1998 BMW 528I

DRIVING ON ENTRANCE RAMP TO THE FREEWAY AT ABOUT 10MPH AND SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE HOOD. PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED COOLANT SYSTEM AND FOUND THAT THE NECK HAD BROKEN OFF THE RADIATOR(COMMON PROBLEM WITH E39) ALLOWING COOLANT TO SPRAY INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS TRAVELLING SLOWLY AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER RAPIDLY BEFORE CAR OVERHEATED. COULD HAVE CAUSED A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF IT HAD OCCURED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CAR WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED OLD RADIATOR WITH AN AFTERMARKET BRAND THAT IS MORE ROBUST THAN BMW RAD. I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE USING A BMW RADIATOR DUE TO THEIR CHEAP AND FLAWED DESIGN.

AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE SERVICED AND A POWERSTEERING HOSE REPLACED, THE VEHICLE WAS LOOSING A LOT OF FUEL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT (7 GALLONS IN 10 MILES). IT TURNED OUT TO BE A FUEL LINE CONNECTION ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT WAS NOT FULLY CONNECTED AND SPRAYED FUEL OUT. THE CONNECTION IS A FACTORY STANDARD QUICK CONNECT TYPE.. IN MY OPINION, FUEL LINES SHOULD NOT BE OF THIS TYPE OF QUICK CONNECTION, SINCE FAILURE TO PROPERLY CONNECT THE LINES MAY HAVE DETRIMENTAL RESULTS. FUEL LINES SHOULD HAVE THREADED OR SIMILAR TYPE OF CONNECTION. ONCE DISCONNECTED THEY WOULD REQUIRE AN EFFORT IN CONNECTING AND MAY NOT RESULT IN AN INADVERTANT OVERSIGHT. IN MY CASE, IT JUST SPRAYED OUT LOTS OF FUEL IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME WHILE DRIVING.