UPDATE: Cooling fan issues and engine temp light- E90 330D

[maverick328]

Hi everyone,

I recently noticed that my high speed fan is kicking in within a few minutes of driving. I drive an E90 330d LCI. I had the car scanned for errors and nothing related came up.

This afternoon on the drive back home from the mechanic the car threw a engine temp amber warning and then the car went into limp mode. I pulled over and waited a while then started up again, amber light was off but car still in limp mode.

Got home and used my OBD scanner to check coolant temp and it was 115 deg C.

Observations over the last few days:

• The coolant bleed process is not working, I can hear the pump running but no coolant running into expansion tank
• High speed fan kicks in with aircon off
• Car goes into limp mode when coolant temp goes to 115 deg
• Coolant level dropped over the last 6 days (topped up twice)
• Coolant overflow works when car is idling

The WP has not been changed to my knowledge, mech is assuming it's the thermostat (no errors on BMW scan tool)

Any idea what the issue is?

Thanks
G

 

[Nikhil]

Sounds like a thermostat that is stuck closed. You also living life very dangerously by driving the car.

 

[Redshert]

Agreed. Very dangerous time to be driving the vehicle. It does sound like your thermostat is stuck. Have you noticed any coolant under the vehicle or trapped on top of the undercarriage panels? I have a 2010 330d and it has a mechanical water pump, so bleeding procedure is very different, I would assume yours has the same pump given earlier model N57.

You can check your coolant temp at any time, just a few painful clicks:
1. Add all the numbers of your VIN up. This is your code.
2. With the FOB out the ignition, hold down your odometer clear button on the cluster while inserting the FOB. You'll see a strange menu pop up.
3. Click the odo clear button until you get to menu 19. It'll say "Lock on"
4. Insert your code by clicking odo clear however many times you have to. The menu will reset.
5. Click the odo clear to menu 7, KTMP-MOM. This is your coolant temperature. It'll stay on display until your FOB is removed. There are quite a few other features in this "hidden menu", like actual RPM, alternator charge etc.

Please don't drive your car at 115 degrees. I beg.

 

[maverick328]

Sounds like a thermostat that is stuck closed. You also living life very dangerously by driving the car.

Thanks for the reply, will have to get it towed to the mech

 

[maverick328]

Agreed. Very dangerous time to be driving the vehicle. It does sound like your thermostat is stuck. Have you noticed any coolant under the vehicle or trapped on top of the undercarriage panels? I have a 2010 330d and it has a mechanical water pump, so bleeding procedure is very different, I would assume yours has the same pump given earlier model N57.

You can check your coolant temp at any time, just a few painful clicks:
1. Add all the numbers of your VIN up. This is your code.
2. With the FOB out the ignition, hold down your odometer clear button on the cluster while inserting the FOB. You'll see a strange menu pop up.
3. Click the odo clear button until you get to menu 19. It'll say "Lock on"
4. Insert your code by clicking odo clear however many times you have to. The menu will reset.
5. Click the odo clear to menu 7, KTMP-MOM. This is your coolant temperature. It'll stay on display until your FOB is removed. There are quite a few other features in this "hidden menu", like actual RPM, alternator charge etc.

Please don't drive your car at 115 degrees. I beg.

Thanks Redshert, I'm getting it towed to the mech tomorrow morning, wont take a chance and drive it there

 

[maverick328]

Update:

So I had the car towed to the mech last Thursday. He removed water pump (mechanical and not electric like I assumed) and inspected it, told me that it worked fine. He did however say that the thermostat looked horrid and replaced it. Bled the system, idled the car and test drove it.

Car is still over heating, temp reading 106 deg and high speed fan kicking in. Now he says that he suspects that the ECTS is faulty despite there being no errors on the scan tool.

I'm now getting irritated with this situation

 

[Kyle]

Update:

So I had the car towed to the mech last Thursday. He removed water pump (mechanical and not electric like I assumed) and inspected it, told me that it worked fine. He did however say that the thermostat looked horrid and replaced it. Bled the system, idled the car and test drove it.

Car is still over heating, temp reading 106 deg and high speed fan kicking in. Now he says that he suspects that the ECTS is faulty despite there being no errors on the scan tool.

I'm now getting irritated with this situation

I would suggest getting the car scanned using ISTA as the generic scan tools don't pick up everything...

 

[maverick328]

I would suggest getting the car scanned using ISTA as the generic scan tools don't pick up everything...

Im not sure of the type of scanner he's using, it's got a pretty big screen and looks the part lol. He's also a BMW specialist (Vees auto works) so I assume that he's got the proper scan tool

 

[husaindindar]

I would suggest a cooling system pressure test.
You said you were loosing water. It could be possible that the you cannot see the leak as it evaporates before being visible.
Leak in the cooling system with cause a pressure drop and the coolant to boil, hence the overheating. A properly pressurized system wont boil up until around 120 deg.

BTW, keep an eye on the flange that goes onto the block from the radiator. N47/57's are prone to them cracking.

 

[maverick328]

Update:

Ok so the good news is that the issue has been fixed. After almost 2 weeks of headache and changing the thermostat, ECTS, removing water pump, replacing expansion tank cap and diagnostics (which didnt help btw) the fault was found. The ECTS plug had a short and this was causing the mayhem.

In essence, the car NEVER over heated, the faulty wiring sent incorrect signals to the DME which in turn signalled the fan to go into hyper mode. The mech eventually found the issue and repaired the faulty wiring (R4500 later). Most expensive piece of insulation tape Ive ever paid for!!!!

 

[Deon Rupnarain]

Update:

Ok so the good news is that the issue has been fixed. After almost 2 weeks of headache and changing the thermostat, ECTS, removing water pump, replacing expansion tank cap and diagnostics (which didnt help btw) the fault was found. The ECTS plug had a short and this was causing the mayhem.

In essence, the car NEVER over heated, the faulty wiring sent incorrect signals to the DME which in turn signalled the fan to go into hyper mode. The mech eventually found the issue and repaired the faulty wiring (R4500 later). Most expensive piece of insulation tape Ive ever paid for!!!!

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣glad though it’s fixed up.