Leaking Blue Liquid. Any idea what it is?

[M3NOLA]

Tonight I noticed a leaking blueish green liquid coming out of a small cutout hole in the middle of the car, directly under the engine. The liquid is fairly thin does not seem to be washer fluid. Does anyone have any idea what it might be? Coolant maybe?

[MrPrena]

BMW coolant is blue. Most likely coolant.

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=706073

[BzsBimmer]

Rub it between your fingers. If it feels a tad bit greasy/slippery, it's coolant.
If it just evaporates like water should it should be washer fluid.

If it is coolant, with engine warm (NOT HOT) open your overflow tank cap for coolant and check your level. The stick should pop up so the bulb/tip is level with the top of the reservoir.
If you don't have BMW coolant on hand, go to the store and pick up distilled water to top off until you can get the leak addressed. The last thing you want is to overheat. Your car will tell you when the coolant is dangerously low either way but why wait.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by BzsBimmer

Rub it between your fingers. If it feels a tad bit greasy/slippery, it's coolant.
If it just evaporates like water should it should be washer fluid.

This. Mine was leaking blue fluid also was my washer vent but leak was towards front bumper.

[Flying Ace]

Originally Posted by BzsBimmer

Rub it between your fingers. If it feels a tad bit greasy/slippery

The way this sentence started, I wouldn't have guessed your diagnosis would be coolant

[M3NOLA]

Thanks for all the replies. I think it's coolant since it was a little greasy. I just dropped it off at the dealership and their initial thought is coolant as well. They replaced the thermostat a week or two ago and it may be related to a pinched o-ring or something. I'll find out for sure soon.

[Helmsman]

Originally Posted by M3NOLA

Thanks for all the replies. I think it's coolant since it was a little greasy. I just dropped it off at the dealership and their initial thought is coolant as well. They replaced the thermostat a week or two ago and it may be related to a pinched o-ring or something. I'll find out for sure soon.

Good to hear M3NOLA. May I ask why you replaced the thermostat, did you notice too high/low temperature?

Cheers

[M3NOLA]

Originally Posted by Helmsman

Good to hear M3NOLA. May I ask why you replaced the thermostat, did you notice too high/low temperature?

Cheers

One of the throttle actuators failed and the car couldn't regulate the throttle properly so the car died. As part of the fix, the dealership replaced one of the throttle actuator banks and the thermostat. I'm not sure why they had to replace the thermostat as well, but they did. Since it was under my USAA extended warranty and it was free, I did not argue.

[Agent-GHQ]

What yr is the car and cost for ext warranty by usaa

[M3NOLA]

Originally Posted by Agent-GHQ

What yr is the car and cost for ext warranty by usaa

It's a 2009. The warranty was just under $2,000 for another ~4 years and another ~30,000 miles. It's a great deal. It's already paid for itself >2.0x (A/C evaporator and throttle accelerator/thermostat) and it's about to pay for itself even more. I still have another ~20,000 miles left on it and another ~2 years. And there's no deductible.

P.S. Dealer said a hose was leaking coolant so they are replacing it under the warranty tomorrow.

[NoSHAM3]

Originally Posted by Flying Ace

The way this sentence started, I wouldn't have guessed your diagnosis would be coolant