can transmission leak ATF?
 

I just want to make sure that my trany will not be toasted...

Well, this winter i had the famous squeek on cold mornings, and the PS ATF turned out to be low so i topped it up and the squeek is gone.

Now i noticed ATF leak on the metallic plate under the front of the engine, and the PS ATF has decreased a little (around a couple of centimeters) and it is on the right side (seems under the ATF reservoir)... so basically i have PS ATF Leak, but i am afraid that this leak is from the transmission, because it's also ATF (duuuhhh) So can it be transmission? does tranny leak in the first place? and if yes, can it leak from the front side of the engine?

ps: it is not dripping on the floor, i can only see a drop hanging there and the plate is stained...

I am going soon to the dealer, but i want to take this off my chest, can it be transmission? PS is relatively simple...

It should be power steering. Transmission ATF in X5 is amber color and not like purple/red in power steering system. Check your PS pressure hose and the clamps under PS reservoir for leak.

If transmission is leaking, it would drip from bell housing, sump gasket, or maybe heat exchanger(I think it rarely happens though). On 3.0, heat exchanger is located on driver side (left hand drive vehicle) right behind radiator. So, if the ATF you found on the front end was really from your transmission, check hose connection to the ATF heat exchange.

I just had an apointment with the dealer on May 27... but i wanted to have my own diagnostic before going, so that i know what makes sense and what doesn't, so that i don't get robbed... actually, I forgot to mention that the leak happened after I got my radiator welded for a puncture, by a generalist mechanic, not the dealer... i think he hit something in there... stay tuned to see what is it all about... fingers crossed :S

I dropped it today morning at the dealership... I had the following list:

1) Engine oil and filter. It has 5Kmiles since the last change. I told the SA that after around 4Kmiles i had to add 1kg of engine oil, he said this is normal... another E53 owner there said he does that as well...

2) The oil leakage. He said he will let me know as soon as they find out...

3) the SES light used to go off then on... now it's on all the time. the SA said that they will install the european software, which is less sensitive to fuel quality... he also said that it may be caused by the catalyst converter due to our dirty fuel...

4) the plastic thing on the bolt of the rear wipper is missing. they will get me one...

Let's see how much $$$ I'll pay and what will they do for points 2 and 3...

I had to have both power steering hoses replaced at 38k miles as they were both leaking at the connector joint with the steering rack. Although nothing was visible on the ground, I had noticed the level in the reservoir had dropped slightly and a look down into the engine bay on the RHS revealed wet hoses. Done under warranty, but I was still surprised they had failed that early. The replacements are a completely different design. Maybe there is a real issue with them and the design was changed as a result.

This oil topping thing is driving me crazy. I have to put in a about a quart every month or so.

you need to find the root of the leak. then you will get your answer. take the reinforcement plate off and look

I still did not get any news from the dealer, so I called the SA... he told me that downloading the software (engine i suppose) takes 6 hours, that's why they did not finish it yesterday... is that possible??? So I asked him what about the mechanical part, if he knew anything, he said not yet, he will call me in one hour... that was 2 hours ago!!! that's my second experience with the local dealer, my first was very good, but this time.... :s

Mine 01 3.0 is the sealring on the right side driveshaft leaking, clear yellow oildrop hanging on the alucower. Its where the shaft comes out of the front gearbox.
I bought the sealring, not ekspensive but i belive its a massive job to replse it.

OK, got the X back

1) they changed oil and filter, easy one :) but they put Motul 5-30 for 5 USD the kg... isn't it so cheap?? what kind of oil is that???? i know the average of synthetic oil is 11 USD :s strange!

2) the leakage is indeed PS pressure hose... they said they have to order it from europe and it will cost 400USD... i did not replace it, i'll keep toping up for a while, then try to get one from a auto-part junk yard and have fixed at a non-dealer mechanic...

3) they say that they updated the software to an europenan software instead of american... the SES light is off, but i have a question: when you put the key to 2, it used to go on for a couple of seconds, then turn off, while now it is never on for check up even??? DID THEY JUST TURN OFF THE BULB???? what did they do??

4) they put a new cap... however, they charged me 4 dollars to look for the missing part... it's written on the invoice: "Inspecting the car for missing parts" lol

and they also replaced maybe the cover gasket of something related to engine oil (it's in french, couldn't translate to english :s)

paid 228 USD for all of this and still have the PS hose to be done later...

I understand this ps hoses is a genuine probl on the oldest models, if its the long hose in front whith the coolingloop i changed it myself last year.
real easy job, remove plasticcover under front engine, take off front left wheel, remove hose from pump under front bumper whit 17mm spanner (oil wil drain ca 0,5L) remove the end on steering sylinder from wheelvel whith 19mm spanner, the clip on the hoseturn i belive is 8mm. A little tight for spanner but no probl. I recomend you buy new hose, hope the new is better qvality than the old.