power steering oil E53
 

Hi
I have a 2004 model X5 E53, there are some creaking sounds when I turning and i wonder it may be due to little power steering fluid, so go to the store and bought more oil, on the lid it say only use atf oil but the seller said i could use CHF oil green but i think it looks like fluid that is on the car now is red / can it be problems if I fill up with green chf oil or is it okay to mix them

I personally wouldn’t mix the two, I would stick with ATF, just to be safe.

+1. If the lid says ATF, then use ATF. Don't mix ATF with CHF.

Creak or groan? Low fluid usually a groan. Creak likely ball joint.


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a bit confused here now, it says atf on the lid, but both the store and pc pogrammet autodata says chf, maybe the previous owner has switched the lid or something, the oil that is in now looks more red than green even though it is a bit difficult to see

power steering oil E53
 

Looks like it says Dexron II/CHF II S - Dexron II is ATF, if your lid says ATF and the fluid is red, go with Dexron.

You have to follow what is on the lid. There were two different fills done with our cars. For example my car is chf, my friend has atf. Same year. So follow what’s on the cap. Don’t mix.

Actually if you search different forums (BMW, VW, Volvo), same issue.

Same mfg ZF, which is the the maker of the PS Pump.

This is what I have learned from different forums:
Dexron-III is regular ATF.
CHF is synthetic, developed to address customer's complaint about noise during COLD winter.

The PS will work just fine with either fluid.
Best is not to mix.
But if you mix it, no one will die, the PS will run just fine.

Do a little research and you will see it is nothing big.

That's great feedback. Wife's 01 Brian's
Groans when cold, mine also 01 never has.


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Thanks for all the answers, did not now that dexron II was atf, have heard several horror stories about mixing the wrong oils so I would be absolutely sure before I filled up :-)