When temp is hot the clutch should firm up and make it more difficult to stop. When mine failed I had no problem stopping it with my fingers.

The aux fan will turn about 1/8 turn when you first turn on the car but not AC.

The AC will not engage if the fan test fails at startup but the aux fan should kick on when the AC is on and the temp climbs.

The gauge on the dash is not a thermometer it's really a 3-position indicator and you reacted wisely to investigate when the needle came off the fake news 12:00 position.

The temp suggestion dial will be at noon over about a 30-40°C temp range which is ludicrous.

When the temp suggestion dial moved right the aux fan should have kicked in. Do you have a scanner that can run the aux fan like foxwell NT-510?

Other things that would present the symptoms you describe:

• mechanical clutch not engaging from temp
• aux fan not kicking on
• obstruction inside or outside radiator
• water pump impeller failure

That last one I've seen a couple time on xo in the past two years.

Monitor your *actual* temp to learn what temps are normal for your car you will see there's a range while the fake news needle points at noon.

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2011 E70 • N55 (me)
2012 E70 • N63 (wife)