Orange Warning Light

Vertigo100

Hey all, when i start up my car after about ten seconds an orange light comes on the dash. Its a square with a cap at the top right corner and what looks like water about a third of the way up. Anyone got any ideas what it could be? Its an E46 BMW by the by.
Cheers

congo_90

only hazarding a guess but is it diesal or unleaded? if diesal it could indicate 1 of two things:
1. water in the fuel tank
2. fuel line problem
Check out this link. is it any of them? http://www.sjmautotechnik.com/trouble_shooting/ecupic/warning_symbol2.jpg
Could you take a pic and show us?
or better yet, give your car manual a go it will explain exactly what the problem is. Do this first before any of the above.

**EDIT**

Vertigo100

Its a petrol car not diesel. Dont have a manual as it was a 2nd hand car bought on spec. Have a pic in my phone but have to wait until i get home to load it up cos i dont have my bluetooth dongle here at work.. . . .

Andrewf20

The car manual in the glove compartment explains what these symbols refer to.

Vertigo100

Vertigo100 wrote: »

Dont have a manual as it was a 2nd hand car bought on spec. .

Andrewf20 wrote: »

The car manual in the glove compartment explains what these symbols refer to.

:rolleyes:

CrowdedHouse

Vertigo100 wrote: »

Dont have a manual as it was a 2nd hand car bought on spec. .

I think it might be low coolant warning.

Manual here maybe ?

http://wiki.bmw-driver.net/index.php?title=E46_Manuals

crosstownk

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

I think it might be low coolant warning.

Yep - sounds like low coolant level.

Alun

Slightly OT, but time and time again it comes up here that people don't have the manual for their cars ... what happens to them? Do they slip through a hole on the space-time continuum that's cunningly built in to the glovebox of most cars, or what?

CrowdedHouse

Good point Alun....as it happens I NEVER got a manual in any used car I bought(6 I think)

Rovi

It seems to be a particular issue with used cars; somewhere between the original owner, the dealer, whoever, the manuals go astray and the new owner finishes up with a manual free car.
A suspicious mind might surmise that they mysteriously vanish because the mileage recorded in the service book doesn't coincide with the mileage on the odometer, but I'm sure that's most unlikely.

38psi

Vertigo100 wrote: »

Hey all, when i start up my car after about ten seconds an orange light comes on the dash. Its a square with a cap at the top right corner and what looks like water about a third of the way up. Anyone got any ideas what it could be? Its an E46 BMW by the by.
Cheers

Its your coolant warning light. Probably just needs a top up..

Hagar

Petrol warning light > Car needs more petrol
Oil warning light > car needs more oil
Orange warning light > car needs more orange, I'd recommend Fanta

Hagar

Hagar wrote: »

Orange warning light > car needs more orange, I'd recommend Fanta

Wrong! It means that Ian Paisley is watching you!

Alun

Alun wrote: »

Slightly OT, but time and time again it comes up here that people don't have the manual for their cars ... what happens to them? Do they slip through a hole on the space-time continuum that's cunningly built in to the glovebox of most cars, or what?

Probably sitting in a previous owners house.

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Wrong! It means that Ian Paisley is watching you!

boom boom! badda bum tissh

Andrewf20

Deleted User wrote: »

:rolleyes:

Doh! Being up late doing me no favours.:)

JHMEG

Alun wrote: »

Slightly OT, but time and time again it comes up here that people don't have the manual for their cars ...

This seems to be a problem that particulary affects BMW owners. They also seem unable to use google and come here instead.

L1011

JHMEG wrote: »

This seems to be a problem that particulary affects BMW owners. They also seem unable to use google and come here instead.

Simple really. The manual is sitting with the indicator stalk back in the dealers...

CrowdedHouse

.......and the OP hasn't been back since,mind you I'd be a bit anxious if a recently bought car started showing a low coolant light.Might be nothing but still...