warning disappeared and offered me to fix it ... All it was missing was about 4 onces (eg. 120ml)of coolant. As for they explanation, aside the 'engine settling', they really had no clue.
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      09-28-2013, 12:51 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mullini View Post
Others who got the low coolant level alert - were you using EcoPro often? I was.

I have stopped using EcoPro and am watching my mileage, which at the moment seems to be holding up real well. If I don't start to notice a significant drop in MPG, I'll lay off the EcoPro, even though it's not substantiated that the low coolant level phenomenon is related to sue of EcoPro. But why use it if it barely makes a difference to MPG?

I drive in Los Angeles, a lot of freeway traffic - sometimes flowing, sometimes not. Using EcoPro my fill up calculations were usually around 27.5 (sDrive 28). I'll have my first big fill-up this weekend since the X1 was serviced for low coolant and the trip computer was reset. Right now the trip computer actually shows an even 28 for the 200 or so miles on the current tank of gas. If that holds up - goodbye, EcoPro. And we'll see if the coolant problem ever resurfaces.
Really? After about 4000 miles, I got around to trying Eco Pro with my temp gauge, and discovered it immediately runs up temp from about 215 deg f to 225 deg f.

So I guess we both found out Eco Pro mpg has a cost.

BMW's already have high heat efficiency factored in.
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      09-28-2013, 01:47 PM   #15
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My wife took the X1 to work yesterday while I detailed her car. After being parked in a sloped parking garage all day, she got the low coolant warning on the drive home. She pulled over and restarted the car and the warning went away. I checked the level and the reservoir was empty. The car has close to 21,000 miles on it, and I don't use EcoPro. I topped it off and will monitor and address at next service.
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      09-28-2013, 02:31 PM   #16
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^My X1 wasn't floating the coolant stick, but only took a little to fill.

I think these engines are hard to get air out on first fill.

I was googling burping the coolant until I decided the temp was accurate.

Parking on hills is what I thought would be way to move bubble around so it would burp.
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      11-17-2017, 01:01 PM   #17
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Ok, I'm back up with good news.

I had the dealer put about a pint of coolant in when I picked from Euro delivery and 2500 miles.

About 3 years later, I had to put about a pint of distilled water in to float gauge again.

That didn't freak me out, but today at 23k miles and 4.5 years, the coolant stick is floating, so I guess it burped up a quart of air.

I had a Dodge Stratus and Dodge Dakota each of which went nearly 100k miles, and never needed coolant added.

Last edited by 0w40X1; 11-18-2017 at 08:10 AM..
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      11-18-2017, 05:48 PM   #18
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Every BMW I’ve had since 2002, beginnng with the E46, lost coolant due to evaporation. About once a year I’d have to add a few ounces. It was the same way on my Cooper S, a325i, 330i, 335i and the same now on the X1. Even my Q5 lost a little coolant over time. It’s not a big deal.
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      11-18-2017, 06:28 PM   #19
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Your little is fine; I've had F150 and Cougar that was leaking heads of oil and some water.

F150, 700 miles 1 quart of oil, and twice a year 1 quart of water.

Engine lived to 170k miles, and to sell 12 years later.
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      11-25-2017, 10:12 AM   #20
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I check coolant at every oil change(5000 miles), I always top it off. On the 6 BMW's I've owned this has been the case.
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      11-27-2017, 05:37 PM   #21
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Just had to top up mine today.
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