Coolant light

Kbman · 03-11-2016, 03:33 AM

So my coolant light (it only comes on when I start up the car and never shows up in the cluster while driving) has been coming on for about two weeks and I've got some coolant from the local dealer to fix the issue. Now my question is, how much of a mix between distilled water and antifreeze do I use? I live in Florida and some say a 30/70 mix of antifreeze and distilled is fine, but there are a lot of different answers to the question. My mechanic says to just fill it with straight antifreeze for now and I trust him so I'll probably just do that, but I was just wondering, how do I know what it is low on between the two. I mean I could save money and top it off with distilled or just go all out and use the antifreeze or a mix of both. So essentially my question is, do I want to top it off with all antifreeze, all distilled or a mix of the two until it is full?
Thanks!

Efthreeoh · 03-11-2016, 06:11 AM

Just mix the coolant with distilled water in a 50/50 ratio.

hankcah · 03-18-2016, 08:52 AM

I've always stick with the BMW labeled coolant. Either pick some up from the dealer or order some online. I never add water to mine with the BMW kind as it's already diluted. But there are some out there that tell you to.

Big question, have you replaced your waterpump/thermostat yet? Between 60-100k miles it will fail on you. It won't be a good day. And generally the thermostat light coming on from time to time is your fair warning.

To answer your question, I'd add more coolant instead of more water, if you don't know where you're at. Only way to be 100% sure is to have it drained and start over.

03-11-2016, 03:33 AM	#1
Kbman New Member 1 Rep 20 Posts Drives: 2007 328i Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	Coolant light So my coolant light (it only comes on when I start up the car and never shows up in the cluster while driving) has been coming on for about two weeks and I've got some coolant from the local dealer to fix the issue. Now my question is, how much of a mix between distilled water and antifreeze do I use? I live in Florida and some say a 30/70 mix of antifreeze and distilled is fine, but there are a lot of different answers to the question. My mechanic says to just fill it with straight antifreeze for now and I trust him so I'll probably just do that, but I was just wondering, how do I know what it is low on between the two. I mean I could save money and top it off with distilled or just go all out and use the antifreeze or a mix of both. So essentially my question is, do I want to top it off with all antifreeze, all distilled or a mix of the two until it is full? Thanks!
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03-11-2016, 06:11 AM	#2
Efthreeoh General 19915 Rep 19,257 Posts Drives: The E90 + Z4 Coupe & Z3 R'ster Join Date: May 2012 Location: Verginny iTrader: (0)	Just mix the coolant with distilled water in a 50/50 ratio. __________________ A manual transmission can be set to "comfort", "sport", and "track" modes simply by the technique and speed at which you shift it; it doesn't need "modes", modes are for manumatics that try to behave like a real 3-pedal manual transmission. If you can money-shift it, it's a manual transmission. "Yeah, but NO ONE puts an automatic trans shift knob on a manual transmission."
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03-18-2016, 08:52 AM	#3
hankcah First Lieutenant 53 Rep 364 Posts Drives: BMW 335i E90 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Saint Louis iTrader: (0) Garage List 2007 335i [0.00]	I've always stick with the BMW labeled coolant. Either pick some up from the dealer or order some online. I never add water to mine with the BMW kind as it's already diluted. But there are some out there that tell you to. Big question, have you replaced your waterpump/thermostat yet? Between 60-100k miles it will fail on you. It won't be a good day. And generally the thermostat light coming on from time to time is your fair warning. To answer your question, I'd add more coolant instead of more water, if you don't know where you're at. Only way to be 100% sure is to have it drained and start over.
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