My 98 BMW z3 started to overheat last night in traffic. I turned the heat on and the temp immediately went back to normal. I drove it a few hours later (in no traffic) and it was fine. I had the radiator replaced last year, but now i'm afraid to drive it to work or to the shop which is far and expensive. Is this just a fluke? Is it safe to drive for awhile until I can take it to the shop?
2007-03-02 13:30:31 · 4 answers · asked by Mo T 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Car Makes ➔ BMW
you can drive it for a little bit, but i would take it to the shop ASAP!
It could be one of the following problems
Thermostat
low radiator fluid
fan not working
busted hose
Turning the heater on cools down the radiator. You check 3 of those really easy to see if thats the problem. Look at the hose that runs from the radiator to the engine...if its connected and no cuts in it, its fine.
If the fan that is against the radiator is not working, it wont spin when the engine is running(very easy to see)
checking radiator fluid is pretty easy, I dont think i have to tell you how to do that.
But chances are its the thermostat. The part depending on what type of Z3 you have will run you from anywhere from 30 to 65 dollars and if you take it to the dealership add another 200 for labor. Consult your BMW manual and it should tell you how to change it, its really not that hard.
2007-03-02 15:10:25 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like you may be low on coolant or your fan isn't coming on when it should. Check the coolant WITH THE ENGINE COLD. If the level is OK then start the car and use a piece of cardboard in front of the grill to block the air flow to the radiator. When the car starts to heat up (keep an eye on the temp gauge) the fan, if it's electric should come on. If it's a belt driven fan you should hear a noise increase as the fan clutch cuts in. If the coolant's Ok and the fan is working then it was probably just a glitch. I got rid of my BMW because of continuing radiator, water pump, fan clutch problems. The BMW's are nice cars but not worth the cost of having to pay through the nose for repairs. People can say what they want about Japanese and European cars being so much better than American iron. However after over 50 years of owning and working on all three types I'll put American cars up against any of them for maintainability. That's reliability plus cost of maintenance over the life of the vehicle. If you trade it off before the warranty is up and stay in constant payment hell it might not matter. I like to drive mine for a few years after they're payed off.
2007-03-02 13:51:56 · answer #2 · answered by mustanger 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I would have the system flushed and the thermostat checked. It could be a stuck thermostat, or a blockage in the cooing system. If it seems to be okay now, I would lean toward a stuck thermostat, possibly because of dislodged sludge.
2007-03-02 13:36:10 · answer #3 · answered by Fred C 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
check your fluids and take it to the shop with the heater on full
2007-03-02 14:33:20 · answer #4 · answered by sterling m 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋