No Temp. Guage

[BG624]

I noticed there is no coolant temp. guage on the X5. Someone posted a thread that I can't find that said that the 3 small white lines just outside the redline area of the tachometer are a guide to coolant temp. Anyone have information on this?

[Coffeeman]

Originally Posted by BG624

I noticed there is no coolant temp. guage on the X5. Someone posted a thread that I can't find that said that the 3 small white lines just outside the redline area of the tachometer are a guide to coolant temp. Anyone have information on this?

BMW thought that the circa 1980 fuel economy gauge was more important than an engine temperature guage.

[Chileno]

Originally Posted by Coffeeman

BMW thought that the circa 1980 fuel economy gauge was more important than an engine temperature guage.

BMW sometimes leaves me with a big ? on my forehead. For example, the CD changer issue. How can it be that hard to install an in-dash 6-cd changer? Instead they opt for the glove compartment (I guess we are getting closer, from the trunk to the glove compartment). They have all these technolgies that are just short of the car driving itself, yet they can't figure out how to incorporate an in-dash CD changer. Even a Nissan sentra has one.

[BG624]

Yeah, the logic defies me.

[Gilles]

This is not needed . The Red line in the RPM counter will automaticaly change with the engine temperature. The automatic gear will not let you do something stupid with a cold engine.

[mrbmwx5]

not only no temp. guage , but no rear window spray too, it have rear wiper but no spray nozzle.

[Fastbuck]

Originally Posted by mrbmwx5

not only no temp. guage , but no rear window spray too, it have rear wiper but no spray nozzle.

Surely not!

[X5FX]

Originally Posted by Chileno

BMW sometimes leaves me with a big ? on my forehead. For example, the CD changer issue. How can it be that hard to install an in-dash 6-cd changer? Instead they opt for the glove compartment (I guess we are getting closer, from the trunk to the glove compartment). They have all these technolgies that are just short of the car driving itself, yet they can't figure out how to incorporate an in-dash CD changer. Even a Nissan sentra has one.

Memo to Germans:
About 10 years ago they came out with the technology to "shuffle" your CD's in the "in-dash" 6 CD player. Not to mention, displaying the name of the current track.

[JCL]

I don't know about the M models, which I suspect may have actual temperature gauges, but most BMW models do not have real temperature gauges. They have what looks like a gauge, but it is really little more than an analogue version of the idiot light. There is an electrical circuit involved that moves the temperature needle to 12 oclock for a wide range of actual temperatures. It doesn't move proportional to the coolant temperature. When the engine gets very hot, it pegs to the right. Anything short of that it is not representing a temperature so much as it is indicating 'normal range'. Notice that when you hear about an overheat, the first thing the poster will say is 'it went right over to overheat'. That is how it is designed to work.

My point is that leaving out the gauge, given the above design, isn't a big deal, it wasn't actually useful.

[BG624]

Originally Posted by JCL

I don't know about the M models, which I suspect may have actual temperature gauges, but most BMW models do not have real temperature gauges. They have what looks like a gauge, but it is really little more than an analogue version of the idiot light. There is an electrical circuit involved that moves the temperature needle to 12 oclock for a wide range of actual temperatures. It doesn't move proportional to the coolant temperature. When the engine gets very hot, it pegs to the right. Anything short of that it is not representing a temperature so much as it is indicating 'normal range'. Notice that when you hear about an overheat, the first thing the poster will say is 'it went right over to overheat'. That is how it is designed to work.

My point is that leaving out the gauge, given the above design, isn't a big deal, it wasn't actually useful.

I agree about the guage and the 12 oclock temp. range issue but I want to know when coolant and oil have reached operating temp. Synthetic oil flows better at cold temps. than conventional oil but like regular oil it does not reach it's maximum lubricating values until operating temp. is reached. A coolant guage would at least let you know when coolant temp. is good to go and therefore oil temp. will not be far behind. Anyway I like to know whats happening in the engine as much as possible but I guess the manufacturers don't really want us to.