Sounds like you have air in the cooling system.

 

Jeeze, don't drive your car in the red like that. If you do, you'll be spending hundreds at the very least for a headgasket replacement.

But yeah, sounds like you have air in the cooling system. Here's what to do:

1. Turn your key to the on position but don't crank it, turn the heater to the highest temperature it goes too.
2. Now open the hood, and take off the coolant cap.
3. Loosen the bleed screw right next to the coolant reservoir a few turns.
4. Pour in you coolant mix into the coolant reservoir. (50% distilled water, 50% BMW antifreeze) until is seeping out of the bleed screw with no bubbles.
5. Close the bleed screw.
6. Now start up the car (make sure the handbrake is on and the car isn't in gear). Your coolant reservoir should be overfilled slightly, so you are going to loosen the bleed screw again to drain excess coolant. Now since the car is on, there will be a small amount of pressure behind it, and excess will come out.
7. Once the floating level indicator in the reservoir is at the correct level, close the bleed screw, and put the cap back on the coolant tank.
8. Close the hood and go for a test drive.

 

6. Now start up the car (make sure the handbrake is on and the car isn't in gear).

:rofl:

 

Thanks guys!
Thanks mkodama, I will try that!

 

I think your problem is a failing thermostat. Just recently had the same problem and ultimately, the thing got stuck closed and the car overheated.$60 part, 15 minute replacement and you don't even have to remove your drive belts!

 

I think your problem is a failing thermostat.

that's what I was thinking as well.

 

Yup, with air stuck in the cooling system, be very careful if you DO have to drive somewhere. The air pockets travel unpredictably in the cooling system, which can cause immediate overheating of your engine (as opposed to the temp gradually raising). Had that happen once due to my laziness/stupidity... was driving at highway speeds and the temp was OK (I was watching it 'cos I knew I had a leak), in less that 10 seconds out of a blue, the temp was in the red. Then you have just seconds to shut off your engine, before something blows. And be very careful when that happens as well. I pulled over and stayed in my car on purpose... Seconds later, huge explosion under the hood... My expansion tank blew up... That's why never rush to your hood/engine when you're overheated. It can kill/injure you if the pressure overcooks and you're standing too close. New expansion tank cost me 150 bucks here in Canada. Pretty nasty job replacing it too, as the hoses sit on tight and it's a bi$%^& taking them off.

 

Ok, update!
I have followed the steps like mkodama suggested and it worked!
I don't know how did this air get it there (anyone knows?) but there were bubbles coming out periodically for about 5-10 mins but than it stopped.
As soon as the engine got hot the heat started working again and the "add coolant" light has not come back!
how would I know if it is bad thermostat for sure?

Good advice yogi, thanks!

 

It looks like I have a leak somewhere in my cooling system. I have to add coolant every day if I drive the car or every other day if I don't.
I checked and looked around but couldn't find the leak.
What do you guys suggest as far as how to find where the leak is coming from?

 

Coolant is going somewhere, probably in your cylinders



If the engine is regularly losing coolant and there are no external leaks, then it is most likely getting into the cylinders and being burned. Smell the exhaust, does it have that sweet antifreeze smell? Another possibility is into the oil, so check that too. Pull your spark plugs and inspect them for signs of coolant.

 

had the same problem i had to replace thermostat and water pump...

 

Mine went to red this morning and yesterday morning. I left my house and about 5 minutes later the gauge is in red. Both times it was 20 degrees outside and I only drove for about 2 miles (and went into red at the same frieking distance as when it happened yesterday). I turned the car off and turned it back on and the gauge barely was getting around the 1st quarter of the temperature range. I drove 25 miles to work and back and no issues. I guess the thermostat is going south. Good that I ordered one about 2 months ago. I guess I am playing mechanic this weekend .

 

the leak can be contained in the cooling system itself ... or worse case scenario, your head gasket is going out and it's mixing in with your oil.

for the cooling system, start at the radiator ... check the lower and upper hoses ... follow the hoses to where they meet at the thermostat ... directly below the thermostat is the water pump (which will be difficult to see because the thermostat blocks the view as does the water pump pulley) ... and finally check the expansion tank that is between the upper hose and the radiator. hopefully, the leak is in the expansion tank since it's the easiest to change out. the radiator has a drain screw at the bottom that could be loose ... and the expansion tank has one at the bottom and a bleeder screw at the top.

if you can't see anything with the cooling system, check the oil and cross your fingers that there's no water mixed in ... hope this helps.

that's two of the possibilities ... someone else might have more.