x5 temp reaches mid way after 5mins of driving

[omodos]

Should this happen?, I only just noticed but the temp needle hits midway (and stays there) after I drive for a few minutes, temps out here are 14c /59 F at night 25c /77F in the day. Car does not overheat, neither is my coolant level low when I check it, oil level is fine too, just wondering if anyone else has noticed this?or is it me being to pedantic again?x5 is a diesel so not sure if this makes a difference, temps out here in summer have reached 100F ! and the car fared fine throughout BUT I am still curious...any any ideas would be much appreciated

[NOVAX5]

normal.

[Quicksilver]

+1 Normal

[Dannyell]

yep takes a bit longer on the diesels to get the needle to mid point...about the same on my TDI jetta

[JCL]

Agree with other posters that it is normal. However, be aware that the temp gauge is not indicating the real (relative) coolant temperature. The gauge is buffered on BMWs. What happens is that if the temp is anywhere from just off cold to just below overheating, it is adjusted to the centre position. That is why if and when it overheats, posters often remark that the gauge went from normal to 'pegged to the right'. It really only has three accurate readings: when the engine is completely cold, normal temperature, and overheated. At any other variation, it is programmed to show dead centre on the gauge.

[mrkbbd]

my car takes about 15 minutes to warm up in the winter

[JustinR]

Diesels have a thicker block and it takes longer to warm up all that cold metal.

[jvit27]

Your thermostat may be sticking.

[X5girl]

What you are experiencing is completely normal. Your coolant only circulates around the engine on start so will heat quickly until the thermostat starts to bleed hot water through the cooling system to hold normal temp by allowing the rad to shed heat.

In the winter, the stat may never fully open, just enough to hold normal running temp which is set by which thermostat you have installed. In the summer the stat may be fully open and rely on the fan to shed all the extra heat. In any case, the running temp is controlled by the stat if everything else is functioning correctly.

SO

All things being equal, a bigger rad will not make the engine run cooler, neither would a bigger or faster fan, it would just allow greater heat shed in the most hostile conditions, ie tropics or highly tuned, hence tropic spec pulleys. Similarly, shielding the rad in winter will not aid warm-up because there is no water flowing through the rad until warm, it only reduces rad freeze in the most harsh coldest conditions.

If the car is taking longer to achieve normal operating temp then this can indicate a failing thermostat, either by leaking past or failure of the wax capsule. Change it before it completely fails.

HTH.

X5Girl. xxx

[omodos]

Cheers guys and girls, basically I timed the it again yesterday when ambient temps outside were 19C it took 12 minutes for the temp gauge to hit centre,although kaka design by bmw when it comes to the temp gauge realistically only having 3 accurate points cold, mid way and overheat!