Thermostat E46 problem?

thepharcyde

thepharcyde

thepharcyde

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Joined
17 Mar 2004
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I have noticed recently with the cold weather that the thermostat gets upto the midway point with the heater on 25'c, but as soon as I get out of town onto NSL roads doing 60/70mph it drops under the midway point max being the indicated red line below.

temp.jpg


Anyone else who has a 330/530 experiencing this/and is it normal? Is the thermostat on its way out. I have noticed that my ave mpg on the computer has dropped from 26.4 to 25.9 but that was with some serious canning over the weekend!

Many thanks
 
I will mention it to the dealers, and see what they say. Would it log a fault on the ECU if it was faulty, because going by past experiences non logged ecu faults are normally passed off as 'cannot replicate fault' when I pick it up.

Thank you for the advise
 
Supprise supprise "no fault found"

On the flip side, after telling them from day one from reviewing the service history with my car that one of the exhaust brackets was broken and marked as "advised". Specialist Cars Luton investigated and after speaking with Wollaston Motors said it was my driving style. Not having this Luton said it was possible the flap in the back box and replaced this under warranty. This did not sort it so the next option they said that they would swap the whole exhaust system off another 330. Got a call, please bring it in. I did, only to get a call stating that the doner car was an automactic and I would have to wait for a AUC to arrive which was a manual. A month past and Specialist cars have a franchise business in both Luton and Stevenage, one came in at Stevenage and at the time I specifically asked that if one came in stock from both branches, would they swap it with a car from Stevenage. I phone Luton when one came in stock which was Stevenage. Sorry Mr Gilbert we cannot take stock from another branch basically contradicting what I was told by the same person. Anyway today even though they were not meant to be looking at the exhaust guess what. We are replacing the downpipe and cat because a bracket is broken. In shock at the time, I have not said anything over the phone as the monkey on the end of the line knows jack about anything. But these cretins were told this from day one, why do they not do their job, and think maybe the customer is right?!?

So back to the themostat, BM have said it is normal, so should anything fail it should all be logged, but going by the exhaust situation above "customer is always right" they prob have not checked it properly.

They are also replacing the upper steering column, to fix the noise/juddering over uneven roads!
 
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Just to summise my BMW ownership in 1.5 years
Mini Cooper S had the following mechanical fixed this is excluding any damage in their care which they have had to repaint etc!

1) Windscreen replaced.
2) Clutch
3) Flywheel
4) Gearbox

BMW 330 Auto which was rejected without the following attended too

1) Replace jacking blocks
2) Driver sun visor
3) Two front alloys
4) Rain sensor
5) Missing drivers airbag
6) Memory seats and mirrors
7) Seat belt tentioners
8) Rear screen
9) Both front window regs
10) Exhaust manifold gaskets

BMW Manual (current)
1) New back box
2) Front exhaust
3) Steering column

BMW frankly are crap. In comparison the Fords I have owned have been spot on.
 
It is just so annoying. I was in work late today to bring the car in only to be told yet again, we will have to rebook as we have to order parts!

So again on Wednesday I am going to be late to work to take the car back in for them to replace the part of the exhaust where the exhaust bracket is broken despite telling them from day one of this. Two months later they have eventually opened their blinkered eyes and found the already diagnosed fault from another dealers which was logged on the service history!
 
I checked the coolant level and cold it was on minimum. I went for a drive to Halfrauds to purchase some more antifreeze. Temp went to the middle after a mile 5 mins in slow traffic. 2 miles later and I put the heater on max, and it dropped slightly 3 mile journey to Halfords.

Got home 'carefully' removed filling cap and the reading is on max i.e. the yellow marker is out of the filling hole, cold it drops inside indicating according to the measure that it is on minimum.

temp-1.jpg


Something I thought the garage would have checked? Anyway would low coolant level equal fluctuation in temp. It never goes above the half way point only slightly drops.

Sorry I know this has already been covered, but I want to get my facts right before I take it back on Wednesday for the other work to be attended too.

PS I have purchased some neat 'blue' Halfords own antifreeze. Current antifreeze is blue as well. Should I mix with distilled water, or will tap water/brita filtered water be okay?

Thank you
 
How can they say that it is normal?!? I have constant stress 24/7 driving the car, why if I have explained the above to the dealer do they then turn around and say it is normal. Even around town down, car gets upto temp, turn the heating on it drops.

Any suggestions. Would driving it out, then calling the BMW breakdown work. Would they have a thermostat and replace it at the roadside?
 
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I explained to the operator that I had taken it into the dealers and they had said that it is normal. I said I am driving down the road and the car gets upto temp. As soon as I turn on the heater the temp drops.

Puts me on hold and speaks to BMW tech guy who covers my area. She came back and said the tech is in Harpendon, but has said that it is the thermostat is sticking open and thinks he has the part on board and will come and attend to me when he is done. Fingers crossed :)
 
We shall see at 17:20ish. It is only when I am driving around. Stationary in neutral it stays dead centre. Lets hope he does not test it this way and assume like the garage that it is okay. I am sure he will take it for a test drive and see if unsure ?
 
He is looking at the ECU for a fault before he does anything because the thermostat is electronic. I assume the dealer has already done this though right which is why they have concluded that because it has not throwed up a fault it is not faulty?!?
 
[TW]Fox;10697521 said:
What? It shouldn't throw up a fault code I wouldn't think.
Click to expand...

He is saying that he is looking for a fault code because it is electronic, before doing anything under warranty. That wont prove if it is running inefficiently though only if it has stopped working altogether?
 
[TW]Fox;10697535 said:
If he gives you any hassle offer to let him drive the car, with you in, so you can demonstrate the fault.
Click to expand...

Do you know if emergency service covers this? it has been 5 mins, he would have rung at the bell I guess if 'computer says no'
 
I cannot even see out of the window what he is doing, and dont wanna hastle him. It is the same chap who came out when I locked my only key in the boot 1st day of having my previous auto 330 :D he was not mightly impressed
 
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