Thermostat error? coolant is no more than about 50 degrees

[norway2]

Hi
Has an X5 E53 3.0 diesel 2004 mod, the car not being properly warm and I expect there is a fault on the thermostat, but at the same time as this occurred then the level controller disappeared, is there a possibility that it may lie in the system to disturb?

[andrewwynn]

If the coolant is low you won't get cabin heat. The float will drop quite a way into the tank when coolant is low. (Disappear from view)

[wpoll]

How are you determining that the engine is not warming up? Via the temp gauge or via the hidden menu #7 in the BC (KTMP: value)?

If the thermostat is indeed faulty and that is common - it's pretty easy to replace it.

Remove the front plastic under-shield.

Remove the inlet air ducting above radiator.

Remove MAF-to-Turbo inlet ducting

Drain radiator via drain plug on bottom. Not all coolant will be drained but enough to change the thermostat.

You can now reach in and change thermostat - you'll need e-torx sockets.

It's a good idea to do this sooner rather then later as an M57TU that runs cool will kill your glow plugs pretty quickly.

I did a brief write-up here: -

https://xoutpost.com/1084162-post23.html

With pictures here: -

https://xoutpost.com/1079662-post7235.html

[norway2]

Thanks, I'll change the thermostat, have just changed the glow plugs so I don't want them to be defective again, I read the coolant temperature with a fault scanner and it showed 50 degrees and the instrument in the car just barely over the blue mark.
There is enough coolant but the level regulator has disappeared into the expansion tank ... can it make any errors in the system or can I just leave it there?