BMW transmission cooler

[Richard_374542826]

I have just bought a 2009 BMW 520D Tourer auto. BMW require a more powerful transmission cooler to be installed before towing a caravan. Does anyone know if this is a bit extreme or if it is really required. The car will be fully loaded and the caravan weighhs 1400 kg. Will warning lights flash up long before my gearbox packs up? Thanks for reading - Richard

 

[seth1]

Well Richard,if price allows it wont do any harm to have it fitted as piece of mind.

 

[Mikey1]

There has been some reports on why BMW insist on this,if you have a BMW dealer fit the towbar they will for the uprated cooler if you say no they wont fit the towbar,if you have an independent fit it without the extra cooler then BMW say you will invalidate your warranty on the gearbox.

A guy said BMW wanted

 

[Lutz]

I would certainly be foolish not to follow the car manufacturer's directives as not doing so would invalidate any warranty.

 

[Mikey1]

It is always best to have the factory fitted towbar if you can as it is a lot cheaper,if you are buying new then its the best option second hand obviously you cant.

Not many dealer stock cars have towbars fitted which is a pain as you have to factory order and wait

 

[Etch]

Hi all i have a 59 plate 520d auto which has a Bosal towabar fitted by an independent fitter. This post got me a little worried so i have made a few inquiries with a friend who works on service at BMW, they have assured me the oil cooler is perfectly up to the job whilst towing a caravan, the only mod made to the engine when the Towbar is fitted at build is a bigger fan to cool engine. They also said warranty is not affected.

Sean

 

[Richard_374542826]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I will get back to BMW now. At the time they quoted me I was a bit shell shocked at the prices and hopefully i got it wrong, i'm not much of a mechanic. The increased trasmission cooler is something i have seen on other forums while investigating my situation.

The costs from BMW was

 

[Etch]

Hi Richard, i haven't got any mods to my engine at all no larger fan or oil cooler, i have had a few BMW's and i am on first name terms with a couple of service staff so i asked the question, no prob's they said. I tow a Bailey Virginia max weight 1500k's, the car has no problem on hills and doesn't seem to get any hotter than normal temp, i have only towed in this country so can't comment on high air temperatures. Which stealer are you dealing with?

 

[Mikey1]

Confused Sean in one comment you say "the only mod made to the engine when the Towbar is fitted at build is a bigger fan to cool engine"

In your next comment "i haven't got any mods to my engine at all no larger fan or oil cooler"

BMW do recommend a larger fan when towing up to you if it is fitted but if you have the gearbox go if unrelated to towing your warranty is invalid.

I believe the intercooler,radiator and gearbox cooler are all behind each other so it makes sense to have a bigger fan to draw in cooler air

 

[cooky1]

I have has 2X 3.0 diesel auto BMW's and towed a 1500Kg van all over France and I have had no problems with overheating or hot gearboxes. The cars had towbars fitted after I bought them so the car had no mods done.

I don't know if I have just been lucky or if the upgrades are unnecessary.

I do not have a BMW warranty.

 

[Etch]

Confused Sean in one comment you say "the only mod made to the engine when the Towbar is fitted at build is a bigger fan to cool engine"

In your next comment "i haven't got any mods to my engine at all no larger fan or oil cooler"

BMW do recommend a larger fan when towing up to you if it is fitted but if you have the gearbox go if unrelated to towing your warranty is invalid.

I believe the intercooler,radiator and gearbox cooler are all behind each other so it makes sense to have a bigger fan to draw in cooler air

Mikey, i have an after market towbar fitted so no mods have been done to my car, in the handbook it says cars fitted with towbar at build will have a larger fan fitted,and uprated rear suspension, it doesn't say anything in the book about having to have mods to car if you have a towbar fitted after, i have also spoke to BMW service who have stated as long as you tow within manafactures limits they cannot refuse warranty claim as the car is tested to tow to those limits.

 

[Etch]

Mikey, i have an after market towbar fitted so no mods have been done to my car, in the handbook it says cars fitted with towbar at build will have a larger fan fitted,and uprated rear suspension, it doesn't say anything in the book about having to have mods to car if you have a towbar fitted after, i have also spoke to BMW service who have stated as long as you tow within manafactures limits they cannot refuse warranty claim as the car is tested to tow to those limits

 

[Lutz]

If the car was fitted with an aftersales towbar then it will most certainly not have the necessary provisions like a larger cooling fan or uprated rear suspension. Any statement made that such modifications are not necessary should therefore be treated with extreme reservation and I would recommend that they be confirmed in writing before relying on them, especially if warranty is still involved.

 

[Mikey1]

You need to need read the article that a gentleman sent in to either the practical caravan magazine or the caravan club magazine ref retro fitting of a towbar to an X5 and the fitting of the uprated fan.

The magazine took up their case to BMW uk and the reply was sorry you need the uprated fan or it will invalidate the warranty.

It seems that BMW uk are singing from a different hymn sheet to your local dealer? I wonder who is correct?

 

[Mikey1]

Found it!

Have just got off the floor from fainting, Requested a quote from BMW dealer for the installation of a towbar inc electrics, it was

 

[Lutz]

BMW are not alone it requiring certain technical modifications before towing althoug I admit that they should have mentioned something to that effect in the owner's handbook. Other manufacturers do the same, sometimes only for certain specific models or engine variants. It's therefore always advisable to check first before having an aftersales towbar fitted. In view of Sean's experience, I would always have any response from a dealer confirmed in writing if warranty is involved.

 

[Richard_374542826]

I have spoken to BMW Cooper Sevenoaks, who quoted me and talked me through the requirements. If I do not have the fan fitted and the engine overheats the warrenty will not cover it if the car has been towing a caravan. The tow bar does not need to be supplied and fitted by BMW but does require software and and suitable electrical connections.

Trident trailers of Maidstone have assured me that the Westfallia tow bar is suitable and have quoted me

 

[Mikey1]

The probable reason for the towbar being cheaper is the Towbar company do not charge

 

[Duncan123]

Do you think the dealer will have the decency to wear a mask as he takes your money???

Duncan

 

[Etch]

Hi Richard, i have done extensive research on this with my dealer, i have spoken to there master technician who assure me that the car is upto towing without any mods to the engine,Now i have no reason to doubt this guy as a mate of mine who works with him said if it needs anything doing he will tell you so be prepared to put hand in pocket if he says it needs extra parts.

I paid

 

[Lutz]

Relying on a mate's verbal statement is risky because he won't have to foot the bill if something happens with the engine. If I were you, Mikey's and Richard's responses would set the alarm bells going and I'd certainly ask my mate for written confirmation of what he told you.

ps: Are you sure that BMW don't fit a heat shield on cars with a factory-fitted towbar? Sounds a bit doubtful to me as the towbar gets darned close to exhaust pipe and would probably burn all the paint off the towbar once the engine has run hot.

 

[Etch]

Hi it wasn't my mate who made the statement but a highly regarded master technician who actually tows a caravan with the same car so i think his knowledge is second to none.

Again i have asked his advice on heatsheild and he just laughed the towbar is a good 11" from any part of the exhaust he is in the opinoin they are just trying to make money from richard and frankly i think i agree. i have seen loads of 5 series bm's towing so i personaly don't think there is a issue but that is my own opinion.

The engine put in 08plate onwards is upgraded for more power therefore everything else is updated to accomadate this accordingly.

 

[Lutz]

OK, you may be right with the heatshield if it's that far away from the towbar although other components may be nearer and they may suffer as the exhaust system is bound to get hotter when towing due to the extra power that the engine is called upon to deliver. However, I doubt whether that alone would be an issue which could affect the warranty unless there is something really vulnerable to heat in the vicinity.

On the other hand, I'd treat the issue regarding the cooling fan seriously. I wouldn't take a verbal statement from anyone, master technician or even the workshop manager, as authoritative if two people have independently said that they have received information to the contrary from their dealers. There's too much at stake to make do without written confirmation.

 

[Lutz]

ps: I know of a couple of other models (not BMW's) that even require modifications to the front end body sheet metal to allow better passage of cooling air to the radiator before they are approved for towing, so thank your lucky stars that you've only got the fan to be replaced.

 

[Etch]

OK, you may be right with the heatshield if it's that far away from the towbar although other components may be nearer and they may suffer as the exhaust system is bound to get hotter when towing due to the extra power that the engine is called upon to deliver. However, I doubt whether that alone would be an issue which could affect the warranty unless there is something really vulnerable to heat in the vicinity.

On the other hand, I'd treat the issue regarding the cooling fan seriously. I wouldn't take a verbal statement from anyone, master technician or even the workshop manager, as authoritative if two people have independently said that they have received information to the contrary from their dealers. There's too much at stake to make do without written confirmation.

Yes but they are wanting to install a fuel tank heat sheild the fuel tank is on the opposite site to exhaust where is the extra heat going to come from?