Does X5 have coolant bleed screw? Updated 7/31/10 DIY bleeding with pics

[mike13oy]

Hi, I will be doing my oil change on my 08 3.0 X5 this weekend and i want to drain my coolant and add new one. Does my car has a bleeding screw? I looked all over and didnt see one. Car has 56k miles.
lmk
thanks

[ard]

Have you serviced the ATF? Definitely think of that before coolant....

[Weasel]

08 X5 does not have bleed screw... with the electric water pump there is a procedure to do where it bleeds itself electronically.

Naturally leave the hood open and radiator cap off for conformation the bleed procedure starts. Here's the steps...

1. Key on, engine off (do not run engine before doing bleed procedure after coolant change, will overheat)

2. Put heater at hottest temp setting at lowest fan speed, with ac compressor button off.

3. Press gas pedal down all the way (past click point) for about 10-12 seconds.

This should have activated the electric water pump so go look in the radiator cap opening for a stream of water pissing across. If that is happening the bleed procedure has started. It runs the pump in various speeds from 0% to 100% over a ten minute run where it opens and closes heater valves and the thermostat etc. to push all the air from the system.

You should try this procedure first before doing the coolant flush to make sure you can get it to run, it doesn't harm anything to run the bleed procedure and you can stop it anytime by just turning off the key or starting it up.

Also as an FYI, there is no drain plug for the coolant either, just take the lowest hose end loose at the passengers front corner with the plastic underpanel removed for access.

[ard]

Why no "thanks" button?

Thanks wease....

[mike13oy]

Thanks Weasel

[mike13oy]

I did my oil change and drain coolant.

Pics of oil change on 3.0

Remove this so you can see the oil filter:



pop up 2 of this bolts on each side:








oil drain bolt under the car:






Draining coolant and bleeding pics:
My 3.0 does have a drain plug. 2 of them.
remove this cover under the car using a philip screw driver. (11 bolts)





drain plug. 1 blue and 1 red







bleeding coolant:

Do like what Weasel said "08 X5 does not have bleed screw... with the electric water pump there is a procedure to do where it bleeds itself electronically.

Naturally leave the hood open and radiator cap off for conformation the bleed procedure starts. Here's the steps...

1. Key on, engine off (do not run engine before doing bleed procedure after coolant change, will overheat)

2. Put heater at hottest temp setting at lowest fan speed, with ac compressor button off.

3. Press gas pedal down all the way (past click point) for about 10-12 seconds.

This should have activated the electric water pump so go look in the radiator cap opening for a stream of water pissing across. If that is happening the bleed procedure has started. It runs the pump in various speeds from 0% to 100% over a ten minute run where it opens and closes heater valves and the thermostat etc. to push all the air from the system."

You will see water shoot out from a small hole like this:



hope this will help someone.

[rufusdedog]

Excellent info. Thanks!

[Eric Le Baron]

Thanks a lot!!
This bleed procedure works as well on a 01-2004 X5 3.0D

[conix67]

Thanks a lot for the very very useful info!

I just had water pump replaced and low coolant warning came up. I tried this method to bleed the cooling system again, hoping that the warning is caused by some air still trapped but it didn't help.

However, I noticed the water pump was quite audible, especially when running at low speed. Is this expected? Or is the water pump supposed to run silently. The cooling system appear to work normally now, but I just want to make sure everything is in good condition.

[jlam86]

Do you do this procedure when draining the coolant or is this a procedure you do after filling it to remove all the air?

Also, is the only full point the reservoir or is there an actual radiator cap? I have an 08 4.8i

Tia