e46 - thermostat electrical connector broken

[[email protected]]

Hi All,

The thermostat electrical connector on my 320i is broken. The pins are still stuck inside the thermostat housing.

Checked with BMW and it looks like this connector is part of the engine wiring loom / harness. Goldwagon doesnt seem to know exactly what I'm talking about.

Its been like this since I got the car, and nothing seems to wrong. But would like to get it proper again if possible.

 

[Ram3on]

That's just the plug onto the thermostat housing. Have you tried to disconnect?

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.......meant to say, is the plug OK? As the housing has a built in connector......can take a pic for you if you do not understand what I mean?

 

[Charlie Brown]

I have had this before on my 318i, it's a sign that it's corroded from the inside and that it will fail soon. I would not touch it, rather buy a new thermostat and replace it. The problem is with the t/stat not the loom.

 

[[email protected]]

That's just the plug onto the thermostat housing. Have you tried to disconnect?

---

.......meant to say, is the plug OK? As the housing has a built in connector......can take a pic for you if you do not understand what I mean?

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The plug is free from connector. I could see the broken pins on the connector when I first had a look at this.

Difficult to explain, but it's definitely broken. one way to explain is that the connector or plug comes lose without having to undo the metal clip

 

[Ram3on]

If you can twist the plug to see if part of the Thermostat's plug is inside, or maybe that part has dropped of! Anyway the complete thermostat housing will have to be replaced.

 

[[email protected]]

If you can twist the plug to see if part of the Thermostat's plug is inside, or maybe that part has dropped of! Anyway the complete thermostat housing will have to be replaced.

not what I was hoping to hear.
Thanks

 

[Charlie Brown]

It's well known that the E46 cooling system is a weak point, I'd suggest the following every 100 000kms or 10 years;

All rubber hoses there are around 8 (model dependent), the T/stat, expansion tank, new exp tank cap, a new rad, new pump, ideally the two plastic pipes under the intake (i have not done these) but I will soon. You are in for around R10K for a complete revamp.