If your BMW or other European automobile overheats all the time, there is likely a problem with the cooling system. This being said, the engine will also overheat constantly if the fuel pump motor is overheating or you have old and dirty motor oil in the engine. A faulty catalytic converter can also overheat the engine. RSW European Automotive Repair is going to focus on the cooling system in this blog, however. Here are common cooling system problems that overheat the engine.
Blocked Radiator Air Inlets
The radiator has air inlets to help cool the hot engine coolant once it is returned to the radiator. If these inlets are blocked by dirt and grime, you will not have any fresh air cooling off the coolant, and, as a consequence, hot coolant will circulate through and overheat the engine.
Clogged Cooling System
Your cooling system can also be clogged by dirt and debris that is found in dirty engine coolant. Specifically, the radiator hoses may be clogged and, as a consequence, this is impeding coolant circulation. Your engine will overheat if coolant isn’t circulating through it.
Dead Radiator Fan
Aside from the air inlets, the radiator also has a fan to help cool down hot engine coolant. You likely hear this fan turn on while you are driving your BMW. If the fan is malfunctioning and does not turn on, again, you will end up with hot coolant circulating through the engine.
Leaking Engine Coolant
A coolant leak from anywhere in the cooling system will reduce the amount of coolant in the engine, and, as a consequence, overheat the engine. Coolant can leak out of cracked radiator hoses, any of the cooling system seals, the water pump or thermostat, or the radiator.
Leaking Radiator
The radiator will spring a leak if corrosion has eaten through the bottom of it. This is common in vehicles that are old and have a lot of miles on the odometer. Unfortunately, in order to resolve the issue, we will have to replace your BMWs radiator.
Malfunctioning Thermostat
The thermostat releases the coolant into the engine once the temperature demands it. If the thermostat is malfunctioning, it may not open the valve to allow the coolant to flow into the water pump for circulation. This will overheat your engine.
No Coolant Circulation
Finally, if the water pump is malfunctioning, you may not have any coolant circulating through your engine. Naturally, this will cause the engine to overheat constantly.
Call RSW European Automotive Repair in Greenbrook Township, NJ, today if your BMW or other European automobile’s engine overheats constantly. We will find the problem and fix it.