Leak under Power Steering resevoir

[chilliwilli]

Resolved this issue around 60k miles on mine...it was the hose. Replaced hose with new clamps.

[admranger]

Originally Posted by bakersx5

There is nothing in my owners manual about how to check the level of fluid. I found the resevoir opened it up but other than a few marks on the dipstick it doesnt show where the level should actually be. Any help??? Also, should it be checked cold or warm?

There are two notches where the diameter of the shaft increases (or decreases, depending on which way you are holding it).

You want to be in the middle range with the fluid up to operating temps, iirc. Look closely and I think you'll see one says hot and the other cold (I think).

[patholiar]

I am about to change hose #4 by myself, and i didnt want to mess this up. Can someone please verify I am doing this correctly:

1) use turkey baster to remove existing fluid in reservoir? (will it still leak when I disconnect hose?)

2) disconnect hose from reservoir, then use crescent wrench to remove other end from the cooler

3) reconnect with two worm style clamps on both ends? I am unsure what the hose looks like on the cooler end, but it looks like theres a metal part to it. Does it come with that metal part when i buy the hose, and i would just need to buy the clamp to connect it?

4) refill fluid

also, any suggestions on where to buy the hose online? dealer wanted $66 after tax.

thanks

[patholiar]

How do I loosen the damn bmw clamp? its nearly impossible with the amount of space Nevermind about this one, I just spent some extra time to pry the shit out of it.

Also, what do I do with the crescent wrench on the end with the metal and plastic? I havent read anywhere on how I am supposed to loosen that?

Do I hold the plastic part so it stays and doesnt move, then press the entire thing in?

Someone who has done this please help me, I dont want to break anything

[patholiar]

Okay, figured it out.

If other people want to try this, here is my super non mechanic write up:

To loosen the BMW crimp style hose clamp, just try find where that crimp is, and then use a long flat screw driver to pry the shit out of it. Or I guess you could find something to cut it with, which i didnt have a tool for. This took the longest as I hardly had any space.

For the other end with the plastic and metal pieces, when using the crescent wrench, press one end of the plastic tab towards the metal piece. Then I just used my other hand to press the other side of the plastic in so the entire plastic piece is now pressed in. Then I just pulled the entire hose out. The insert the new hose, you need to press the plastic piece in again. I just used the wrench to slide it in.

Originally Posted by patholiar

How do I loosen the damn bmw clamp? its nearly impossible with the amount of space Nevermind about this one, I just spent some extra time to pry the shit out of it.

Also, what do I do with the crescent wrench on the end with the metal and plastic? I havent read anywhere on how I am supposed to loosen that?

Do I hold the plastic part so it stays and doesnt move, then press the entire thing in?

Someone who has done this please help me, I dont want to break anything

[dougpham]

My 06 BMW X5 4.4 @ 63K miles, power steering fluid is starting leaking. I am looking at to replace #1, #3 and #4 hoses. I see #1 is wet. As preventive, I will replace them all. Yes, I am surprise that these hoses are going bad so early. You should use BMW fluid, ZF. Don't use Mobil1.

[wallieX5]

Looks like another DIY for me after I recuperate from prolonged use of my back muscles. This last 2 weekends, I've changed my HID (involves removing the front bumper), air filter and spark plugs. People say changing the spark plug is a “1” out of a “10” scale which is true but how about getting to it and pulling out the coils especially the last two on the driver side?

But as much as complain, it will hurt my pride more not doing it myself since it seems easy enough and having to pay stealership prices. So crescent tool it is, whatever that isJ

[ronh95]

My wife's '05 3.0i (80K mi.) started making the funky grinding sound when turning (oddly more when turning right than left). Checked this forum and then the reservoir which was all but empty. The shorter 'radiator return hose' was weeping at the connection to the reservoir. It had leaked enough over the years to create a crusty mess on the alternator. Based on what I learned in this thread and the fact that the hose itself seemed to be in great shape, I decided to just change out the hose clamp.

It's tight down there so in addition to the usual intake shroud plastics, I had to remove the boot that comes up from the throttle body and connects to the mass air flow sensor to gain access. I used a narrow (1/8") flat bladed screwdriver to carefully spread the crimped factory hose clamp enough to slide it down the hose where I could use tin snips to sever/remove it. A new clamp (one for hoses up to 7/8" diam. is best) and some cleanup of the hose and crusty alternator and reassembled without incident. I refilled the reservoir to spec, then started the motor and did two full lock turns in each direction per instructions in the Bentley manual and rechecked the level. I'll check it in a day or two to confirm that the leak has stopped, but feel confident that I got it.

We had a cooling system failure (cracked expansion tank, thermostat) and while it was at the dealer they identified a list as long as my arm of things that it needed. Nearly $6K for the list, which included nearly $1K to replace weeping power steering hoses.

I find it offensive that the dealer doesn't seem to have any diagnostic skills and instead chooses to use a shotgun/replace everything approach to repairs that is wasteful and espensive as hell. Not sure how many hoses were included in the $1K estimate, but only one $45 hose was showing signs of leaking and it was the most accessible one to replace. No way the repair estimate should have been that exorbitant. Had it been more reasonable I might have been inclined to let them do the work while they had the car.

Thanks to all who posted here with their experiences. It was truly helpful.

Ron