BMWs are engineered well enough that even with a coolant leak, your vehicle is still going to perform very well, but things can escalate quickly if you ignore those warning lights on your dashboard console.

Today we’re going to tell you a little more about what happens when coolant starts leaking in your BMW, as well as some of the different places where leaks can happen and why.

If you’re ready, then let’s talk about your BMW, coolant leaks, and what you need to know!

When coolant starts leaking, what happens next really depends on the severity and the location of the leak. It could be something minor, for instance, where the engine hasn’t been damaged yet - like a cracked coolant reservoir or perhaps a damaged hose.

In a case like that, the symptoms might well be very minor at first. For example, you might notice the sweet smell of burning antifreeze or a small puddle of green, pink, or orange liquid under your car.

The problem is that your BMW is designed so efficiently that even when the problem gets worse, you’re still going to get some pretty amazing performance, but you’ll definitely be getting warnings all over your dashboard!

This is why it is vital that when you suspect a coolant leak, you bring your BMW into the shop right away.

In the sections below, we’ll talk about some of the different types of coolant leaks, so that you’ll have a better idea of the many types of problems that might be waiting under the hood with a coolant leak!

Gaskets like your water pump gasket and cylinder head gasket help to create a seal so that coolant doesn’t leak as it circulates through various parts of your engine. Age and normal use will wear these down over time, especially when you consider the high temperatures that these parts deal with every day.

In order to circulate coolant efficiently through your engine, a powerful pump is employed to push the fluid at high pressure where it needs to go. This is a tough job to do day in and day out, so eventually that pump will need to be replaced.

What’s worse, existing leaks change the operational pressure, and can cause an old pump to have to do a lot more work than it was designed for – and once it’s gone, you’ve got a very hot engine that’s getting no relief whatsoever!

The coolant reservoir can and does get cracked from time to time, usually as a matter of age, too much pressure, or physical damage occurring to it from a fender bender. Depending on the severity of the leak, you might notice a light, sweet smell or even a big, growing puddle under your car and your coolant light will be appearing more than usual.

Your radiator is there to help dissipate heat from your engine, and that’s a big job with a high-performance vehicle like a BMW. There are lots of places that can spring a leak – Fins, seams, and hoses – and when this happens, then the engine is going to overheat quickly from there!

Coolant Issues in Roseville or Surrounding Areas? Bertini’s German Motors is IN!