coolant usage in 2 yo low mileage bmw

[Dan]

My father in law has a 2002 bmw 330ci with about 11,000 miles on it, which I
am driving while they are out of town. Yesterday, the coolant level light
on the dash came on, and I had to add about 1 quart of coolant. Car does
not appear to have any external leaks. What are the other possibilities for
coolant usage in a late model car? The 2 that occur to me are internal
leaks, either burning it via a head gasket problem, or into the oil. Oil
looks fine & no odd steam from the tailpipe. A quart isn't much in, but I'm
still wondering.

TIA

Dan

[fbloogyudsr]

"Dan" > wrote
> My father in law has a 2002 bmw 330ci with about 11,000 miles on it, which
> I
> am driving while they are out of town. Yesterday, the coolant level light
> on the dash came on, and I had to add about 1 quart of coolant. Car does
> not appear to have any external leaks. What are the other possibilities
> for
> coolant usage in a late model car? The 2 that occur to me are internal
> leaks, either burning it via a head gasket problem, or into the oil. Oil
> looks fine & no odd steam from the tailpipe. A quart isn't much in, but
> I'm
> still wondering.

I have never had to add any coolant to my '01 330xi, in almost 60K miles.
Something is wrong, and you need to have a pressure test and other
diagnostics done.

The most common problem with BMW's (and, indeed all new cars) is
that they have plastic radiator tops/bottoms attached to the aluminum
cores; it's quite common for the plastic/aluminum seal to leak. Woe
be to you if it's the heater core rather than radiator - they're very hard
to get to.

Floyd

[Dan]

Thanks Floyd, I had forgotten about the heater core. Had to replace one of
those on my 1st car 30 some years ago, an 1968 Pontiac. That job was enough
of a bitch; I can imagine how awful the task would be on this car.

Dan


"fbloogyudsr" > wrote in message
...
> "Dan" > wrote
> > My father in law has a 2002 bmw 330ci with about 11,000 miles on it,
which
> > I
> > am driving while they are out of town. Yesterday, the coolant level
light
> > on the dash came on, and I had to add about 1 quart of coolant. Car
does
> > not appear to have any external leaks. What are the other possibilities
> > for
> > coolant usage in a late model car? The 2 that occur to me are internal
> > leaks, either burning it via a head gasket problem, or into the oil.
Oil
> > looks fine & no odd steam from the tailpipe. A quart isn't much in, but
> > I'm
> > still wondering.
>
> I have never had to add any coolant to my '01 330xi, in almost 60K miles.
> Something is wrong, and you need to have a pressure test and other
> diagnostics done.
>
> The most common problem with BMW's (and, indeed all new cars) is
> that they have plastic radiator tops/bottoms attached to the aluminum
> cores; it's quite common for the plastic/aluminum seal to leak. Woe
> be to you if it's the heater core rather than radiator - they're very hard
> to get to.
>
> Floyd
>

[Rob Munach]

Dan wrote:
> Thanks Floyd, I had forgotten about the heater core. Had to replace one of
> those on my 1st car 30 some years ago, an 1968 Pontiac. That job was enough
> of a bitch; I can imagine how awful the task would be on this car.
>
> Dan
>
>
> "fbloogyudsr" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>"Dan" > wrote
>>
>>>My father in law has a 2002 bmw 330ci with about 11,000 miles on it,
>
> which
>
>>>I
>>>am driving while they are out of town. Yesterday, the coolant level
>
> light
>
>>>on the dash came on, and I had to add about 1 quart of coolant. Car
>
> does
>
>>>not appear to have any external leaks. What are the other possibilities
>>>for
>>>coolant usage in a late model car? The 2 that occur to me are internal
>>>leaks, either burning it via a head gasket problem, or into the oil.
>
> Oil
>
>>>looks fine & no odd steam from the tailpipe. A quart isn't much in, but
>>>I'm
>>>still wondering.
>>
>>I have never had to add any coolant to my '01 330xi, in almost 60K miles.
>>Something is wrong, and you need to have a pressure test and other
>>diagnostics done.
>>
>>The most common problem with BMW's (and, indeed all new cars) is
>>that they have plastic radiator tops/bottoms attached to the aluminum
>>cores; it's quite common for the plastic/aluminum seal to leak. Woe
>>be to you if it's the heater core rather than radiator - they're very hard
>>to get to.
>>
>>Floyd
>>
>
>
>
Wouldn't you be finding antifreeze on the carpet if it was the heater core?

[Jeff Strickland]

"Rob Munach" > wrote in message
...
> Dan wrote:
> > Thanks Floyd, I had forgotten about the heater core. Had to replace one
of
> > those on my 1st car 30 some years ago, an 1968 Pontiac. That job was
enough
> > of a bitch; I can imagine how awful the task would be on this car.
> >
> > Dan
> >
> >
> > "fbloogyudsr" > wrote in message
> > ...
> >
> >>"Dan" > wrote
> >>
> >>>My father in law has a 2002 bmw 330ci with about 11,000 miles on it,
> >
> > which
> >
> >>>I
> >>>am driving while they are out of town. Yesterday, the coolant level
> >
> > light
> >
> >>>on the dash came on, and I had to add about 1 quart of coolant. Car
> >
> > does
> >
> >>>not appear to have any external leaks. What are the other
possibilities
> >>>for
> >>>coolant usage in a late model car? The 2 that occur to me are internal
> >>>leaks, either burning it via a head gasket problem, or into the oil.
> >
> > Oil
> >
> >>>looks fine & no odd steam from the tailpipe. A quart isn't much in,
but
> >>>I'm
> >>>still wondering.
> >>
> >>I have never had to add any coolant to my '01 330xi, in almost 60K
miles.
> >>Something is wrong, and you need to have a pressure test and other
> >>diagnostics done.
> >>
> >>The most common problem with BMW's (and, indeed all new cars) is
> >>that they have plastic radiator tops/bottoms attached to the aluminum
> >>cores; it's quite common for the plastic/aluminum seal to leak. Woe
> >>be to you if it's the heater core rather than radiator - they're very
hard
> >>to get to.
> >>
> >>Floyd
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> Wouldn't you be finding antifreeze on the carpet if it was the heater
core?


Yes, and one would also smell it.

[Jeff Strickland]

Personally, I don't think it is unreasonable that you might need some
coolant after all of this time. Yes, it is a closed system that in theory
should never change its fluid level, but in reality some coolant will always
leave the system. Mention it to your dad that you had to top the coolant
off, but beyond that I suggest you don't worry about it. Maybe check it
again before your folks come home and see if the level has changed.




"Dan" > wrote in message
...
> My father in law has a 2002 bmw 330ci with about 11,000 miles on it, which
I
> am driving while they are out of town. Yesterday, the coolant level light
> on the dash came on, and I had to add about 1 quart of coolant. Car does
> not appear to have any external leaks. What are the other possibilities
for
> coolant usage in a late model car? The 2 that occur to me are internal
> leaks, either burning it via a head gasket problem, or into the oil. Oil
> looks fine & no odd steam from the tailpipe. A quart isn't much in, but
I'm
> still wondering.
>
> TIA
>
> Dan
>
>
>

[Matt Wette]

> "Dan" > wrote in message
> ...
> > My father in law has a 2002 bmw 330ci with about 11,000 miles on it, which
> I
> > am driving while they are out of town. Yesterday, the coolant level light
> > on the dash came on, and I had to add about 1 quart of coolant. Car does
> > not appear to have any external leaks. What are the other possibilities
> for
> > coolant usage in a late model car? The 2 that occur to me are internal
> > leaks, either burning it via a head gasket problem, or into the oil. Oil
> > looks fine & no odd steam from the tailpipe. A quart isn't much in, but
> I'm
> > still wondering.

"Jeff Strickland" > writes:
> Personally, I don't think it is unreasonable that you might need some
> coolant after all of this time. Yes, it is a closed system that in theory
> should never change its fluid level, but in reality some coolant will always
> leave the system. Mention it to your dad that you had to top the coolant
> off, but beyond that I suggest you don't worry about it. Maybe check it
> again before your folks come home and see if the level has changed.

I have a 2003 330Ci with 22K miles. About a year ago (~12000m) my
coolant light went on, to my surprise. I topped it off (1qt) and have
not seen another problem (and I do occasionally check).

Matt

--
Matthew.R.Wette at jpl.nasa.gov -- I speak for myself, not for JPL.

[Dan]

Correct about the smell, that would be immediately apparent inside the car
with a heater core leak. I've owned my share of junkers over the years;
even relatively small leaks under the hood can be pretty readily noticed
standing next to the car by someone familiar with the characteristic sweet
smell of coolant. I haven't noticed any such odor, nor have I seen signs of
any leaks in the usual places around the engine or under the car. It's not
inconceivable the car was a tad underfilled when new, such that a loss of
even less than the 1 qt I added was sufficient to trip the light. This is
not the kind of thing my father in law would check for absent a warning
light; I suspect he may not even know how to pop the hood ;-) In any event
I assume that if there is a problem it would still be under warranty, so I
will pass on the info & he can take it from there.

Dan


"Jeff Strickland" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Rob Munach" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Dan wrote:
> > > Thanks Floyd, I had forgotten about the heater core. Had to replace
one
> of
> > > those on my 1st car 30 some years ago, an 1968 Pontiac. That job was
> enough
> > > of a bitch; I can imagine how awful the task would be on this car.
> > >
> > > Dan
> > >
> > >
> > > "fbloogyudsr" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > >
> > >>"Dan" > wrote
> > >>
> > >>>My father in law has a 2002 bmw 330ci with about 11,000 miles on it,
> > >
> > > which
> > >
> > >>>I
> > >>>am driving while they are out of town. Yesterday, the coolant level
> > >
> > > light
> > >
> > >>>on the dash came on, and I had to add about 1 quart of coolant. Car
> > >
> > > does
> > >
> > >>>not appear to have any external leaks. What are the other
> possibilities
> > >>>for
> > >>>coolant usage in a late model car? The 2 that occur to me are
internal
> > >>>leaks, either burning it via a head gasket problem, or into the oil.
> > >
> > > Oil
> > >
> > >>>looks fine & no odd steam from the tailpipe. A quart isn't much in,
> but
> > >>>I'm
> > >>>still wondering.
> > >>
> > >>I have never had to add any coolant to my '01 330xi, in almost 60K
> miles.
> > >>Something is wrong, and you need to have a pressure test and other
> > >>diagnostics done.
> > >>
> > >>The most common problem with BMW's (and, indeed all new cars) is
> > >>that they have plastic radiator tops/bottoms attached to the aluminum
> > >>cores; it's quite common for the plastic/aluminum seal to leak. Woe
> > >>be to you if it's the heater core rather than radiator - they're very
> hard
> > >>to get to.
> > >>
> > >>Floyd
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > Wouldn't you be finding antifreeze on the carpet if it was the heater
> core?
>
>
> Yes, and one would also smell it.
>
>

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article >,
Jeff Strickland > wrote:
> Personally, I don't think it is unreasonable that you might need some
> coolant after all of this time. Yes, it is a closed system that in
> theory should never change its fluid level, but in reality some coolant
> will always leave the system. Mention it to your dad that you had to top
> the coolant off, but beyond that I suggest you don't worry about it.
> Maybe check it again before your folks come home and see if the level
> has changed.

Yup. My 528 did just this, and after topping up it hasn't occurred again.
I don't check it routinely since it has a warning light, and perhaps they
didn't top it up at the last service, where the coolant wasn't changed.

--
*The average person falls asleep in seven minutes *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.