Hi, so I'm new to the forum. I'm a 23 year old female who is completely ignorant when it comes to cars but I'm trying to change that. So I'd like some advise on a current problem I'm having with my BMW e36 328i.
Right so I assume the more info I can give the better...
So on Thursday my car flashed a warning to check the coolant level. This has happened before and I read the manual for that, so simply did as I had done before and topped up the water reservoir. I drove to town fine but when I got there it flashed the warning again and I stupidly ignored it. So when I drove back from town it got dangerously close to overheating, the temperature gauge was in the red
So I parked the car and decided to leave it there cause I was scared going any further would be a risk. I opened the bonnet and it was steaming from the reservoir so decided it was best to leave the car overnight. I thought maybe I hadn't closed the lid properly and it wasn't sealed properly causing the issue?
The next day I bought coolant and made a 50:50 mix that the manual suggested and filled the reservoir. I drove 5 minutes down the road and the temp gauge was already at halfway and the check coolant warning came up again. I stopped the car waited an hour for it to cool down a little and added the rest of the coolant water mix. Again drove 5 minutes and the same thing happened so I left the car overnight. I couldn't see the level as it was too dark.
Then Saturday I opened the reservoir and there was virtually nothing there so I added just coolant up to the level, I could drive it cause I was parked in so I left it.
Then today I checked the coolant level. It was still at the same level I'd left it yesterday and there was no sign that it had leaked out or anything. I checked the oil and it needed a pint so took it to the petrol station and got them to put in one. The oil was still dark brown and oil looking so it's not likely to have a blown gasket. I was told to let the car idle which I did, the temperature moved up pretty quickly and it got to halfway and stopped moving. I stopped the idling and checked the coolant level and it had dropped again so I added water. I was also told to check the aux fan was working which I did by turning the car on with the AC on and checking the fan behind the grill was on, which it was and it turned off when I turned the car off again. I tried idling it again and after 15min checked the coolant level, it again had dropped and the warning to check the coolant level flashed. My dad thinks there may be an internal leak in the cooling system and I should get a pressure test.
Advise? What might the problem be?
Right so I assume the more info I can give the better...
So on Thursday my car flashed a warning to check the coolant level. This has happened before and I read the manual for that, so simply did as I had done before and topped up the water reservoir. I drove to town fine but when I got there it flashed the warning again and I stupidly ignored it. So when I drove back from town it got dangerously close to overheating, the temperature gauge was in the red
So I parked the car and decided to leave it there cause I was scared going any further would be a risk. I opened the bonnet and it was steaming from the reservoir so decided it was best to leave the car overnight. I thought maybe I hadn't closed the lid properly and it wasn't sealed properly causing the issue?The next day I bought coolant and made a 50:50 mix that the manual suggested and filled the reservoir. I drove 5 minutes down the road and the temp gauge was already at halfway and the check coolant warning came up again. I stopped the car waited an hour for it to cool down a little and added the rest of the coolant water mix. Again drove 5 minutes and the same thing happened so I left the car overnight. I couldn't see the level as it was too dark.
Then Saturday I opened the reservoir and there was virtually nothing there so I added just coolant up to the level, I could drive it cause I was parked in so I left it.
Then today I checked the coolant level. It was still at the same level I'd left it yesterday and there was no sign that it had leaked out or anything. I checked the oil and it needed a pint so took it to the petrol station and got them to put in one. The oil was still dark brown and oil looking so it's not likely to have a blown gasket. I was told to let the car idle which I did, the temperature moved up pretty quickly and it got to halfway and stopped moving. I stopped the idling and checked the coolant level and it had dropped again so I added water. I was also told to check the aux fan was working which I did by turning the car on with the AC on and checking the fan behind the grill was on, which it was and it turned off when I turned the car off again. I tried idling it again and after 15min checked the coolant level, it again had dropped and the warning to check the coolant level flashed. My dad thinks there may be an internal leak in the cooling system and I should get a pressure test.
Advise? What might the problem be?
