When should the vents behind the kidney grills open?

[martin33100]

Hi, just wondered when the front vents behind the kidney grills should open? as I have never seen them open on our E70 X5.
I know its a different car but from memory our E91 3 series had them open up when you started the car.

[Sanj]

What year is the car?

[martin33100]

[quote="Sanj"]
What year is the car?
[/quote]Built Oct 2007

[Sanj]

As the early ones had higher emissions these vents were present. I think they also open based on speed not standstill. Know it was discussed on a thread here sometime back.

[martin33100]

[quote="Sanj"]
As the early ones had higher emissions these vents were present. I think they also open based on speed not standstill. Know it was discussed on a thread here sometime back.
[/quote]Are car has the lower emissions so should they work in a different way?

[Sanj]

What's the cost of your road tax per year?

[martin33100]

[quote="Sanj"]
What's the cost of your road tax per year?
[/quote]We have the later M57 type 214co2 engine so £280 a year, unless you are thinking of the later 3.0d N57 engines from around 2010 on that may have even lower emissions.

[X5Sport]

2010 cars may or may not have them, and yes they are airflow driven.

I don't have them on my MY2011 X6, but I did have them on my E53.

Richard

[stu21t]

From what I have read the are locked shut until the engine reaches a certain temp then the flaps are unlocked and are opened by airflow.

If you want to test them start the car and push the flaps, if the cars cold they should be locked and you can't open them.
Once it reaches full temp they should unlock and you can push them open.

[martin33100]

Just an update if anyone is interested, when our E70 gets to running temps the flaps open but not by airflow.
They must be electronic as they opened up on my drive after I started the car.

[Darmitst]

[quote="martin33100"]
Just an update if anyone is interested, when our E70 gets to running temps the flaps open but not by airflow.
They must be electronic as they opened up on my drive after I started the car.
[/quote]

Any idea what the engine temp was when they opened? I'm having my stats changed under warranty as I don't think the engine is ever getting to full temp (circa 78-80deg.)
Thanks

[martin33100]

[quote="Darmitst"]
[quote="martin33100"]
Just an update if anyone is interested, when our E70 gets to running temps the flaps open but not by airflow.
They must be electronic as they opened up on my drive after I started the car.
[/quote]

Any idea what the engine temp was when they opened? I'm having my stats changed under warranty as I don't think the engine is ever getting to full temp (circa 78-80deg.)
Thanks
[/quote]I don't know the actual temps that they opened as we came back from a drive and I looked before I shut the engine off.
All I will say is I fitted new stats when we bought are E70 so the temps would have been around 90deg c.