E90Post
 


Coby Wheel
 
BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > BMW E90/E92/E93 3-series General Forums > General E90 Sedan / E91 Wagon / E92 Coupe / E93 Cabrio > yellow low coolant icon and car overheating



Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
      Yesterday, 12:23 AM   #1
Makoa6
Second Lieutenant
Makoa6's Avatar
United_States
62
Rep
219
Posts

Drives: 2007 BMW 335i E90 MT6spd 4door
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Hawaii Kauai

iTrader: (0)

yellow low coolant icon and car overheating

while driving my 2012 bmw 328i e92 (n52) vehicle, the icon for overheating cooling system came on. pulled over and waited till the car cooled down and drove home 12miles away. Pulled codes with INPA and got a 2efe code. I checked the wiring on the cooling fan. The brown wire to ground looks good and the red wire(12v)Positive also tested good. The blue signal wire showed difference when checking with dc voltage. I replaced the water pump, thermostat, and waterpump to Thermostat hose as well. filled coolant back up 50% BMW genuine coolant and 50% distilled water. Ran the system bleed test twice(2).
A week later, got the low coolant yellow icon on dashboard. Looked under hood and saw that coolant must have been spraying out from somewhere on the passenger front area. I also found that the bleeding plastic screw was weak and had broken off when I touched it with my fingers. I suspected that it was the cause of the low coolant and replaced it with a new one, added new coolant to the system, (didn't do a bleeding procedure). I noticed in my INPA error memory history(which i will upload) showed error 2e83 (which may be from the low coolant in system). A week later the yellow low coolant light came on and the same area(front passenger side) had look as if coolant sprayed out from somewhere again. refilled coolant and ran the car in idle for a while and couldn't see/find any coolant leaking. I also test drove the car and couldn't find the leak. I also did an INPA test on the Electric fan blower with INPA and could trigger all 3 stages the first stage 15%, fan came on on low speed and turned off after 20sec. ran the 50% second one and fan came on faster for 20 secs and shut off. I also ran the 90% and fan ran on high for 20secs and shut off. While car was idling, the fan never did come on, and I couldn't find any leaks. I jacked up the car and also took off the under cover and ran car in idle, couldn't find leak. I also ran the water pump test with ignition on and engine off. I notice at the first 5% trigger rate on INPA, I can't hear or see anything when I open the coolant res cap. but when I trigger the water pump on the second 50% and 3rd 95% trigger rate, I can see and hear the water circulating in coolant res. I also notice while I had my car in idle, My INPA would say that my e-blower cooling fan was 7% on INPA, but the fan wasn't on. the inlet coolant temp read 98c and also went to 101c on INPA, but fan didn't come on. I also check the 40amp fuse in the fuse under the passenger side glove box and it was ok. I turned on the ac inside while car was running and the cooling fan came on while ac was on and turned off when I shut off the ac. I also tried pulling the coolant temp sensor on the OFH on upper side of cooling and that triggered the fan to come on.(as I read someone tried that). I was trying to find a schematic diagram for my blue signal wire to the cooling fan to trace and check, but I couldn't find it. I also looked under the car to check my thermostat wiring along with my water pump wiring was hooked up and they both were. I am not sure in what direction I should go from here. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
see uploaded pics. one was when engine was fully cold and ignition on with engine off. The pics from my cell is with car running. showing the 7% eblower and engine temp.
Attached Images
        
Appreciate 0
      Yesterday, 12:57 AM   #2
chris55552
Private First Class
63
Rep
162
Posts

Drives: 2017 BMW x3 35i 2012 E92 328XI
Join Date: Jul 2023
Location: alexandra LA

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Makoa6 View Post
while driving my 2012 bmw 328i e92 (n52) vehicle, the icon for overheating cooling system came on. pulled over and waited till the car cooled down and drove home 12miles away. Pulled codes with INPA and got a 2efe code. I checked the wiring on the cooling fan. The brown wire to ground looks good and the red wire(12v)Positive also tested good. The blue signal wire showed difference when checking with dc voltage. I replaced the water pump, thermostat, and waterpump to Thermostat hose as well. filled coolant back up 50% BMW genuine coolant and 50% distilled water. Ran the system bleed test twice(2).
A week later, got the low coolant yellow icon on dashboard. Looked under hood and saw that coolant must have been spraying out from somewhere on the passenger front area. I also found that the bleeding plastic screw was weak and had broken off when I touched it with my fingers. I suspected that it was the cause of the low coolant and replaced it with a new one, added new coolant to the system, (didn't do a bleeding procedure). I noticed in my INPA error memory history(which i will upload) showed error 2e83 (which may be from the low coolant in system). A week later the yellow low coolant light came on and the same area(front passenger side) had look as if coolant sprayed out from somewhere again. refilled coolant and ran the car in idle for a while and couldn't see/find any coolant leaking. I also test drove the car and couldn't find the leak. I also did an INPA test on the Electric fan blower with INPA and could trigger all 3 stages the first stage 15%, fan came on on low speed and turned off after 20sec. ran the 50% second one and fan came on faster for 20 secs and shut off. I also ran the 90% and fan ran on high for 20secs and shut off. While car was idling, the fan never did come on, and I couldn't find any leaks. I jacked up the car and also took off the under cover and ran car in idle, couldn't find leak. I also ran the water pump test with ignition on and engine off. I notice at the first 5% trigger rate on INPA, I can't hear or see anything when I open the coolant res cap. but when I trigger the water pump on the second 50% and 3rd 95% trigger rate, I can see and hear the water circulating in coolant res. I also notice while I had my car in idle, My INPA would say that my e-blower cooling fan was 7% on INPA, but the fan wasn't on. the inlet coolant temp read 98c and also went to 101c on INPA, but fan didn't come on. I also check the 40amp fuse in the fuse under the passenger side glove box and it was ok. I turned on the ac inside while car was running and the cooling fan came on while ac was on and turned off when I shut off the ac. I also tried pulling the coolant temp sensor on the OFH on upper side of cooling and that triggered the fan to come on.(as I read someone tried that). I was trying to find a schematic diagram for my blue signal wire to the cooling fan to trace and check, but I couldn't find it. I also looked under the car to check my thermostat wiring along with my water pump wiring was hooked up and they both were. I am not sure in what direction I should go from here. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.
see uploaded pics. one was when engine was fully cold and ignition on with engine off. The pics from my cell is with car running. showing the 7% eblower and engine temp.
Wish I could provide more insight but the only experience I have with coolant is changing out the radiator on my f25 x3 I fould that besides my outgoing radiator being shot I was amazed at how much the plastic nipples that connected the coolant hoses together at certain points had disentegrated and as a result leaks were in several locations in the coolant circulation path, I changed out all the hoses and plastic connection points and it solved it. I think there is a flange in there that is notorious for falling apart and causing leaks, but I didnt have to chase it down. I learned to appreciate the coolant air bleed procedure, it helped as it circulated and hit air gaps I could stand over it and add coolant as it was being circulated until all entire system was good. I was looking at your software interface pictures above and I really need to get started learning inpa, ista etc looks like it provides a wealth of information..
Appreciate 0
      Yesterday, 08:55 PM   #3
Makoa6
Second Lieutenant
Makoa6's Avatar
United_States
62
Rep
219
Posts

Drives: 2007 BMW 335i E90 MT6spd 4door
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Hawaii Kauai

iTrader: (0)

Quote:
Originally Posted by chris55552 View Post
Wish I could provide more insight but the only experience I have with coolant is changing out the radiator on my f25 x3 I fould that besides my outgoing radiator being shot I was amazed at how much the plastic nipples that connected the coolant hoses together at certain points had disentegrated and as a result leaks were in several locations in the coolant circulation path, I changed out all the hoses and plastic connection points and it solved it. I think there is a flange in there that is notorious for falling apart and causing leaks, but I didnt have to chase it down. I learned to appreciate the coolant air bleed procedure, it helped as it circulated and hit air gaps I could stand over it and add coolant as it was being circulated until all entire system was good. I was looking at your software interface pictures above and I really need to get started learning inpa, ista etc looks like it provides a wealth of information..
Thanks for replying to my current issue. I have bled the system twice after the second yellow light.
INPA is a really useful/powerful tool. I still have trouble reading German lol. I try my best to use this and my other scan tools as well. I hope I can fix it. Im still trying to find the schematics for the electric cooling fan system, so I can trace the wiring etc... I'm confused because INPA shows 7% fan on picture above, but my cooling fan wasn't working... I also thought that the fan should turn on when it reaches 200 deg. but It didn't. In one of my pictures, the inlet cooling temp. was 101c which is over 200deg. Also, my car doesn't have an outlet temp sensor? usually found on bottom side of radiator hose? Hope this thread finds someone who can help.
Appreciate 0
Reply

Bookmarks


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:35 AM.




e90post
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
1Addicts.com, BIMMERPOST.com, E90Post.com, F30Post.com, M3Post.com, ZPost.com, 5Post.com, 6Post.com, 7Post.com, XBimmers.com logo and trademark are properties of BIMMERPOST