Small Coolant Leak.....

[PhilipJCaputo]

I was looking under my recently purchased 95 530i and noticed some green coolant about ready to drip off onto the driveway. Now I'm getting a "Low Coolant" message.

According to the gauges, I'm in no trouble of over heating, but I was wondering if there are any obvious places I should check for a leak? And what type of coolant is the best?

[Unregistered]

As regard coolant leaks there are some weak spots , hoses, thermostat housing, rad cap failing and heater core/matrix last but not least dreaded head gasket! some people only use bmw coolant but ive been ok for years with named ethylene glycol types, hope this helps,,,mine was similar , it was the thermostat husing (tried pattern parts) ended up with genuine which solved it , and it turned out the SAME price.

Ed

[Warren N.CA]

See if the level is at the correct place in the tank. If it's low, then top it up with 50% BMW coolant/50% distilled water. Find out how long it takes for the level to drop again. You may not have any problem, at all. And if it does drop again, you'll know how severe the leak may be by how long it takes to go down. Sometimes sensors malfunction, and it is normal for a little coolant to be dumped overboard when the engine is shut off after running on a hot day.

I was looking under my recently purchased 95 530i and noticed some green coolant about ready to drip off onto the driveway. Now I'm getting a "Low Coolant" message.

According to the gauges, I'm in no trouble of over heating, but I was wondering if there are any obvious places I should check for a leak? And what type of coolant is the best?

[PatrickPGH]

I have a coolant leak in my 95 530 also. Maybe once a month I've been adding pint of BMW coolant (50/50), I drive about 50+ miles a day so YMMV. Never noticed the temp gauge budge past the half way point and haven't found coolant in the oil.

There's not much room in the engine bay with the V8 to go poking around looking for a coolant leak. I'm fine with keeping up the add coolant maintenance and will escalate if the loss becomes more frequent.

BMA sells coolant at a discount but you can get it from the dealer for about $18.00

Patrick

[DaCan23]

Check all the lines underneath the reservoir... not much room in there but may be a cracked hose... lots in that area... including 3 heater core lines... could just be a bad or loose clamp too... one major line under there that maybe went to the intake or something on mine was leakin... we only had to cut off an inch and put it back on cause those hoses are damn expensive..

[PhilipJCaputo]

I opened up the coolant reserv tank, and I didn't see any coolant in it! (I'm guessing that the reserv tank is the one in the center near the windshield?)

I'm going to order some coolant from BMA today, but they are in CA, I'm in Ohio, anyone know of a place somewhere in the midwest area where the coolant wouldn't have to travel as far?

[Warren N.CA]

pay more, but it's not that much. Be sure to mix it with distilled water 50/50. Sounds like you may have a serious leak. But the first step is to get the correct amount of coolant in there.

I opened up the coolant reserv tank, and I didn't see any coolant in it! (I'm guessing that the reserv tank is the one in the center near the windshield?)

I'm going to order some coolant from BMA today, but they are in CA, I'm in Ohio, anyone know of a place somewhere in the midwest area where the coolant wouldn't have to travel as far?