New to me x5 4.4 - "overheating" issue
 

Hey guys,

Happy to be apart of the e53 family! Ive owned many bmws in the past, a few e30s, e38, e36 but this is my first SAV!

I recently purchased a 2003 x5, premium and sport pack, 4.4, 1 owner @ 116k. Really clean inside and out. Car fax was clean, service history good, and no real issues in the past.

However, the vehicle seems to heat up very quickly (moving or not) and it smells like its overheating (sweet coolant smell) but the engine heat never seems to go passed the midway point on the gauge. I took it to a local mechanic in san diego, he ran a pressure test and said there are no leaks.

Whenever I get home from a drive I inspect both under the car and within the engine bay for any signs of leaks/overflow. Coolant level is fine, I actually had to add some as it was on minimum the day after I purchased.

Ive seen smoke from the engine bay only twice, but I was in traffic and was unable to get out and check. The only thing I can think of at this point is my auxiliary fan will not kick on. Never the less, the vehicle always seems to smell like coolant.

Ive search for the passed few days and cant really find a thread that has a similar synopsis. Do any of you fine ladies and gentleman have any experience with this, or a thread in which the symptoms sound similar.

Any input is appreciated.

AGAIN I DID SEARCH, I am not new to forums. I try my darnedest before jumping in.

Thanks!

Unlock the cluster and find out what temp you are running...

Thanks Jake, I'll look that up and try tomorrow


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No problamo. I would try to explain to you how to unlock it, but it would be much easier for you to view a YouTube vid, rather than me confusing you.

It is super simple and will at a minimum, let you know what the engine I stunning at....

A very small coolant leak in the heater core inside the cabin can make a lot of smell. Try to inspect it. It's hard to get to, but some mirrors and flashlights should help

Hey guys, so I unlocked my cluster this morning to get the "ktemp"

After driving to work, about 12-15 minutes. My running temp was 108, which is about 226 in Fahrenheit.

Does anyone know the optimal running temp for these cars? When I looked this morning some threads clame to high, some say low, etc etc.


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I'll wait for others to chime in but it sounds pretty normal - I think the V8's run a bit hotter than the I6's

Do you have any service records to determine if any of the cooling components has be replaced? A thermostat that doesn't open all the way could cause an overheating condition, a water pump with a loose impeller could also cause an overheating condition. A block radiator core could cause an overheating situation. It's a 13 years old car so don't expect it to run like a brand new car.

The sweet coolant smell is it from under the hood or inside the car? If it is from under the hood, could have been that a hose let loose and they just replaced the hose, but didn't bother to clean up the mess.

As far as I can't tell, from car fax and the dealership at which the car was purchased new, there were no cooling components replaced recently.

The coolant smell come from under the hood, but as I explained earlier, after most drives I'll look under the car and good for any signs of leaking and or overflow. There was also a pressure test done yesterday which game back fine, according to the mechanic.

I understand it's not going to drive "like new" but to me, if the smell of coolant radiates from the engine after every drive that may be an issue. I've had the car for about 7 days now, I would've assumed anything from a previous spill would've burnt off by now, no?


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From what I recall, normal is 195F and high speed fan kicks in at 220F. Was the electric fan going at tornado speed? If not perhaps the fan is the problem.