DIY Coolant Flush
- Thread starter MiniKai
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Puppethead
Well-Known Member
Are you asking about the high-voltage battery coolant? Does it need flushing, isn't it a sealed system?
Rexsio
Well-Known Member
@Puppethead with your high milage did you replace in your SE coolant in HV battery? What is dealer recommendation? Generally as is ethylene glycol - based and propylene glycol - based recommendation is to replace coolant every 50.000 to 100.000 miles or every 5 years whichever comes first ? As you meet that requirements what you did to your SE? Will be interesting answer as you there already . Thanks for your answer to that issue.
Rexsio
Well-Known Member
As a new car why you worry about coolant are you replace your light bulb in your house if they still working correctly and are you developed already overheating HV batteries which really never happened in SE just stay cool and drive that go cart enjoying a ride with a best small EV on a market 8 years and 100000 miles on your HV battery Warranty !
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MiniKai
New Member
It just made it over 50K miles and the maintenance light came on. Brought it to the dealer and they said it's recommended.
MiniKai
New Member
Car has no issues whatsoever these far. Just wanted to check in and see if anyone did the flush and how, with what fluid and how much fluid I need to get if I want to do it myself. Thanks for the reply.
The dealer said the code they pulled indicated the maintenance light was signaling a coolant change? I wouldn't be surprised if an SE could detect low coolant, but how can it determine the coolant needs changing?
The coolant in an EV has a pretty soft life compared to the coolant in an ICE vehicle. That said, I'm always surprised how particular Kia/Hyundai EVs somehow got the coolant wrong and how much it costs and how difficult it is to replace.
MiniKai
New Member
I thought the same therefore I walked out from the dealership when they told me it's going to be about $700 for the "recommended" coolant & brake fluid flush. My SE is over 50k miles, and coolant level was a bit below minimum when I checked. I want to find out IF I do it, I am prepared that's all. Any information will be helpful. Thanks for the prompt reply.
SameGuy
Well-Known Member
I think you'd be fine just topping up with the correct coolant as per the manual – "BMW LC-18 specification" in a 50:50 dilution with distilled water. Brake fluid only needs to be flushed at the two-year service anniversary, regardless of mileage. Find out what the "maintenance light" is for. Again, there are no scheduled items on the SE that depend on mileage, just time. If you took delivery of your 2024 in April, 2023, it's time to replace the cabin filter and get the brake fluid changed. Your car came with three years "scheduled maintenance" included, and those are the only two items to get done in the first three years.
MiniKai
New Member
My car is over 36K miles, factory warranty are all expired. Will top off the coolant and leave it alone for a few more years, just not sure what fluid meets BWM LC-18 spec.
I've changed out the cabin air filters already.
With the brake flush. Any recommendation on what fluid and where to get them?
I've changed out the cabin air filters already.
With the brake flush. Any recommendation on what fluid and where to get them?
SameGuy
Well-Known Member
The included scheduled maintenance is not mileage-based. It's available for 36 months from entry into service.
In the app, click on MINI Services & Store [the second icon from the right at the bottom] → Service and Maintenance → MINI Coverage Status and it'll show you "Service Inclusive - 3 Years". If your car is truly less than three years old, it should say, "Active." Click there and the next page shows the date it expires, and mileage "unlimited."
Oh, and take it to a different dealership if you can.
In the app, click on MINI Services & Store [the second icon from the right at the bottom] → Service and Maintenance → MINI Coverage Status and it'll show you "Service Inclusive - 3 Years". If your car is truly less than three years old, it should say, "Active." Click there and the next page shows the date it expires, and mileage "unlimited."
Oh, and take it to a different dealership if you can.
I forgot to ask if that dealer also told you it's time to change the oil in your SE.
Rexsio
Well-Known Member
7 years with I 3 never call on dashboard to change HV battery cooling fluid as brake flush was calling for service all the time as I sold a car without replacing brake fluid as I did in 2years / 4 years and never after as service brake fluid to change was always there showing calling for service
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Puppethead
Well-Known Member
I was the dealer today and asked about coolant service on my SE, which is now 4.5 years old and has over 100,000 miles. There are no recommended coolant replacements; as I thought the high-voltage battery coolant is sealed and needs no regular maintenance.
Other than replacing brake fluid every two years as previously stated, and maybe refrigerant for the air conditioner if there's an issue, there are no other fluid maintenance needs.
Puppethead
Well-Known Member
I talked to the shop foreman today when I picked up my car (new summer tires), and he said the high voltage battery coolant is rated for 12 years of no service, completely self-contained. He also noted that there's something like only a gallon (max?) of fluid, and it never experiences the extreme temperatures coolant in ICE vehicles are subjected to.
I'd be interested to learn how many SE battery-coolant flushes this dealership has performed. Class-action?
SameGuy
Well-Known Member
Yeah, between what you found out and what we already knew, the OP's story just doesn't add up: they have posted different model years and mileages in a couple of threads, and haven't bothered to come back to this thread since Monday. I.e. there is more to the story.