BMW 8 Series Engine Overheating, Fan Issues & Solutions

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2018 BMW 7 series (coming from a mechanic with some experience working on cars). The symptoms you're describing sound exactly like what I went through last summer. My car was running hot and throwing the same warnings until I got it checked. Turned out it was just a faulty connection in the cooling fan wiring harness. The workshop found that the plug connection had become loose and corroded. Got it fixed for 95 Euro, they replaced the connector and cleaned up the wiring. Been running perfectly since then. Before jumping to conclusions though, could you tell us: Are you hearing the cooling fan running at all? Any other warning lights showing up? Has the car had recent cooling system maintenance? Just want to make sure you're not dealing with something different than what I experienced with my car.

Thanks for sharing that experience! At 70302 KM and just had my service last month, this is definitely concerning. You're right about checking the fan, I just popped the hood and noticed the fan's not kicking in at all, even when the engine's hot. No other warning lights except the temperature one. The cooling system hasn't had any work done since I got the car. After reading your post, I checked the connector you mentioned, there's definitely some corrosion visible there. Really hoping it's just the wiring like in your case. Going to book it in at the workshop tomorrow. Thanks for the tip, might've saved me from a bigger repair bill!

Hey again! Thanks for checking those details, that's exactly what I wanted to know. The symptoms are seriously identical to what I experienced, especially the fan not kicking in at all. Based on my experience with my BMW 7, you're definitely on the right track with checking that connector. Just want to share something extra that might help, when my workshop fixed mine, they mentioned these connectors are actually a known weak point in our models. The corrosion usually starts small but can spread pretty quickly if not dealt with. In my case, the first sign was also the fan completely failing to engage. I kept driving mine for about a week before getting it fixed (not recommended, just being honest here), and the emergency mode would kick in after about 15-20 minutes of driving. Sounds pretty similar to what you're experiencing. The repair was quick and relatively cheap, definitely better than having to replace the entire fan assembly, which is what I initially feared. One piece of advice, when you take it to the workshop, ask them to check the entire wiring harness while they're at it. My mechanic did this and found a couple other spots that were starting to show early signs of corrosion. Better to catch these things early! Let me know how it goes at the workshop. I'm betting you'll be back on the road with a properly functioning cooling system in no time!

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! Really appreciate you taking the time to share all this info. Just got back from the workshop and you were spot on, it was exactly what you described. They found the corroded connector and some early corrosion starting in other parts of the harness too. Good thing you mentioned getting the whole harness checked! Total bill came to around 120 for the connector replacement and cleaning up the other spots. The fan's working perfectly now and no more temperature warnings. What a relief it wasn't something major! Guess I got lucky finding your post, saved me from stressing about potentially needing a whole new cooling system. Think I'll keep an eye on those connections from now on during regular maintenance. Thanks again for all your help, it's great having other BMW owners sharing their experiences!