Hi all, I'm a new X5 owner, 2004 3.0d with 100k. Very happy with the car apart from a couple of issues.
My question is with the temperature gauge. I notice unlike other cars I've had the gauge doesn't just sit in one position once the car is warmed up.
During a long drive the gauge seems to sit a bit low, between the 1/4 and 1/2 mark. After going up a long steep hill (farm track, 1st gear and crawl up steep) it went just slightly above the 1/2 mark, suggesting the car was getting hotter? A similar thing happened in slow moving traffic.
I stress the car drives well, is not over heating, temp doesn't get into or anywhere near the red zone at all. It is just the temp gauge seems to move about more than I have ever experienced, but this is my first BMW.
Is this normal or indicative of a problem? If so what is the likely problem, water pump? thermostat?
The car has just been serviced as well and the never found any issues with the engine.
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Temperature gauge moving about
Re: Temperature gauge moving about
Hello and 
Your problem is almost certainly a thermostat failure. Very common and there are a few threads on here covering it and it's replacement
Your problem is almost certainly a thermostat failure. Very common and there are a few threads on here covering it and it's replacement
Never anthropomorphise computers. They hate that.Re: Temperature gauge moving about
[quote="X5Sport"]
Hello and
Your problem is almost certainly a thermostat failure. Very common and there are a few threads on here covering it and it's replacement
[/quote]
Brilliant, thanks. I assume that is a relatively cheap job if it is done before the failure leads to bigger issues?
Hello and
Your problem is almost certainly a thermostat failure. Very common and there are a few threads on here covering it and it's replacement
[/quote]
Brilliant, thanks. I assume that is a relatively cheap job if it is done before the failure leads to bigger issues?
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X5-D-Sport
- Snr Member
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- Joined: Sun May 25, 2014 11:13 pm
Re: Temperature gauge moving about
Absolutely agree with X5-Sport...
Mine did exactly the same thing....the stat is jammed part open !
It will run cooler than it should under gentle load, and run too hot under load at slower speeds with higher load - - because it cannot open up fully to dump the heat, and also cannot close a little to maintain the warmer Normal running temp when moving at a steady speed.
Changing a stat is not difficult if you are a Good DIY'er... you will need to get some E-Torx sockets on a 1/4 drive ... £5 from Flea-Bay, as there is no way you will remove these silly bolts other wise without the correct tools.
This job is done easily with 1/4 drive socket ratchet drives & short 1/4 drive extensions.
These bolts are only "nipped" up, and the thermostat has an "O" ring gasket that does NOT need tons of foot-pounds torque tightening, light hand tight is plenty, as the stat housing is plastic.
The stat is built into the housing, and the pair are One unit.
The stat you can get off E-Bay for about £15>£20 ish.. or ring Cotswold BMW and give them your reg' number to guarantee getting the right part (as there are a few variants I believe).. mention your membership here for some % discount.
You will also need a pair of 32mm spanners (I think its 32mm) to remove the viscous fan.
Also need to remove the air intake on top of the radiator + the engine cover.... mine took me approx. 1hr for the whole job.
Getting the fan threads to engage when refitting can be a little fiddly & it will either go straight on - or take you bloody ages... just luck of the draw lol.
Ensure you have some replacement anti freeze ready mixed when topping up the coolant, and learn how to bleed the system (in theory self bleeding - but some times needs a little help)
Suggest you get this job done before it gets really warm - summer is coming
Mine did exactly the same thing....the stat is jammed part open !
It will run cooler than it should under gentle load, and run too hot under load at slower speeds with higher load - - because it cannot open up fully to dump the heat, and also cannot close a little to maintain the warmer Normal running temp when moving at a steady speed.
Changing a stat is not difficult if you are a Good DIY'er... you will need to get some E-Torx sockets on a 1/4 drive ... £5 from Flea-Bay, as there is no way you will remove these silly bolts other wise without the correct tools.
This job is done easily with 1/4 drive socket ratchet drives & short 1/4 drive extensions.
These bolts are only "nipped" up, and the thermostat has an "O" ring gasket that does NOT need tons of foot-pounds torque tightening, light hand tight is plenty, as the stat housing is plastic.
The stat is built into the housing, and the pair are One unit.
The stat you can get off E-Bay for about £15>£20 ish.. or ring Cotswold BMW and give them your reg' number to guarantee getting the right part (as there are a few variants I believe).. mention your membership here for some % discount.
You will also need a pair of 32mm spanners (I think its 32mm) to remove the viscous fan.
Also need to remove the air intake on top of the radiator + the engine cover.... mine took me approx. 1hr for the whole job.
Getting the fan threads to engage when refitting can be a little fiddly & it will either go straight on - or take you bloody ages... just luck of the draw lol.
Ensure you have some replacement anti freeze ready mixed when topping up the coolant, and learn how to bleed the system (in theory self bleeding - but some times needs a little help)
Suggest you get this job done before it gets really warm - summer is coming
Last edited by X5-D-Sport on Sat May 30, 2015 8:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Temperature gauge moving about
Seems OK now. Going to get it looked at / changed anyway as it doesn't seem like a big expensive job. Better safe than sorry with a cooked engine in the summer heat.......