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philippnacht1

BMW Cabin Heat Fails While Engine Runs Hot, Help!

Overheating

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Fault stored

Hey all! Having trouble with my 2011 BMW 6 (107k km, gasoline engine) and could use some advice. The cabin isn't warming up properly, engine's running hot, and there's a warning light on the dash. I suspect it might be a bypass valve issue. Had a not-so-great experience with my previous mechanic, so I'm a bit hesitant about where to take it. Has anyone dealt with similar symptoms? Would love to hear about your experiences and trusted mechanic recommendations. Thanks in advance!

4 comment(s)


patrick_kaiser4

Had almost identical issues with my 2014 BMW 4 Series last winter. Started with poor cabin heating, then engine temp went up. My bypass valve was indeed shot, but it turned out the original problem was a failed water pump that damaged the thermostat and bypass valve. Got it fixed at a certified BMW specialist garage. They found metal fragments in the coolant system too, apparently, the failing water pump had been grinding for a while. The whole job was pretty serious since they had to flush the entire cooling system and replace multiple components. Just a heads up, if your symptoms match mine, don't wait too long. These cooling system issues can cascade into bigger problems pretty quickly. Best to have a proper diagnostic done by someone who really knows BMWs. Worth getting it sorted properly the first time around.

philippnacht1 (Author)

Wow, thanks for sharing that, sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with! Good call on getting it all checked out thoroughly. The water pump being the root cause makes total sense. My 's BMW had similar issues a while back. Do you remember roughly how much the whole repair set you back? Also, curious if you've had any cooling-related problems since getting it fixed?

patrick_kaiser4

Hey there! Happy to give you an update on my 2014 BMW 4 Series situation. Just wanted to let you know that since getting it sorted at that BMW specialist, everything's been running perfectly smooth. The bypass valve issue was actually covered under an extended warranty, so that was a nice surprise, didn't cost me anything! The mechanic really knew their stuff and found that metal debris causing the whole mess. Once they flushed the system and got everything cleaned up, the heating's been working like a charm. Engine temp's staying exactly where it should be too. Haven't had a single cooling problem since, it's been about a year now. Getting it fixed properly the first time really made all the difference. Just so relieved I didn't try to save money by going to a cheaper garage, you know? Having a specialist who actually knows BMWs inside and out was definitely worth it. Hope this helps with your decision! Definitely don't put it off, these things can get nasty if you let them go too long.

philippnacht1 (Author)

Thanks so much for the detailed follow-up! I actually just got back from the mechanic today. You were spot on, it was indeed the water pump causing all the trouble. Just like your case, they found metal bits in the cooling system. Ended up going to a BMW specialist after our chat. Definitely cost more than I planned, but they did a thorough job. They flushed the entire system, replaced the water pump, thermostat, and that troublesome bypass valve. The heating's working perfectly now and the engine temp's back to normal. Really glad I didn't cheap out or wait any longer. The mechanic showed me the old parts, they were in pretty rough shape. Looks like I caught it just in time before it turned into something much worse. Thanks again for helping me avoid a potential disaster. It's such a relief to have it sorted properly. Time to enjoy driving my BMW again without constantly watching that temperature gauge!

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