Hey all, took my 220D up some uphill twists and turns and up a big mama hill on the California 62 HWY, I took it nice and slow, even to the point where I had my flashers on but it was still heating up to the white bar before the red. Is this normal?

Once the hill was conquered and it got going to a good speed she cooled down back to normal. It's just the steep climbs that make it heat up.

The time before this, I took the same hill on, trying to keep up with traffic and I ended up being just below the red. But this time I took it slow and like I said was on the line before the red.

Just wondering if this is normal. Thanks everyone.

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2007 BMW 328XI

hows your coolant condition? have you replaced your thermostat lately? hows the radiator cap look?

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

The Coolant was replaced when the car was brought back to life, so i'm gunna say like 3 months? 2 months? The thermostat on the other hand I have no idea... I'm thinking not for a looooooooong time lol I got the radiator cap at a junk yard cause it didn't have one while it sat

I take it the heating up isn't normal?

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2007 BMW 328XI

Also, I took it up a mountain a few weeks ago at night, and it was pretty steep, and all twisting and turning to the point where I was in 3rd gear the entire time. It didn't heat up and it felt as though it could do that forever. It handled it like a champ although it was 33oF at the point where we decided to go back, don't know if the outside temp was an influence of that.

But these 2 hills, for some reason it always heats up :/

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2007 BMW 328XI

It should not be heating up.i would put a thermostat in it and check the condition of the radiator cap.

ill give you an example. last sunday afternoon my buddy called me to tell me his car has broken down on the highway 30miles out of town. i showed up in the toyota tacoma with a tow strap.i towed his 84 cutlass up the big hills and through the mountains in 3rd gear with the a/c on. the temperature gauge hardly moved. now i take good care of the cooling system, so i dont have problems. my sd used to get a little warm in the mountains.(never in the red) i changed the thermostat and that solved it

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

Yeah I totally know what you mean, my mom has a 2001 BMW X5 and the entire time she has owned the car, I have NEVER seen it pass the middle even in out 120oF summers!

The only reason I thought it might be normal was because, with my 300E it would heat up a lot, worried I checked the owners manual and it stated "Engine temperatures might reach the red line in traffic or mountain driving" and was told by forum members on benzworld I think it was that those engines run hot. So I always thought it might have applied for these as well.

Since the coolant is pretty new i'll replace the thermostat, you don't have to drain the coolant to do that right?

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2007 BMW 328XI

I would say you might see a few degrees of rise over a steep hill climb but what you saw was too great...a new thermostat should take car of it but if not your radiator might be clogged up and need to be rodded out.

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Marty D.

2013 C300 4Matic
1984 BMW 733i
2013 Lincoln MKz

Mine does this too on an entire cooling system (radiator, cap, thermostat, fan and clutch (multiple times), and coolant) that are all within 2-3 years of brand new.

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~Michael S.~
Past cars:

1986 300SDL
1987 300SDL
1982 240D
1982 300SD


Current:

1987 300SDL

I think it's possible you car is performing normally, depending on the length and steepness of the ill combined with air temperature. My TD does fine under almost all conditions. But if I load it with people, gear, boats and pull a trailer and head west on I-70 on a hot summer day, the temperature guage will climb significantly above its normal range. Driver's manual indicates this is not a problem.
If the temperature was high under normal conditions, I'd be concerned.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I just checked my radiator cap extensively and it has cracks in the gasket, good size ones too. Could this be my culprit?

I got it at a junkyard, probably not the best place lol :S Also I still want to replace the thermostat.

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2007 BMW 328XI