2011 X5 passenger side leak.
 

Hey guys, today I was installing halo LEDs and shined my flashlight deeper under the hood and have noticed a leak on the passenger side. It looks like its coming out form under where the strut is. There's nothing on the ground and it looks like light colored oil. I already made an appointment to have a dealer take a look at it on Monday but just wanted to get people's opinion as to what it could be? Thanks!

Here are a couple of crappy pics I took to give you an idea. The red circle is the location of the leak.

Hard to tell from the pics but it very well could just be some leftover cosmoline....the stuff that they put all over the car for shipping. If you see the same substance inside your door jambs and in other little crevices, then that's it.

OK, so I went down and took pics with a real camera, it doesn't look like cosmoline because it's not thick, it's actually kinda dripping down. Take a look.

Does it look fresh to the touch? By the consistency, looks like oil of some sort. Question is, whats around there? The lines in the pic are the A/C hoses and while it does have an oil residue running through it for seals, its not at a substantial level.

UPDATE: So I just came from the dealer and BCA, you were right. They said it was just some leftover cosmoline that they "forgot" to wash away. So all good I guess.

I would find it hard to believe that BMW puts cosmoline on vehicles built in the USA--but you never know.I don't think they use much of it anymore on vehicles built in Munich and shipped to the USA. My 2008 535i didn't have any that was visible.

Cool! Glad you got it figured out.

looks distinctly like a leak of fluid to me...