F21 2012 petrol
Could be one of or a combination of the usual suspects (Hoses, Expansion Tank, or Radiator). Check for crusty white stuff to try and narrow down what it could be.
No crusty white stuff anywhere and because it has been 5 months since the last top up, they tried to convince me this is normal and nothing is wrong.
I persisted and they’re using a pressure thing to try to find the leak then replacing the tank (so it has a new seal and a new sensor thing, since my sensor didn’t beep to tell me it was so low).
Do you think they were trying to get rid of me :(
I noticed because the coolant was topped up in May and it’s empty again. The heaters weren’t working - now topped up, they’re toasty again
Most likely you will have to change either a hose, the expansion tank or the radiator.
My 328d started leaking from this ******* (radio edit) plastic coolant tube that extends the coolant port out from the cylinder head so the radiator hose can connect to it. This tube is abs plastic, and developed a hair line crack bleeding out all my coolant.
Anyways, this tube has 3 mounting bolts, and one bolt is literally positioned under/ between the intake manifold and cylinder head. The intake has a special little divot built in just for this tube mounting bolt. Had to pull the intake, which means all the wiring from the ecu to each injector, glow plug alternator… actually the whole engine bay wiring harness has to go, just to pull the intake, just to replace the ******* (radio edit) plastic coolant tube.
So yeah. Expect 8 hours of labor and $75 part. If paying someone rise to do it. Unless of course if you need to replace any other gaskets along the way.
it’ll be somewhere between 100 and 1000 most likely. Slow leak look for white crust on the underbody.
Are you sure it’s leaking and not burning any coolant. The N13 engine is prone to burning oil and coolant from the valve stem seals.
A way to check this is: let the car completely cool down and do a cold start. Let the car idle warm for 1 minute. Press the gas pedal until around 4-5k rpm, and check the exhaust for blue (or blueish) smoke. If that’s the case, you are burning coolant and a high probability the valve stem seals are due for replacement.
Replacing those stems won’t be cheap. While at it, I’d replace the timing chain. Those are also prone to stretching and failing starting around 100k miles.
If it’s not burning coolant and leaking as you say, it won’t be that big of a headache. Probably one of the coolant lines or the coolant reservoir. As far as i know, there are no other big issues concerning coolant.
Source: owner F20 with an N13
You sure won’t be giving the thumbs up anymore 😂
Or you can wait a bit and learn how to change a waterpump in January.
