How to handle BMW engine overheating?

BMW engine overheating can peel off the exterior paint, damage the cooling system, affect the vehicle’s brakes, etc. So when your car warns you that the temperature is above normal, fix this phenomenon immediately. In the article below, Eurocartool experts will share with you simple ways to handle high temperature alarms.

Signs that BMW engine overheating

When starting the engine, the car engine temperature will increase to a certain level to ensure the process. The cooling system will then be activated to intervene to reduce the temperature and maintain a stable temperature level that does not continue to rise higher. When the car gets hot due to engine overheating, you will see the following signs:

The temperature gauge warning light appears red/temperature warning light turns on…

Overheat indicator: Normally, the indicator needle will fluctuate from 50 to less than 100, but when the needle tends to touch the 100 mark or deviate to the right, this is an important sign that the engine is overheating.

The radiator fan works too much and makes noise

Notice a burning smell in the engine – a characteristic smell when the engine is overheated.

Smoke coming from the hood: Smoke can be caused by burning equipment or by BMW engine overheating and boiling water.

What causes BMW engines to overheat?

There are many reasons why the BMW engine overheating, some typical causes include:

• Coolant is exhausted
• The water tank is dirty
• Thermostat valve is broken
• The radiator fan is broken
• The temperature sensor on the car is broken
• Intervening and adjusting technical parameters causes the engine to operate overloaded.
• Using a vehicle to move continuously on long distances or carrying too heavy goods.

In addition, when the vehicle shows the above signs and you use an obd2 scanner or ISTA D diagnostic software to check the  entire vehicle, you may see some of the following errors appear.

• P0125: Insufficient Coolant Temperature for Closed Loop Fuel Control
• P0126: Insufficient Coolant Temperature for Stable Operation
• P0128: Coolant Thermostat (Coolant Temperature Below Thermostat Regulating Temperature)
• P1299: Detected Engine Overheating Condition
• P0217: Engine Overheat Condition
• P0480: Cooling Fan 1 Control Circuit Malfunction
• P0481: Cooling Fan 2 Control Circuit Malfunction
• P0526: Fan Speed Sensor Circuit

How to handle BMW engine overheating?

As a rule, when the BMW engine overheating, you need to stop the vehicle immediately and do the following:
Stop and park in a safe place: Avoid stopping in places with high risk of fire and explosion such as gas stations…

• Open the car’s hood: Before opening the hood, carefully check. If the hood is too hot to touch or you see a lot of steam coming out, wait a while for the hood to cool before opening it.
• While waiting, you can quickly cool down by pouring water onto the hood. When the hood is cool, open the hood slowly, being careful because a lot of heat can escape.
• Wait 5 – 10 minutes for the car to cool completely: After opening the hood, wait another 5 – 10 minutes for the car to cool completely before proceeding with the next check steps.
• Check the coolant tank: Note only check the coolant tank when the radiator cap has cooled. When opening the radiator lid, open it slowly to allow the heat to gradually escape.
• Absolutely do not open it too quickly because if the coolant is still boiling, it can splash and cause burns.

If you cannot stop your vehicle immediately because you are on the highway, proceed as follows:

• Open all windows: This helps hot air escape.
• Turn off the air conditioner, turn on the heating and radiator fan: Because the heating system uses the heat of the engine to warm the air in the car. Therefore, when heating mode is turned on, the system will take heat to warm the vehicle, thereby helping to reduce engine temperature.
• Turn on the emergency lights: Turn on the lights and quickly stop the vehicle in a safe location.

There are also some ways to prevent overheating from occurring, such as:

• Add more car coolant: Wait for about 5 minutes for the temperature and pressure of the water tank to decrease. Check if the coolant is below the low level, you need to add coolant to the tank.
• Check the cooling system monthly to promptly detect deficiencies or dirt inside.
• Check the cooling fan and clean it regularly.
• Avoid overloading the vehicle many times, this will wear out the engine causing damage to many parts. Check the fuel pipes for correct engine coordination.
• The oil and filter need to be changed every 10,000km, this helps the car operate smoothly and does not overheat the engine when the oil runs out.

BMW engine overheating is a serious problem that you need to take care of immediately. You can see more BMW diagnostic software on our website. If you need help from Eurocartool experts to code or program the vehicle’s controls, contact WhatsApp: +13155472355