Aiyo...Water Not Enuff Warning Light ON!

Better go to yr mech and do pressure test to detect leak. How frequent u check water level?

:nyehehe: Or maybe it overflow due to hot chicks!

 

Biasa la... Check the water level at least once a month. Sure got top up a little each time. Common thing for the E46. When I took delivery of my car from AB, that was the only thing my saleslady advised me to do, and I've been doing it since.

 

This thing also happen to my E46 328. Previously own by my brother, he told me no need check radiator water since new but since last year, roughly every 3 months it needs top up else the radiator light will come on.

I suspect there might be a very small leak some where. Any ideas guys?

 

Make sure you only top up with water when the engine is stone cold. Otherwise, air bubbles will form inside the cooling system and the engine would overheat.

 

I heard that after one add water, one have to release the pressure.. is it true?

 

"Releasing the pressure" or bleeding is only necessary when you top up the radiator when the engine is no longer cold.

If you top up when the engine is no longer cold, or should I say when it's warm, then yes, bleeding has to be performed but there's a method to do it which I think most owners wouldn't know. I would leave it to AB or the BMW specialist workshops to do it.

Anyway, when the low coolant amber light comes on, there's still enough coolant to last a drive to the nearest AB or BMW specialist workshops.

 

yes, there is a technique to doing the bleeding of the radiator after you do the top up. Was trying to observe how the mechanic does it but couldnt understand it properly.....neither did he want to explain it properly because at the end he just say go visit him!

Leakwoon, i dunno whether your low coolant warning light is a prelude to something worse like in my case. My warning light came on and did top up water but after a month, the mother of all E46 problems came up......expansion tank leaked!! Check out http://www.bmwclubmalaysia.com/forums/inde...?showtopic=9983

 

i got a question:

Do we top up with regular filtered tap water or should we use distilled water?

When i had my peugeot 405 serviced re radiator, they drained out the entire water in radiator and replaced with new coolant and many many bottles of the distilled water that come in those dispensers we have in some offices. :dunno:

 

With the questionable quality of our local water supplies, distilled water (eg. battery water) is better and best of all it's not costly.

By the way, if it's any comfort, on the 3 or 4 occasions over the past 5 years when my car's low coolant light came on, mere topping up (in the morning, before the 1st start-up for the day, when the engine is cold) was all that was required with no major catastrophe subsequent thereto.

One more thing, when my car was delivered to me by AB when it was new, there was a red label stuck to the radiator coolant cap by AB with a warning to the effect that it should not be fiddled with.

 

Hmm I never had the red label on the coolant cap as far as I remember. About every month I top up approx 1/4 cup or less of water since I got the car 4+ years ago. No problems since. If the coolant level drops too low, its likely that air bubbles can get trapped in the cooling system, hence its always good to make sure that the level is always at its proper level.

 

Yup...agree.....my car consumes about 300 ml of water per month.....coolant check is part of the monthly check i do on the car.......tire pressures and fluid checks - oil, coolant and wiper water........

 

For sure all E46 will have radiator water level drop to some extent on a monthly basis. Most people just don't check to notice till the light comes on

 

I top up twice a year only.

 

do u guys topup until the second red float reach the cap level (max cap level)?