[Vaughn07X5]

My engine seems unusually hot after short drives. No check engine light on. The plastic on the air intake is hot as well. I did have a recent diagnosis and they said my coolant was wrong. I am going to get my coolant flushed and was wondering if that could be the issue. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Car has 92K 2007 X5. 3.0si.

 

[gngrasso]

If there are no check engine lights or other symptoms, what makes you say it's "unusually hot". Hot as compared to what? Just "feels" hot? Are you measuring Coolant temp with an obd reader or some other objective method ?

 

[Vaughn07X5]

Just felt hot. For instance. Yesterday I drove 10 miles and the engine felt like it was on fire. The air intake and everything was scorching hot. Today I drove 35 miles on the freeway and felt the engine and felt normal. Was just going off my instincts. Did not have an obd reader. What would make it different from one day to the next like that? I'm at BMW now having my coolant flushed because they did say when I bought the car that whoever had it had put in the wrong coolant. Thought that might have something to do with the issue. Thanks for your time.

 

[vetaldj]

Why wouldn't you try to use hidden menu to check coolant temp? We have all opposite problem - engine runs cold due to thermostat slow going south.

It's easy to un-hide that. You can search online for "E70 hidden menu" and you will find how to open it up, very easy. Check your engine temp with this method. Let us know what you've got.

Before, check check if you have coolant in your expansion tank, just to be on safe side.

 

[gngrasso]

I understand what you're saying. But you should know that short trips esp. Stop and go will make the engine hot and highway cruising will cool it off. If you have no check engine lights or "hot engine!" warnings (yellow or red) and your coolant level is fine (you should learn how to check this if you don't know how but only on a COLD engine never warm or hot) you are probably fine.

Personally I would flush and replace with BMW coolant if you're not sure what's in there.

 

[Flying Ace]

What everyone above said. Coolant and oil temperatures will be hotter when you do short drives and lots of stop and go because you're not getting the proper air flow over the cooling fins of the oil cooler and radiator. My M3 for example operates at 220 degrees oil temp in highway and normal drive. But when I get into stop and go, it shoots up to 240 degrees. Again this is oil temp.

Nothing more to add here except to take advantage of the heat and cook some engine block eggs.

"Mmm, engine block eggs. If we can keep these down, we'll be sitting pretty." ***8211; Chief Wiggum

 

[edycol]

Wrong coolant does not have anything to do with that. Wrong coolant can create problem in long run by producing corrosive build up on metal parts etc.
10 miles? BMW engine in 10 miles will be operating at full working temperature and if you do not have check lights, warnings you are OK>
Check coolant temperature using hidden menu. If it is gasser, temperature should be between 90 and 100c, and diesel between 85 and 92 (97-98 during DPF regeneration).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkP0VEgyutw