Oh crap! I didn't use BMW OEM antifreeze!
 

I didn't realize that BMW recommends nitrate/phosphate-free coolant. Last night, I was just checking out my 2010 X5 for a road trip this weekend (checked the tires, water, etc.) and saw that the coolant level was low. I had a jug of coolant in the garage and just filled it up with 50/50 coolant and water (filtered via reverse osmosis). I didn't put much coolant in though because the reservoir wasn't very low.

It's not a big deal, right? Or, am I just being paranoid because it wasn't one of the listed non-OEM coolants allowed by BMW, but one I bought from Autozone a few years ago.

It can, in fact, be quite a big deal.

Was it the "Mixes With Anything" type, or just regular old anti-freeze.

The "mixes with anything" stuff is made up of:
http://www.mightyautoparts.com/pdf/msds/vs7/af-888.pdf

Ethylene Glycol
Diethylene Glycol
2-Ethyl Hexanoic Acid, Sodium Salt (Corrosion inhibitor)
Neodecanoic Acid, Sodium Salt (Corrosion inhibitor)

It is both Nitrate Free & Phosphate Free, and claims to be OK with ANY other coolant chemistry.

Other coolants use additive packages that may not be compatible with the BMW OEM coolant.

Having read up on this when I was a VW owner, I know that there are certain combinations of VW OEM coolant (G12, G12+) with other coolants that could have catastrophic consequences.

Saturn recalled cars that had been built with the wrong antifreeze and the owners were given brand new cars.

Chuck

It was just regular basic antifreeze. I just put in a tiny amount....maybe half a cup or a quarter cup. The coolant reservoir was on the low indicator and I filled it up half way. Then, I put filtered water up to the Max line. It should be okay, right?

should be ok... one day i was super tired had a brain fart and instead of filling the windshield fluid in the right spot i dumped a little in the coolant container.

that was 38,000 kms ago. but to put your mind at ease just go get a coolant flush but just dont tell them why. just say oh i treat my car like no other.

Yeah, I hope it's okay. Considering that it's a $60k car, I would hope that 4-8 ounces of the wrong coolant isn't going to cause serious damage. That would be kind of sad!

The trouble with having the wrong antifreeze in an aluminum engine is that it can cause corrosion. I would drain and refill the system right away.

Chuck

If you have not run the car, simply drain the coolant reservoir...otherwise drain the whole system.

I know you are trying to find people to agree with you and provide assurance, but unless we know the coolant you added is compatible, there is a chance that the chemistries will lead to issues.

i think the coolant capacity is about 12 Liters (3+ gal), so i dont think 8 oz of another coolant is actually going to do anything harmful.

I think you want to do some reading on coolant chemistry and what cause precipitates and corrosion... it is not a volumetric phenomena, but rather very small amounts of impurities (ie ~1%) can cause issues. An incompatible fluid MIGHT act as an impurity.

I'm not saying this mixing of an unknown coolant into the BMW fill is an issue, but I am saying that dismissing this by thinking "It wasn't very much" is wrong.

Is there an easy way to drain the reservoir?

ahhh, this thread got me all paranoid. i think i will take the car in for a coolant change. i have to take it in for the warranty brake fluid change soon anyways.

remove one of the hoses or go get a turkey baster.

the wrong coolant can damage the coating on the inside of the plumbing. as far as the comment its a 60K$ vehicle i hope it would hurt or whatever... thats just silly.

I guess I'll go to the store and get a turkey baster today.....just to be on the safe side.

how would a turkey baster help? sry for the dumb question.

After you're done draining the coolant, you'll be hungry!






Seriously though, just stick it in (a turkey baster) and suck out the fluid in the coolant reservoir...or jamb a hose into it, turn it on and flush all the fluid out with fresh DI water.... or both.

Grab a couple of jugs of DI water at the supermarket, a thin long necked funnel and let it overflow, like 3-4X the volume of the reservoir... then rinse it all real good.

A

use it to suck out the incorrect fluid. you can also use a pump or siphon it out.

Bump - Mixing coolants
 

A slightly older thread - but here is my tale of woe....

I have recently had severe corrosion inside the cooling system of my KTM dirtbike (2007 SXC 625) due to mixing incompatible coolants. I was going on a ride and during the pre-ride checks noticed the level was low so I filled it up with some that I use on my Landcruiser (being a bike it was only around 200ml out of 2 litre volume).

After the ride I parked it up as usual and did not manage to get out for another ride for 4 months. This is pretty standard and I have been riding trailbike for 20 years – so long as the maintenance and storage is kept they will last indefinitely.

Just before the next ride I once again checked the level in the radiator only to find that the coolant had turned into a thick balled gel along the top of the radiators and especially around the radiator cap. I removed them to clean out the semi-solid mass and also discovered major pitting inside the aluminium radiator tanks. The corrosion was also inside the block, around the inside of the pump housing and all through the hose connection nozzles.

It was an expensive exercise as I removed cooling system parts, repaired or replaced and caused me further grief as the game of chase the leak developed.

I have learnt a very good lesson and now will only use the existing coolant or top up with distilled water and if I don’t know what the last owner used: turnover the entire system and start fresh.

Hope this prevents someone following in my footsteps.

Z.

Sorry to hear that. It is for that reason I tend to keep a stash of BMW coolant and distilled water handy. If I don't have coolant, I use plain distilled water.

Wow, i was doing ok as i havent put any coolant in the BMW, but you got me on the KTM's....iv'e got 2 (see sig) and i top them off regularly with non factory coolant (not full flush)...i do use coolanol which is moto specific and i've used the same stuff on my 03 KTM 200 w/o issue so i'm guessing it's compatible...

On an expensive BMW i'd definately drain, i may do my bikes today just to be sure.