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markus
03-15-2007, 10:28 AM
hey guys, recently i have been noticing the coolat level warning on my dash after starting up and after shut down, my theory is the coolant level sensor is shot. becuase whenever i check the coolant level is right where it should be.

also how are u supposed to check the oil level? I just hcanged the oil sunday and put in exactly 2 gallons of shell rotella t and whenever i check it warm the dipstick reads like its overfilled. maybe because from expansion and contraction? the level was full sunday.
GoldenOne
03-15-2007, 10:43 AM
your suppose to check oil when its cool, but if you;re showing less then a quarter inch above max, you should be fine...
markus
03-15-2007, 04:13 PM
ill jsut check tommorow morning.
Fred Tyler
03-16-2007, 05:58 AM
I have just replaced my sensor $23 + postage from ebay, easy job and no more fake low water level warnings.
jnmip
03-16-2007, 12:34 PM
I have just replaced my sensor $23 + postage from ebay, easy job and no more fake low water level warnings.


Fred, I have an intermittent false alarm too. Was it a big job to change the sensor. Did you need to pull the radiator. My problem actually started after I had a new radiator installed
repenttokyo
03-16-2007, 01:26 PM
I get them a lot too, usually coinciding with big temperature changes, like going above or below freezing.
Regardful
03-16-2007, 05:23 PM
Fred, I have an intermittent false alarm too. Was it a big job to change the sensor. Did you need to pull the radiator. My problem actually started after I had a new radiator installed

I just replaced mine last weekend and it took less than 30 minutes. Just had to drain the radiator and remove the sensor (lower left side of radiator), flush and refill. The hardest part of the job was bleeding the air out of the system once refilled. To do so, I raised the left side of the car by driving the drivers side front wheel up a ramp and then used the bleeder screw (beside the coolant fill hole) to bleed the air out. One trick here is to have the car running, and rev the engine slightly (using the throttle body) to force the air out.

I know there are many choices for coolant, but I used the Zerex G05, with distilled water. Your choice on the coolant though!
gale
03-16-2007, 09:09 PM
Should be even simpler on the 540i. Isn't the level sensor in the expansion tank, item 3:

http://bmwfans.info/original/images/133481_p.png