How to Add Coolant: BMW 328i xDrive (2006-2013) Base 3.0L 6 Cyl. Coupe (2 Door) Adding engine coolant (also known as antifreeze) to your 2011 BMW 328i xDrive is pretty easy. Engine coolant circulates through your engine to keep it cool in the summer but won’t freeze in the winter.
- Make sure to check your engine when it is cold for an accurate reading.
- The video above shows you where the coolant reservoir in your 328i xDrive is located and how to add coolant.
- Be sure to check your owners manual to determine the correct type of fluid to add – for BMWs, it will typically be in a section titled Fluid Capacities in the back of your manual.
Mix the coolant with distilled water so that you have a combination of 50% coolant and 50% water. Some coolants will come premixed-that is, you don’t need to add any water. These coolants will typically say 50/50 or pre-mixed on the front of the coolant bottle.
Removing the coolant reservoir cap on a warm engine could cause the cap to fly off at a high rate of speed and fluid to spray out of the reservoir. Always wear safety goggles when working on your 328i xDrive. Promptly wipe up any spilled fluid as it is highly toxic. Animals love its sweet taste, so even a spilling a small amount on your garage floor can end up in the dog’s stomach pretty quickly.
If you notice an oily surface in your coolant, immediately have your mechanic inspect your 328i xDrive for head gasket leakage : How to Add Coolant: BMW 328i xDrive (2006-2013) Base 3.0L 6 Cyl. Coupe (2 Door)
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Contents
- 0.1 What kind of coolant does a 2011 BMW 328i use?
- 0.2 Does a BMW need special coolant?
- 0.3 Is BMW coolant blue or green?
- 0.4 Is it OK to add new coolant without draining the old?
- 0.5 Can you mix old and new coolant?
- 1 Is it OK to drive with low coolant?
- 2 Does Autozone have BMW coolant?
- 3 Where is coolant on BMW 328i?
Where do I put coolant in my 2011 BMW 328i?
How do you add coolant to a 2011 BMW 328I? For a few days now I’ve been noticing a small pool of liquid beneath my car. I think it could be my coolant based on the color of it. How can I check and add coolant to my 2011 BMW 328 I? If your car’s coolant is leaking, adding more will likely only serve as a temporary fix.
- Work in a well-ventilated area
- Keep your vehicle cool before you begin
- Wear protective gloves and eyewear
- Purchase the proper coolant based on the manufacturer’s specifications (found in your owner’s manual)
- Get a funnel
Now that you have these items and have taken the proper precautions, you are ready to begin adding coolant to your 2011 BMW 328 I.
- Locate your coolant reservoir under the hood and turn the cap counterclockwise while pressing down to open it.
- You should see a brightly colored level float bobbing in the coolant. On the surface of the tank should be a diagram indicating the level float’s position when the tank is properly filled.
- Place the funnel in the tank but leave space to see the level float as you fill.
- Pour in the coolant until the float reaches the proper height as indicated by the diagram.
- Remove the funnel carefully and replace the cap.
Once you’ve successfully added the coolant into your BMW, you can drive off with a little more peace of mind. However, you should keep watch of the issue and take your car to the mechanic if it persists. In the meantime, take a moment to check out the app and see how much you can save on your premium.
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We aren’t paid for reviews or other content. : How do you add coolant to a 2011 BMW 328I?
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Can I put coolant in my BMW by myself?
My BMW needs some more coolant, and I usually have this done at the mechanic when I get my car serviced, but there doesn’t seem to be anything else going on with my car. I don’t want to take the car in just to get more coolant. Is there a way I can top off the coolant myself? Yes, you can fill up your car’s coolant on your own. To refill the coolant on your BMW, you will need to gather the following:
- A new bottle of coolant based on your manual’s specifications
- A funnel
- A pair of gloves
Once you gather the materials, follow these steps to top off the coolant in your BMW:
- Open your hood and locate the coolant tank. Do not touch anything under the hood if you just turned your car off and it is hot.
- Turn the cap counterclockwise while pressing downward.
- Once the cap is open, you should see a brightly colored stick or level float. Somewhere on the coolant tank will be a diagram indicating the level float’s position if the tank is properly filled.
- Place the funnel in the tank but leave space to see the level float.
- Start pouring in your coolant until the float reaches the proper height as indicated by the diagram.
- Remove the funnel carefully and replace the cap.
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What kind of coolant does a 2011 BMW 328i use?
Pentosin – Pentofrost NF (G11) Silicate European Concentrate Antifreeze / Coolant – 1.5 Liters (Part No.8114117)
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Can you just add coolant to the reservoir?
How to refill your coolant – Refilling your coolant is a fairly simple car maintenance task you can do yourself, as long as you follow the right steps. Before you start, always make sure your engine is switched off and cool. Follow these steps to refill your car’s coolant: 1.
- Check the coolant level Your coolant reservoir should be labelled, and they are usually translucent plastic.
- The outside of the reservoir should be marked with minimum and maximum lines for the coolant, and you can check here if you need to refill the coolant.
- Refer to your owners manual if you are unsure about locating your coolant reservoir.2.
Mix the coolant and water If the coolant is not already pre-mixed, use an empty container to mix equal parts coolant and distilled water to create the 50/50 coolant and water mix that’s usually recommended. Longer life coolants are typically higher quality.
Always use high-quality coolants for the best result for your engine.3. Top off the radiator If there is a cap on the radiator in your car and you can’t see the coolant level, top it off until you can see coolant at the bottom of the filler neck. There may also be a line indicating the maximum fill level.4.
Top off the coolant reservoir If the coolant level is low in the reservoir, you can refill it to the max fill line but do not overfill it. The coolant mixture expands when it heats up and needs the extra room. Keeping your coolant at the correct level is one of the ways to keep your radiator good working order,
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Why does my BMW say low coolant when it’s full?
What Factors Might Cause the Coolant Light to Come on? – You might be surprised to learn that a “low coolant” light doesn’t necessarily mean that coolant is low; but there could be other issues, including failing parts leading to coolant becoming low over time.
- Since most modern vehicles, including most BMWs, utilize coolant that’s developed to last a significant amount of time, the low coolant light is concerning.
- Low Coolant Of course, it is highly possible that the illuminated light is indeed correct and that your coolant level is not where it should be.
Low coolant is a, especially in a performance vehicle like a BMW that requires higher quality conditions to run optimally. Faulty Sensors BMWs are basically a complex network of communicating technology. The car’s warning system runs off of a series of sensors for various parts and functions of your vehicle.
- There are sensors that are specifically purposed to determine the coolant level and the functioning of the cooling system,
- These sensors can also fail on their own, communicating to the driver that there’s a problem when indeed there isn’t.
- Failing Radiator Seal The radiator circulates the coolant.
- In order to do this, it must contain the coolant but it also must contain the pressure in the system.
It does so by way of airtight seals, which can become damaged or corroded. When the cooling system reaches a low pressure, the car might perceive this as low coolant. In this case, the sensor will likely need to be replaced. Coolant Leak Coolant leaks can occur due to a number of reasons, including a broken radiator seal or a compromised radiator,
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Does a BMW need special coolant?
BMW Coolant – Coolant, as it relates to vehicles, is commonly a liquid or gas substance used to regulate the temperature of your engine. Liquid coolants are usually half water and half ethylene glycol. Water is used to transfer heat while ethylene glycol is used to reduce the chilly point of the liquid.
- In colder climates, this is extremely crucial.
- Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time you’ve heard of ethylene glycol as it is the finest ingredient in the real term “antifreeze”.
- Eep in mind, you never want to pour antifreeze or water by themselves into your engine system.
- They need to be combined to create the good coolant.
You can purchase ready-made mixtures of coolant that already have water added, or you can purchase full-strength antifreeze which needs to be diluted with distilled water before being added to the engine system. Give the experts at Richmond BMW a call at 8042074692 or schedule service online and let one of our mechanics and service advisors handle your coolant flush.
- Every vehicle manufacturer, including BMW has developed its own coolant or requires a exact coolant that is unique to definite years and models.
- There are many colors of coolants to help distinguish all including green, yellow, purple red, blue, and orange.
- It is crucial to do your research if you plan to buy, flush, or replace the coolant in your car.
Copious models will not be compatible even with “universal” coolants or antifreeze. Richmond BMW offers a variety of coolant flush coupons to aid you save today. To shop each of our service specials click here. If you’d like to handle your coolant service yourself, you can still purchase coolant or antifreeze from Richmond BMW directly at a fantastic price.
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What coolant does BMW 328i take?
Pentosin – Pentofrost NF (G11) Silicate European Concentrate Antifreeze / Coolant – 1.5 Liters (Part No.8114117)
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Is BMW coolant blue or green?
Genuine BMW Coolant (Antifreeze), Green, 1 Gallon Jug We suggest using only German OEM BMW engine antifreeze to keep your cooling system working at its best, part number 83192468442 (83 19 2 468 442). BMW only recommends certain coolants because they do not contain nitrites, amines, phosphates, or borates.
- Off-the-shelf coolant from a local parts chain is unacceptable.This new green-colored coolant was introduced in 2018 and is used instead of the older blue-colored coolant.
- Green is backwards compatible with blue and can be used on cars before 2018.
- However, BMW does not advise using the older blue formula on cars made after January, 2018.
The green coolant includes silicates, which add extra protection for cooling internals but the coolant must be replaced every two years, We recommend mixing a 1:1 ratio with distilled water in street cars for added corrosion resistance, anti-freeze protection, and water pump lubrication.
Genuine German OEM HT12 antifreeze, BMW # 83192468442Optimal cooling, freeze protection, water pump lubrication, and corrosion resistanceSafe to add Water Wetter for additional benefits
1 gallon (3.785 liter) bottle. Made in Germany.
Frost Protection | Quarts of BMW Coolant | Quarts of Distilled Water |
1.4F/-17C | 3.5 | 6.5 |
-13F/-25C | 4 | 6 |
-34F/-37C* | 5 | 5 |
Genuine BMW Coolant (Antifreeze), Green, 1 Gallon Jug
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Is it OK to add new coolant without draining the old?
Is It Ok To Add New Coolant Without Draining The Old? – There is no problem with just topping up the coolant. You can add the coolant without flushing out the old. However, with time, the older coolant becomes acidic. This can cause corrosion, and afterward, can cause defects in the cooling system. Its recommended by most manufacturers that you replace the coolant after every 30,000 miles.
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Can you mix old and new coolant?
If it comes to mixing different brands there is no problem, when it comes to old versus new, its okay to mix old and new as long as they are of the same type.
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Is it OK to drive with low coolant?
Your engine could overheat. – Coolant helps pull heat away from the engine. So, without enough coolant, the engine could overheat or seize up. Continued use of an overheated engine could lead to permanent damage, such as pistons welding to the cylinders.
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Can I drive with low coolant level?
Low engine coolant level? Here’s how to top up your car’s coolant You shouldn’t drive with a low level of ; it keeps your engine from overheating in hot weather and freezing up in sub-zero temperatures. But for it to keep safeguarding components and performance, there needs to be enough of it in the cooling system.
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Does Autozone have BMW coolant?
BMW Antifreeze / Coolant Buy Online. Pick Up In-Store.
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How long can a BMW run without coolant?
Thread: How Long Without Coolant?
11-21-2010, 12:11 AM Now, I am not an imbecile suggesting the car be run or even started without coolant, but a title suggesting that helps draw people in to yell at such an imbecile, and gets people to read. Here’s my situation: I’m doing a largish overhaul of the car and part of it is a rebuild of the coolant system. I need to drain the coolant to replace the radiator, expansion tank, etc., but some of the parts (notably the 3-way hose for the Euro expansion tank) are going to be a couple weeks to a month to get here. I’d like to get as much of the work done as possible ahead of time as I’ll be out of the country for a while at the beginning of next year, so this raises the question: if I drain the coolant and leave it drained for that period of time, how long before I have to worry about the coolant passages in the block starting to rust over? The head, thermostat housing, and the majority of the other metal parts are aluminum so no worries there, but I’d rather not have to flush the coolant twice to ensure no rust has built up in the iron block from atmospheric oxygen. Coolant residue will hold off oxidation for a while until it drains off the passage walls I suppose. Last edited by Kenshiro; 11-21-2010 at 12:13 AM, 11-21-2010, 12:29 AM If the coolant system is able to be closed, then rust formation would be less. I assume it will probably be open, in that case surface rust will form until the moisture is gone. I wouldn’t worry too much as it would only be surface rust. 11-21-2010, 01:27 AM I start cars all the time without coolant in them. Thats not a problem. You can run them up to 30-45seconds with no issues. I do it when I’m testing engine work before I spend another 1-1.5hours putting everything else back in, coolant in, bleeding, etc and THEN finding a problem. I’ve been told this is not an issue by a pro engine builder. Just dont abuse it 11-21-2010, 03:25 AM It won’t hurt anything to sit dry/empty. That is, as long as the car is not stored in an area where the floor sweats a lot with changes in ambient temp. Do not install the new water pump until you are set to complete the job. m 11-21-2010, 11:08 AM Originally Posted by 99MPower I start cars all the time without coolant in them. Thats not a problem. You can run them up to 30-45seconds with no issues. I do it when I’m testing engine work before I spend another 1-1.5hours putting everything else back in, coolant in, bleeding, etc and THEN finding a problem. 11-21-2010, 12:16 PM id wrap the coolant connections in tape to seal them up while its sitting. less about surface rust an more about crap getting in there like a mouse. i got a euro m30 from a junk yard and its coolant passages where orange, a good flush and alls been well for about 30k miles. 11-21-2010, 01:36 PM Originally Posted by 99MPower I start cars all the time without coolant in them. Thats not a problem. You can run them up to 30-45seconds with no issues. I do it when I’m testing engine work before I spend another 1-1.5hours putting everything else back in, coolant in, bleeding, etc and THEN finding a problem. without oil.0 seconds, MAX -Rich- 11-21-2010, 01:52 PM The total lack of reading comprehension in this thread is really entertaining. Letting the car sit with no coolant will be fine. The surface rust that forms won’t be detrimental to the system, especially if you flush it once. I’ve dropped engines in that have been sitting in junkyards for years with no coolant, and had no problems. Originally Posted by fsmtnbiker The total lack of reading comprehension in this thread is really entertaining. QFT. And thanks for the input.
: Thread: How Long Without Coolant?
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Where is coolant on BMW 328i?
Open the hood and locate the coolant reservoir. In most BMW models, this small black tank is to the left of the engine, but this isn’t always the case. Double-check your owner’s manual if you’re not sure what to look for. Slowly turn the cap counterclockwise so that excess pressure to be released incrementally.
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