BMW 545i Temperature gauge is maxed out Inspection at your home or office.

Our certified mobile mechanics come to you 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(37)

How A Diagnostic Works

Instantly book a certified mobile mechanic to come to you

Mechanic diagnoses the problem and quotes necessary repairs

Your vehicle is ready to go

Fair, upfront & transparent pricing for all services

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to you now.

Customer Ratings

(37)

Temperature gauge is maxed out Inspection Service

How much does a Temperature gauge is maxed out Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a BMW 545i Temperature gauge is maxed out Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
2004 BMW 545iV8-4.4LService typeTemperature gauge is maxed out InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$132.49 - $145.62
2005 BMW 545iV8-4.4LService typeTemperature gauge is maxed out InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$112.52 - $125.67
Show example BMW 545i Temperature gauge is maxed out Inspection prices

Your car’s engine needs to maintain the right operating temperature. As it runs, it creates immense amounts of heat. Coolant is circulated through the engine to absorb heat, and then it goes back to the radiator, where the radiator fan helps wick away the collected heat. Once cooled, the coolant is then sent back into the engine to do it all again. This should keep your engine in the normal operating temperature range, but if your temperature gauge is maxed out, there could be something seriously wrong.

How this system works:

The temperature gauge in your dash is connected to the car’s computer and from there to a temperature sensor on the engine block. The sensor measures the temperature of your car’s coolant (it uses resistance, but the actual resistance values can vary drastically from one automaker to another, and from one model to another).

The information read by the sensor is sent to the car’s computer, which adjusts the temperature gauge and also plays a role in the cooling system. Depending on the temperature level, the radiator fan will cycle on and off. As the temperature of your coolant rises, the needle in your temperature gauge should rise, moving from cold to normal. However, it may move all the way to hot in some cases.

Common reasons for this to happen:

  • Low Coolant: The first suspected cause of your temperature gauge maxing out is low coolant. If this occurs, your engine can overheat, and serious damage can result, up to and including cracking the block. However, if the engine isn’t actually hot (the temp gauge is maxed out but there’s no abnormal levels of heat from the engine), this isn’t the problem.

  • Broken Temp Gauge: If the temperature gauge is maxed out but the engine isn’t actually hot, then the problem may be a broken temperature gauge. The needle may be stuck in the hot range (this can happen after overheating the engine), or a stepper gear in the gauge may be damaged.

  • Failed Temp Sensor: If the temperature sensor on your engine block has failed, it may not send any information to the system, or it may send an erroneous signal, causing the gauge to rise without any actual overheating. It’s also possible that the sensor is shorting.

  • Failed Thermostat: If your car’s thermostat sticks in the closed position, coolant will not fully cycle through the engine, and it will begin to overheat. Your temperature gauge will rise quickly, particularly if it is very warm outside.

  • Cooling Fan Motor Failure: If the motor for your radiator cooling fan fails, it will not cycle on. This reduces the amount of airflow over the radiator, meaning that much of the heat is retained by the coolant, and it will not be able to absorb more from the engine.

  • Bad Fan Switch: Another reason your radiator fan might not be working is a bad fan switch. This switch controls the cycling of your radiator fan(s), and if it fails, it can cause overheating.

  • Air in System after Coolant Service: If you’ve recently had your engine coolant drained and refilled, it’s possible there’s air in the system. Air bubbles can form and block coolant from cycling through the engine, causing it to overheat.

What to expect:

A professionally trained mobile mechanic will come to your home or office to inspect your car’s temperature gauge and other components. The mechanic will then provide a detailed inspection report that includes the scope and cost of the necessary repairs.

How it's done:

The mechanic will inspect the coolant level of your vehicle, as well as the temperature sensor and other components in order to determine the cause of the gauge maxing out. It may be necessary to test drive the vehicle and verify if the engine is actually overheating, or if the problem lies with the sensor or the gauge.

How important is this service?

If your car is actually overheating, it’s a very serious problem that could quickly lead to engine-killing damage. Even if the problem is just a malfunctioning sensor or gauge, the issue is still serious, as you will have no means of observing the actual temperature of your engine coolant. One of our professional mechanics can inspect and repair your system.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert BMW mechanics

Real customer reviews from BMW owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(37)

Rating Summary
33
3
1
0
0
33
3
1
0
0

Jim

12 years of experience
58 reviews
Jim
12 years of experience
BMW 545i V8-4.4L - Control Arm Assembly Replacement (Front Upper Left, Front Upper Right, Front Lower Left, Front Lower Right) - Chicago, Illinois
Jim was a great mechanic, he came over and worked on my BMW and after 3 months my car works great. Jim was friendly, knowledgeable​ and I would highly recommend him.

Richard

20 years of experience
126 reviews
Richard
20 years of experience
BMW 545i V8-4.4L - AC Belt - Fort Worth, Texas
Richard was very knowledgeable and did a great job with my repair. I will continue to utilize his services with future repairs.

Jay

23 years of experience
151 reviews
Jay
23 years of experience
BMW 545i V8-4.4L - Adjust Parking Brake Cable - Buffalo Grove, Illinois
I was hopeful he would be able to adjust parking brake but was unable to do so due to a locked up star adjusting nut. Will have to get towed to a shop to have fixed.

Raymond

27 years of experience
228 reviews
Raymond
27 years of experience
BMW 545i V8-4.4L - Alternator - Victorville, California
Very trustworthy & reliable mechanic , he directly tells you what the issue is & possibly what causes the issue. This is my second time having Raymond repair one of my vehicles , when I need to get some auto work done he’s the one I get ahold of ✅

Excellent Rating

(37)

Rating Summary
33
3
1
0
0
33
3
1
0
0
Number of BMW 545i services completed
407+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT BMW MECHANICS
1100+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

A Buyer’s Guide to the 2012 Porsche 911
The The prestige offered by the 2012 Porsche 911 can’t be ignored thanks to its iconic appeal. While in its sixth and seventh generation models for the series, this sports car is still one that commands attention and appreciation from...
A Buyer’s Guide to the 2012 Subaru Tribeca
This This 7-passenger SUV may have trouble keeping its head above water in the sea of competition, but its standard AWD, clean exterior lines and style-forward cockpit design make it an attractive choice in an increasingly crowded segment. Aside from...
How to Detail Your Car with a Clay Bar
Clay bar detailing gives your car exterior a smooth and shiny surface. Clean and prepare the car body before you use a clay bar on your car exterior.

Car overheating.

You would have to start with checking the coolant level. If it is low, you would have to pressure test it to find out where it is leaking. If it is not low you could either have a circulation or...

Where's vehicle speed sensor B ?

Hello, thanks for writing in about your Hyundai Azera. There isn't a certain answer for the sensor B. Here is the basic diagnostic route of trouble code P2159 (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/p2159-obd-ii-trouble-code-vehicle-speed-sensor-b-range-performance-by-jamahl-walker) to help you better understand the issue. If you'd like assistance...

Is it bad to daily drive my automatic truck in manual mode or with 3,2,1

The Owner's Manual for this vehicle does not refer to a manual mode for automatic transmission equipped vehicles. The transmission is electronically controlled and the shift points are variable (based on load) and optimized to minimize wear on the drivetrain....

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com