BMW 335 IS overheating.

[G-WannaBe]

OK guys, now we have all herd this 'rumor' for a while now, but being winter the posts seemed to fade a bit.

Then there was the original post 6+ months ago from Audi blogs about tracked Bimmers in Germany that may or may not have happened, and now we hear about the Arizona test for the new G37 and the failure that occured out there with a 335i. I have been leary about buying a new 335 because of several reasons, this being a big one. I even read a few posts that dissapeared last fall about this topic.

However today I was over at Bimmer forums, and found new fresh posts, new complaints from owners, and a LOT of good interesting detail. There have been a few posts on the G forums saying this is not an issue and not really occuring, sorry bimmer lovers ererywhere, its real and its a big issue for BMW, because here is 1 buyer that wont buy because of it, and I am sure there are more...

Granted these are ATs, tracked events, and pushing a turbo hard which I know makes a lot of hot running cars overheat turbo or not, but still, the reports continue to come out and now from owners themselves, so I am not so sure this wont become a bigger issue this summer...

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=713143

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=711450

G-37 for me......

[b00stedjustin]

Originally Posted by G-WannaBe

OK guys, now we have all herd this 'rumor' for a while now, but being winter the posts seemed to fade a bit.

Then there was the original post 6+ months ago from Audi blogs about tracked Bimmers in Germany that may or may not have happened, and now we hear about the Arizona test for the new G37 and the failure that occured out there with a 335i. I have been leary about buying a new 335 because of several reasons, this being a big one. I even read a few posts that dissapeared last fall about this topic.

However today I was over at Bimmer forums, and found new fresh posts, new complaints from owners, and a LOT of good interesting detail. There have been a few posts on the G forums saying this is not an issue and not really occuring, sorry bimmer lovers ererywhere, its real and its a big issue for BMW, because here is 1 buyer that wont buy because of it, and I am sure there are more...

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=713143

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...d.php?t=711450

G-37 for me......

Yeah, the test done by Automobile I think tried to justify why the bimmer was overheating and the g37 not, but didn't exactly given an decent explaintation their reasoning. I assumed that overheating would definitely be an issue for modded 335i's but I had no idea that the un-modded ones are also having problems. Looks like the japanese have trounced the germans once again.

[nghiars]

it was only about 90 degrees here in AZ too so not too bad... i dont think bmw will be doing another turbocharged car for a while.. thats why they stopped after one so many years ago... I've always like german engineering for there NA powerplants.. they should stick with what they do well.

[///M32G35]

The problem is that the AT doesn't have an oil cooler, while the 6MT does. It is a first year FI project, as well. I think that BMW needs to stick with what they know, and FI is not it.

[Sukairain]

Well, there is a couple of ways to correct this issue.

1) Get rid of the turbos and put a 330i NA engine back into the car. I am sure many 330i owners wouldn't mind the trade.

2) Put ice in the engine compartment.

3) Drive like grannies when the weather is hot.

"Hey, Bimmer boy, want to race?"
"Sorry not today, maybe we schedule this when winter comes, Thanksgiving maybe?"

[crypten]

Originally Posted by Sukairain

"Hey, Bimmer boy, want to race?"
"Sorry not today, maybe we schedule this when winter comes, Thanksgiving maybe?"

[Picus]

Before this turns into another g35driver bash the bmw festical I will try to educate you guys on the 335i heat issues. In case anyone thinks I am biased, or won't give BMW crap for making a mistake, here are some threads for you. Notice the outspoken jackass in them? That's me.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ght=oil+cooler
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ght=oil+cooler
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ght=oil+cooler

etc... That should at least illustrate that I've kept myself abreast of this issue. So here are the facts.

The 335i is supposed to come with an external air to oil cooler, it's an inline cooler located in the passenger side front fender. It turns itself on when the oil reaches a temp of about 125C. Before I go on, the normal oil operating temps for this car are 110C to 140C. The car will reduce power at 151C, and will enter limp mode at 161C.

Now, some auto's did not receive this oil cooler for whatever reason (only cars produced between June '06 and Dec '06, btw). Of the 4 confirmed instances of an overheating 335i, all 4 were cars without the oil cooler. No one has been able to overheat a car with the oil cooler.

Also, the only time anyone has overheated is on the track.

SO, two things. First, BMW screwed up by not putting the oil cooler in *all* the cars. I suspect they will issue a recall of the effected cars and retrofit the cooler. It's about a 2 hour install of a $150 part.

Second the odds of anyone overheating a 335i on the street are not good. So I wouldn't expect to see it. You guys may or may not believe me, but I did over an hour of hot-lapping on Nurmburgring and the temps never moved above 130C. Despite the Infiniti test car overheating after hours of hotlapping, it is not easy to overheat one. BMW did make a mistake not putting coolers in all cars though, and they will pay for it.

All current 335i's being produced will have the oil cooler. So anyone buying now, or in the future, will be fine.

Oh, the N54 will be in 4 bimmers by next year, they aren't going to ditch turbos.

[RBull]

Originally Posted by picus112

Before this turns into another g35driver bash the bmw festical I will try to educate you guys on the 335i heat issues. In case anyone thinks I am biased, or won't give BMW crap for making a mistake, here are some threads for you. Notice the outspoken jackass in them? That's me.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ght=oil+cooler
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ght=oil+cooler
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ght=oil+cooler

etc... That should at least illustrate that I've kept myself abreast of this issue. So here are the facts.

The 335i is supposed to come with an external air to oil cooler, it's an inline cooler located in the passenger side front fender. It turns itself on when the oil reaches a temp of about 125C. Before I go on, the normal oil operating temps for this car are 110C to 140C. The car will reduce power at 151C, and will enter limp mode at 161C.

Now, some auto's did not receive this oil cooler for whatever reason (only cars produced between June '06 and Dec '06, btw). Of the 4 confirmed instances of an overheating 335i, all 4 were cars without the oil cooler. No one has been able to overheat a car with the oil cooler.

Also, the only time anyone has overheated is on the track.

SO, two things. First, BMW screwed up by not putting the oil cooler in *all* the cars. I suspect they will issue a recall of the effected cars and retrofit the cooler. It's about a 2 hour install of a $150 part.

Second the odds of anyone overheating a 335i on the street are not good. So I wouldn't expect to see it. You guys may or may not believe me, but I did over an hour of hot-lapping on Nurmburgring and the temps never moved above 130C. Despite the Infiniti test car overheating after hours of hotlapping, it is not easy to overheat one. BMW did make a mistake not putting coolers in all cars though, and they will pay for it.

All current 335i's being produced will have the oil cooler. So anyone buying now, or in the future, will be fine.

Oh, the N54 will be in 4 bimmers by next year, they aren't going to ditch turbos.

Thanks for the education Kevin. That explains things and makes sense.

It would be interesting to confirm if the Edmunds test car had an oil cooler.

Also I think you mean to say "BMW test car overheating" and not "Infiniti test car overheating".

[Sukairain]

I don't think the Infiniti test car overheated after 'hours,' Edmunds stated they were on the 4th lap. I suppose it could be 4th lap in one of the several driving sessions. I suppose the oil cooler could be missing, or it could be too hot that day, someone revved the motor to 6000rpm for 3 laps, or there was a coolant leak, an oil leak, the thermostat broke.......... all that matters is that the car overheated on track with tons of journalists watching and taking pictures. That's basicly a publicity disaster on BMW's part. I don't see other auto magazines rubbing it in quite like Edmunds, but I seriously doubt Infiniti or Edmunds set up the scenario on purpose.

Honestly do we really know that the broken 335i didn't have an oil cooler? No, BMW people like to assume that, but the fact is we don't know that. Maybe the car did have an oil cooler, and the car simplu overheated. It's happened before with WRX's, MS Mazda 6, and SRT-4. Why should the mighty BMW be immune to this?

Also, several overheating issues on a brand new engine type is a pretty serious problem in my book. We all know that turbo engines overheat when pushed hard, that's why you see huge intercoolers on FI vehicles with big gapping front bumper. Perhaps BMW is in over their head on the FI, since FI street cars were never really their thing.

Either way, big ouch for BMW this time around.

[ttrank]

Originally Posted by picus112

Before this turns into another g35driver bash the bmw festical I will try to educate you guys on the 335i heat issues. In case anyone thinks I am biased, or won't give BMW crap for making a mistake, here are some threads for you. Notice the outspoken jackass in them? That's me.

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ght=oil+cooler
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ght=oil+cooler
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showth...ght=oil+cooler

etc... That should at least illustrate that I've kept myself abreast of this issue. So here are the facts.

The 335i is supposed to come with an external air to oil cooler, it's an inline cooler located in the passenger side front fender. It turns itself on when the oil reaches a temp of about 125C. Before I go on, the normal oil operating temps for this car are 110C to 140C. The car will reduce power at 151C, and will enter limp mode at 161C.

Now, some auto's did not receive this oil cooler for whatever reason (only cars produced between June '06 and Dec '06, btw). Of the 4 confirmed instances of an overheating 335i, all 4 were cars without the oil cooler. No one has been able to overheat a car with the oil cooler.

Also, the only time anyone has overheated is on the track.

SO, two things. First, BMW screwed up by not putting the oil cooler in *all* the cars. I suspect they will issue a recall of the effected cars and retrofit the cooler. It's about a 2 hour install of a $150 part.

Second the odds of anyone overheating a 335i on the street are not good. So I wouldn't expect to see it. You guys may or may not believe me, but I did over an hour of hot-lapping on Nurmburgring and the temps never moved above 130C. Despite the Infiniti test car overheating after hours of hotlapping, it is not easy to overheat one. BMW did make a mistake not putting coolers in all cars though, and they will pay for it.

I agree with this for the most part but I would like to see how one does here in 115-120 Phoenix temps under some hard street driving.

Also the oil cooler is only $150 for a BMW but we can't get a decent kit for under $250-300? For some reason I would bet if the do issue a recall that part will be more like $500+.

Just my $0.02, I may be wrong.

[CrazyRuskie]

Still considering the BMW 335i for my next ride.... do the 6MT's have the same issues?

[Picus]

Originally Posted by RBull

Thanks for the education Kevin. That explains things and makes sense.

It would be interesting to confirm if the Edmunds test car had an oil cooler.

Also I think you mean to say "BMW test car overheating" and not "Infiniti test car overheating".

It was Infiniti's 335i, but ya, it was a BMW.

Originally Posted by Sukairain

I don't think the Infiniti test car overheated after 'hours,' Edmunds stated they were on the 4th lap. I suppose it could be 4th lap in one of the several driving sessions. I suppose the oil cooler could be missing, or it could be too hot that day, someone revved the motor to 6000rpm for 3 laps, or there was a coolant leak, an oil leak, the thermostat broke.......... all that matters is that the car overheated on track with tons of journalists watching and taking pictures. That's basicly a publicity disaster on BMW's part. I don't see other auto magazines rubbing it in quite like Edmunds, but I seriously doubt Infiniti or Edmunds set up the scenario on purpose.

Honestly do we really know that the broken 335i didn't have an oil cooler? No, BMW people like to assume that, but the fact is we don't know that. Maybe the car did have an oil cooler, and the car simplu overheated. It's happened before with WRX's, MS Mazda 6, and SRT-4. Why should the mighty BMW be immune to this?

Also, several overheating issues on a brand new engine type is a pretty serious problem in my book. We all know that turbo engines overheat when pushed hard, that's why you see huge intercoolers on FI vehicles with big gapping front bumper. Perhaps BMW is in over their head on the FI, since FI street cars were never really their thing.

Either way, big ouch for BMW this time around.

Oh come on man. The car didn't have an oil cooler. How do I know? It was an auto, they said it. All auto's in NA on the road right now don't have it, so it didn't either. I know you don't like BMW. I don't like that they omitted the cooler either, but don't blow this out of proportion. I have an intimate experience with this issue, and as of right now I can say it *look* like BMW will handle it appropriately. I will definitely let you guys know if they don't.

Originally Posted by ttrank

I agree with this for the most part but I would like to see how one does here in 115-120 Phoenix temps under some hard street driving.

Also the oil cooler is only $150 for a BMW but we can't get a decent kit for under $250-300? For some reason I would bet if the do issue a recall that part will be more like $500+.

Just my $0.02, I may be wrong.

The parts for BMW Canada are $200, that does no include the 2 hours of labor to install it. So far they are doing it under warranty.

[CrazyRuskie]

Off topic but hey Kevin, what color did you end up getting? Is it the Space Gray Metallic? I'm kinda eyeing the 335i's and I like your color

[nghiars]

they had better comp it. Consumers would be angered!

[Picus]

Originally Posted by vstrizheus

Off topic but hey Kevin, what color did you end up getting? Is it the Space Gray Metallic? I'm kinda eyeing the 335i's and I like your color

I have sparkling graphite, it's a little darker than space grey. Try to see them in person before making the decision, it's a subtle difference, but noticeable.