BMW Cooling System Parts & Accessories

The cooling system is arguably the weakest point in numerous BMWs. If you drive an aging BMW or plan on taking your car to the track like we do, we recommend beefing up your cooling system before going to the track. Generally, the main components in your cooling system that are prone to failure include the following: expansion tank, factory hoses, water pump, thermostat, fan (especially if your vehicle comes factory with a clutch fan), and radiator. Factory BMW expansion tanks are plastic and prone to either breaking off at connection points or combusting. As factory rubber hoses age they either crack or break over time - we offer silicone cooling hose upgrades for most applications to avoid future failures. If you have an older vehicle, your water pump likely comes from the factory with a plastic impeller - we offer upgraded water pumps with metal impellers that are far more reliable. Newer model BMWs utilize electric water pumps - BMW spent millions of dollars engineering these water pumps, but they fail so often that we recommend replacing at 60,000 mile service intervals to avoid being stranded on the side of the road. In terms of thermostats, we offer various upgraded thermostats for racing applications. If your BMW utilizes a clutch fan from the factory, we have several options available in terms of universal electric fans - we recommend replacing these to avoid sending brittle plastic fan blades through your hood. For radiators, we recommend swapping out your radiator for one that does not use plastic connection points like your factory radiator.

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Aluminum Thermostat Housing Kit - M50

T#:397222

Part#: 14-009

Ships on Nov 9, 2026

$ 56.99 USD

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$ 56.99 USD

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Plastic thermostat housing cracked on your M50?

Here are your choices: you can wait for the plastic factory thermostat housing cover to break and cause major overheating. (Even with a new stock cover, it won’t take long.) Or you can install a thoughtfully engineered all-aluminum thermostat housing cover from Active Autowerke and never experience this type of failure again. Currently there is no factory upgraded part to this problem. This is an aluminum extruded part that has all of the openings machine properly to fit like factory; from the mounting bolt holes, the seating of the thermostat to the sealing opening for the ORANGE gasket. Forged to exact factory tolerances, everything fits and this unit is a true easy bolt-on – especially suited for racing or load conditions like heavy traffic, where engine temp can rise rapidly. The housing is guaranteed never to break from overheating or over-tightening, and its CNC machined surface ensures a precise seat.

Unit comes complete with a new ORANGE sealing gasket; a new thermostat is recommended but not included.
For hotter climates, a 71 degree thermostat is recommended over the 82 degree unit.

Anything and everything BMW is the mantra at Active Autowerke. Since 1981 they have been serving the BMW community with custom turbocharger kits to a myriad of other innovative and inspiring performance parts.

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M7 180°F (82°C) Thermostat

T#:386325

Part#: 53-3M7104

In Stock

Sale - Save 6% $ 49.99

This product was last offered at the strikethrough price on
08-31-2026

$ 47.03 USD

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Sale - Save 6%

$ 49.99

This product was last offered at the strikethrough price on
08-31-2026

$ 47.03 USD

Add to Wish List

Have you ever noticed how crisp and responsive your MINI was after that initial warm-up period, and wanted to keep that feeling for the rest of the day? This 180° F Thermostat is the solution. Not only does the engine maintain its fresh-start power, but also the under-hood temperatures are greatly diminished (see comparison table below). Now when your car sits after a hard run it won't cook and dry out everything under the hood as bad as it did in the stock configuration. This is great for the MINI owner that lives in a hot climate, or those that push their cars hard at the track or local twisty road.

Please Note: This thermostat does not include a replacement gasket. Reuse the gasket from the OEM thermostat.

Cold Weather Alert: If you encounter weather below 50º F or 10º C, please be aware that the ECU could throw a “check engine” light. This is no cause for alarm as the sensors are registering an anomaly and the thermostat is not harming the engine. The “check engine” light can be reset with a diagnostic tool or left as is. Please call if you have questions.

Test ParametersThermostat Temp OriginalThermostat Temp M7180Delta (°F)

Intercooler Manifold9870-28

Upper Coolant Hose190179-11

Supercharger at Pulley Shaft Housing178160-18

Head at Thermostat174153-21

Idle w A/C on214185-29

Coolant Temp During Hard Driving212180-32

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Water Temperature Sensor

T#:596874

Part#: 12621288158

Ships in 1-2 days

$ 44.99 USD

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$ 44.99 USD

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M14x1.5 Thread. Your vehicle is equipped with numerous gauges to allow you to have a better idea of what is going on under the hood. By monitoring these gauges, you can prevent premature engine damage due to low oil pressure or high coolant temperatures. If one isn't functional though, you are in the dark as far as that system goes. One of the most vital is coolant temperature. Replace the sensor to get your gauge working properly again.

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