No Coolant Level Sensor?? 2001 X5

[DSAviate]

Ricky - It may be worth alot. Did x5snd say where it was tucked. I need to find mine.

[Ricky Bobby]

I'll have to check my texts but if i recall from earlier, he said it was tucked in a harness by the strut tower! Try pm'ing him (X5SND)

[X5SND]

Just came across this....

Mines tucked on the front side of the fender/strut tower. I'd take a picture, but I just pulled my X in the garage after sitting outside in -33 all day. Once it's all thawed out ill snap a pic tomorrow. (I know better than to pull on my already brittle hood release cable when it's that cold!! ).

[TerminatorX5]

this is really an old thread... the "coolanf level" function is controlled by the LCM - accross all models, petrol/diesel, left/right hand drive, from 09/99 to 09/06 (the entire production run of the car) the coolant level switch (S63) is wired to a pin 24 of the 54-pin connector of the LCM.

The LCM is monitoring the switch - if the line is "grounded", there is enough coolant, if the line is "broken", there is insufficient coolant level...

Theoretically, if the switch is not wired for real (I doubt it), one can run a single wire from Pin 24 of the 54-pin connector (X10117) from LCM to Pin 2 of the level switch and have Pin 1 connected to ground point, and have a functional coolant level feature... however, i suspect, that once you get to the LCM and look at the Pin 24, you will find the pin slot already occupied - if you know how to trace the wires, you will find the other end tucked exactly where X5SND mentioned... why it was done so? beats me!!! but it can be fixed...

my $0.02

[DSAviate]

Ricky, X5SND, & TerminatorX5 - I appreciate yours posts:

1. X5SND - I look forward to your pick of the location where you found the male connector harness that goes with the level sensor (attached). Please let me know if you can identify the color(s) of the powered line, I can't find a line reference in the Bentley manual.

2. TerminatorX5 - Good info and thanks for sharing. Yes, it is an old thread . . . but no reason to make a new one if we're still developing the titled issue on our E53s. There hasn't been a wire to this level sensor (pic attached) since I bought the truck in 2009. You say that "if the line is "grounded", there is enough coolant, if the line is "broken", there is insufficient coolant level..." . . . well, the level sensor shown is definitely NOT providing a ground to anything without a wire attached to it (thus broken) . . . and I have NO advisory light. When I turn on the ignition switch, there is no coolant level advisory light test. My OM does NOT reference an advisory for low coolant level.

I'm going to wait for X5SND's wire location and color reference, and then try to match that up with your LCM references.

TerminatorX5 - Did you find a reference to a coolant level sensor circuit in the Bentley manual, or elsewhere?

[TerminatorX5]

the info comes from BMW WDS wiring diagrams... they list entire E53 model line up with the pin 24 "connected" to level switch... why the line is not connected for real - beats me!!!


the wire going to pin 24 of the LCM and pin 2 of the switch is listed as BR/WS, which i think is german for "brown/weiss"... could be something else, i am not that good with german abbreviations...

pin 1 is listed as BR/SW, which i think is "brown/schwartz"... this wire is going to connector X1108, which is a ground distribution "comb", located behind lefthand footwell (does not specify if LHD or RHD) - many other switches/modules ground to that comb, anti-theft horn, brake light switch (this switch is not controled by the LCM directly), gong, steering angle sensor, just to name a few...

[DSAviate]

TerminatorX5 - I think your colors are accurate based on the Bentley manual listing of colors for color codes.

But I'm still left with this anomaly . . . unless there's a ground cap on the end of my un-found male connector, the circuit is currently open . . . and I have no warning/indication of same.

[TerminatorX5]

my explanation would be that in the LCM programming the level reporting is turned off... I need to find my FSW_PSW file and read it to see what it says... since we are "snow-stormed" today, i might have time to do that...
unless i will be summoned for a "cuddling duty"... which i prefer...

[TerminatorX5]

another possible way to test the "grounding" theory (based on wiring diagram off the WDS... which had proven to be incorrect at times!!!) is to test the actual pins of the sensor for continuity with a multimeter - if the sensor is open when there is not coolant in the tank, it proves the open circuit theory, if the circuit opens when the tank is filled with liquid, then my statement must changed to the opposite...

i should have a spare sensor laying around in the garage, if i brave the cold, i might try to test it today...

[X5SND]

There's a cap of some sort over the connector....whether or not it's a grounding cap I couldn't tell you at this time....if have to go investigate later today.

This is what I have on my X: