Do I need a cooland flush

[T.Yazar]

Hi my car had his last flush at 2009 but it does not overheat leak or has no other issues

I'm living in holland ( winter -10 cel. ) do u think that the coolant will freeze at lower temp becouse it's old

How offten do u flush the system ?

Thx

By the way I have a e53 3.0i 2003

[mb-X5]

I am no expert, but the Owner's manual recommends changing the coolant every four years.

If it was last changed in 2009, you are about due for a change. But you are probably ok for now if you are trying to stretch it.

Good luck.

[JCL]

It would be good practice to change it.

Unless you have added water to it in the interim (thus diluting the glycol %) it will likely have similar anti-freeze properties to when it was new. In that sense, you won't have to worry about it freezing. If you have added water to it in the interim, that changes the situation. A garage can test it in minuters to tell you what temperature it is good to.

Apart from the above, what coolant has in it are other additives that extend the life of your cooling system components. Those additives get depleted over time. The reason for changing the fluid is to minimize the cost of replacing water pumps, radiators, and so on, due to running ineffective coolant.

At times, coolant has been called 2 year, 4 year, and lifetime. With modern BMW coolant, I go 4 years. There isn't a downside to changing it, apart from the expense, and I believe I will come out ahead by not having to change water pumps, etc, early.

[T.Yazar]

thx guys I will flush the system before the winter

but don't u recommend antifreeze because it is corrosion free ?

if not do I need the oem coolant or can I use a better one like I use castrol instead of bmw oil

[TwinTurboGTR]

Well antifreeze/coolant are used interchangeably. We recommend using BMW coolant because it is phosphate free. Mixing it 50/50 with distilled water. After the coolant is mixed, it comes to about $10/ gallon.

I personally wouldn't use Prestone, Peake, etc. Just BMW Coolant.

[jcp240z]

If you can't find the BMW coolant what you need is a G-48 coolant. G48® – Hybrid coolant containing silicate ǀ Glysantin®.
This is the OEM manufacture. If you google G-48 you will find a few other, typically repackaged.

[T.Yazar]

Witch one do I need ? Glysantin g48 ?

[jcp240z]

G-48 is the formula standard. This is similar to the more typical g-05. Other standards are Dex-cool or conventional. There are a few other manufactures who use it.
Glysantin® G48® by BASF. Glysantin® G48® by BASF is approved by:

Audi/Seat/Skoda/VW (vehicles built up until 1996) TL 774-C X
Porsche (vehicles built up until 1995) X
Rolls-Royce (vehicles built as from 1998) X
BMW N 600 69.0 X
MAN 324 NF X
Mercedes-Benz specification 325.0 X
MTU MTL 5048 X
Opel/Vauxhall (vehicles built up until 2000) B 040 0240 X
Saab 690 1599.

You may find it at a Saab dealer for cheaper than BMW. I get the BMW at a parts shop by me for $20/gal