Battery light on and no power steering
 

I noticed my radiator fan was making noise so I looked and it wobbles from time to time. When driving to work just now the battery light came on and I seem to have lost power steering.

Any help is much appreciated. Sorry if this has been discussed but I'm at work on my phone with a few minutes in breaks to spare.

Sounds like the serpentine belt for the power steering pump and alternator let go.

Yea that's what happened I just went outside and it's hanging on by one ribbon but the rest of it wrapped around the fan.

Sucks because I'm at work too.

Get out the gold card....

The fan "wobble" was being caused by a failing water pump bearing.

I replaced the OE pump with a Meyle unit around 4yrs ago, the box had a tiny "Made in China" sticker on it, & a card inside stating "leakage is normal during seal break-in". Was not happy seeing that a Meyle Germany pump was China made (looked like crap, rough shaft finish and razor sharp machined edges (I guess China keeps production costs low by not deburring castings or properly finishing shafts).
That POS pump lasted ONE year!

BavAuto credited the China pump cost toward a Genuine BMW unit purchase (even though it was 13 mos post purchase).

The Genuine BMW unit has lasted 3 yrs so far.

Thanks for the info. Guess I'll add that to my list of things to do next weekend

If you are going to change out the water pump might as well do the thermostat, this way when you refill the system with fresh antifreeze, you don't need to dump the antifreeze again to do the thermostat.

Good Point.

Being a stickler for torque specs, I installed a new t'stat pre-water pump install. No way to accurately establish t'stat rear/lower fastener torque with water pump installed.

Yea that's the plan. Might as well do everything I can while in there

A heads up on the belt.

Don't get the Gates belt from a local parts store. I looked up the part #, had O'Rilley double check the part #, purchased, could not get it installed.

Went to local BMW dealer, got Continental/Genuine BMW belt, compared to the Gates belt, found the Gates belt around 1/2" SHORTER!

No wonder I could not get it to fit.