Coolant light

D

DBZ4

Member
Hi guys

During the past couple of weeks with the cooler weather i've been getting the yellow coolant light coming on when i start my Z4 (2003 2.2l) Within a minute it turns itself off.

I only purchased the car in the summer, so unsure on when it was last replaced, what type of coolant it has etc.

Firstly, is this common during colder weather? Do i need to do anything or is it a false warning light due to the weather?

Or do i need to top it up? If so, is there a coolant that i can purchase locally or online instead of going to a dealer? Or can i simply top it up with some water? (My concern is that too much water is causing the current problem because of the weather - although i'm guessing!)

I guess i'm hoping someone will say ignore all the horror stories and mix a little anti-freeze with some water and top it up!!! :-)
 
shawna said:
In the manual you can find all your answers.

It come on below 3C.
Click to expand...

I've just looked at the coolant section of my manual again and i don't see any mention of it coming on below 3'C

Sorry to sound like a total novice... but are you telling me that it will automatically come on when it's cold and i don't need to worry?

Or do i need to take action?

Sorry, but i'm new to the world of Z4's and my previous car never had many problems.
 
So just to confirm are you getting no 33?

how-to-understand-the-dashboard-lights-thumb-1370_9.jpg


or the one below?

photosyc.jpg
 
Just take the cap off the coolent filler (when engine cool/cold), you will see a 'float' of a red stick. The stick should just about rise and protrude above the neck of the filler bottle. You will more than likely just need to put between half a pint and a pint worth of water in (no antifreeze as its just a top up) and all will be fine.

I wouldn't start worrying about head gasket failure unless it is coupled with more symptoms like oil consumption, smoke and mayonnaise on your dipstick :thumbsup: :driving:
 
Just a quick update, and also a request for some further advice.

As my coolant was low i topped it up with approx 1/2 a pint of deionised water at the weekend.

I now have some coolant/anti freeze (recommended for BMW's) which i want to top it up a little further with.

My question is, considering i've put 1/2 pint of water in this week, am i ok to simply add 1/2 pint of the coolant/anti freeze now, or do i need to mix it with water?

From what i read it should be 50/50, so i'm assuming putting 1/2 pint of coolant in now is the logical thing to do??
 
Putting straight coolant in is just fine if you've previously put a similar amount of straight water, assuming you are not overfilling the system. Or mix it with water, such a small quantity will not make any difference.

I don't know about BMW coolant, but most commercial coolants provide maximum freeze protection at 60/40 coolant to water mix. More concentrated than that actually means less protection. The reason for the 50/50 recommendation is it is more than adequate for nearly all climates and it is easier to measure and remember. Changing the car's gallons of 50/50 mix with a half pint of either will not significantly alter freeze or boil over protection at all.
 
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