Hey guys I have a 09 fjcw and lately when it's raining and cold, I can see steam/condensation coming from the hood and a hot smell but no light comes on. Today I checked my coolant level and its about an inch below the "min" mark. I want to top it off to the "min" mark so when it gets hot, I'm assuming the level will go up. The local mini dealership parts department is closed until monday. Could I just top it off with water? I have a car meet tomorrow that's about 10 miles away and wanted to top it off before driving.

 

Yes, use water... but just make sure its distilled. A little top up won't make a difference.

The BMW/Mini coolant is good stuff. its G48 spec. Mix in the gallon of distilled with it since it come concentrated.

As for the leak... keep an eye on it..

 

I'll have to look for the leak, it has 49k on it. I don't see any spots on the ground either.

 

Might not be a leak... In cold/rainy weather some water gets on the turbo via the hood scoop.. (Talking a few drops here...). You could be seeing that.?

 

Look on the top of the transmission under the intake tubes. If the thermostat is starting to leak, the coolant will pool on top of the trans and may not go down to the ground. See if there is any blue liquid or blue staining.

I also had a crack on the bottom of my coolant tank that never showed up as a spot on the ground. You can remove the screw that mounts the tank to the radiator support and look at the bottom of the tank. look for any dried coolant, or signs of a crack.

Unfortunately, 4 years is enough for your car to be developing a leak in one of the common areas (thermostat and water pump). Normally the water pump leak leaves drops on the ground.

Have fun,
Mike