Milky Coolant & Leaking

[K7]

Hello,

I own a 2018 650i coupe xDrive with 23,000km(14291 miles) and I have recently discovered some milky coolant in the reservoir. The following day I noticed a leak but the leak was not milky. Does anybody have any idea what is going on?

View post on imgur.com

[Qsilver7]

Its hard to get a perspective in regards to your 2nd pic because the image is so close and it's not clear specifically where its located in the engine bay.

What area of the engine bay are you taking the 2nd pic from? I've opened my coolant fill cap (N63TU & its at the rear right of the engine bay when standing in front of the car)...and the coolant can't be seen from the top. In fact, the instructions for measuring your coolant requires a measuring tool because the level should be approx 110mm - 160mm below the top.

If you are removing the cap from near the front of the engine bay...that's not your coolant reservoir. That is the charge air cooler reservoir.

In regards to the fluid on the ground...take something white (like a rag or paper towel) and dab it into the fluid. Check its color & viscosity and smell etc to determine if could be washer fluid or your blue coolant. Coolant has a slick viscosity and a sweet smell. Washer fluid is none of those things.

[K7]

So from the information you provided the dealership added coolant to the power steering reservoir. They had told me it was a secondary coolant reservoir for the turbos.
I used a white towel and checked what the fluid is and it definitely has the properties of coolant.

I really appreciate you taking the time to give me such a detailed explanation.

[Opie55]

Wait, the dealer put coolant in your power steering reservoir?!?!? Wow, you need to tell them to either replace everything, or give you a written warranty on the steering system well beyond the factory warranty. That's crazy.

[Opie55]

And just to clarify, there is a secondary coolant reservoir - the one labelled for charge air coolers in the picture above. It's not really secondary - it's an entirely different system than the main cooling system. And it is not for the turbos, per se. It does two things. It cools the air going to the turbos in the charge air coolers - those two silver boxes at the front of the engine, and it cools the two engine computers - the thin silver boxes at each corner at the front of the engine compartment.

[JBF650]

Originally Posted by K7

So from the information you provided the dealership added coolant to the power steering reservoir. They had told me it was a secondary coolant reservoir for the turbos.
I used a white towel and checked what the fluid is and it definitely has the properties of coolant.

I really appreciate you taking the time to give me such a detailed explanation.

Uuurrrrrmmm the dealer put coolant into your PAS reservoir! Wtf! Seriously?
I would have the car back there now and have the dealer principal explaining this complete Cock up! While not terminal to the car it most certainly requires a complete flush of the PAS system at the least!
Good luck that dealer has a lot of explaining to do, get your car back there immediately

[city1991]

Originally Posted by K7

Hello,

I own a 2018 650i coupe xDrive with 23,000km(14291 miles) and I have recently discovered some milky coolant in the reservoir. The following day I noticed a leak but the leak was not milky. Does anybody have any idea what is going on?

View post on imgur.com

I'd tell the forum what dealership. So people can avoid them.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by K7

So from the information you provided the dealership added coolant to the power steering reservoir. They had told me it was a secondary coolant reservoir for the turbos.
I used a white towel and checked what the fluid is and it definitely has the properties of coolant.

I really appreciate you taking the time to give me such a detailed explanation.

OMG...I truly hope coolant wasn't introduced to your power steering system!

FYI, not all f06/f12/f13 (or should I say BMWs w/N63TU engine) have a power steering fluid reservoir. Only the xDrive models have hydraulic steering, and non iDrive BMWs with some special steering options...the rest have electronic steering so no need for a PS reservoir.

As mentioned already...there is the reservoir up front (lid is located slightly to the left of the Roundel on the engine acoustic cover at the front of the engine) has coolant that you can see when the lid is removed. I was assuming that was the reservoir you were showing us in that pic. But if that was your PS reservoir...please take your car back ASAP and have them purge your PS system and put the proper CHF 11 S hydraulic fluid in there. CHF 11 S is also green...but it is clearer than what you pictured (not milky).

Also have them check your hydraulic steering lines/pipes as well as the hydro steering box...you've shown pics that indicate some type of leakage...so there's some issue already occuring if they put coolant in your PS reservoir:

You can see the two layout below...if you don't have xDrive and have electronic steering...then there's no PS reservoir. If you do have xDrive you have hydraulic steering and also have a PS reservoir:

[K7]

Originally Posted by Opie55

Wait, the dealer put coolant in your power steering reservoir?!?!? Wow, you need to tell them to either replace everything, or give you a written warranty on the steering system well beyond the factory warranty. That's crazy.

I just spoke to the manager and they asked me to bring my car in. I have a really good relationship with this dealership, they have always taken good care of me. Hopefully, they'll rectify everything.

[Opie55]

Let us know what they do.

[K7]

Originally Posted by JBF650

Uuurrrrrmmm the dealer put coolant into your PAS reservoir! Wtf! Seriously?
I would have the car back there now and have the dealer principal explaining this complete Cock up! While not terminal to the car it most certainly requires a complete flush of the PAS system at the least!
Good luck that dealer has a lot of explaining to do, get your car back there immediately

I'm taking it to the dealer in the morning. Hopefully, this hasn't caused much damage to the power steering system

[K7]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

OMG...I truly hope coolant wasn't introduced to your power steering system!

FYI, not all f06/f12/f13 (or should I say BMWs w/N63TU engine) have a power steering fluid reservoir. Only the xDrive models have hydraulic steering, and non iDrive BMWs with some special steering options...the rest have electronic steering so no need for a PS reservoir.

As mentioned already...there is the reservoir up front (lid is located slightly to the left of the Roundel on the engine acoustic cover at the front of the engine) has coolant that you can see when the lid is removed. I was assuming that was the reservoir you were showing us in that pic. But if that was your PS reservoir...please take your car back ASAP and have them purge your PS system and put the proper CHF 11 S hydraulic fluid in there. CHF 11 S is also green...but it is clearer than what you pictured (not milky).

Also have them check your hydraulic steering lines/pipes as well as the hydro steering box...you've shown pics that indicate some type of leakage...so there's some issue already occuring if they put coolant in your PS reservoir:

You can see the two layout below...if you don't have iDrive and have electronic steering...then there's no PS reservoir. If you do have iDrive you have hydraulic steering and also have a PS reservoir:

My car definitely has the power steering reservoir and I saw them add fluid into there. I will be sure to ask the service centre to check the hydraulic steering lines/pipes and the hydro steering box. Hopefully, they'll get everything back to proper order tomorrow.

Thank you for your insight.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by K7

My car definitely has the power steering reservoir and I saw them add fluid into there. I will be sure to ask the service centre to check the hydraulic steering lines/pipes and the hydro steering box. Hopefully, they'll get everything back to proper order tomorrow.

Thank you for your insight.

Good luck...I hope everything works itself out on the positive side. Also, please excuse my typo at the very bottom of my reply above (the last paragraph)...I meant to write xDrive but I wrote iDrive in regards to the models that have a PS reservoir or not.

Also try to get something in writing that this mistake occurred due to their negligence...so that if an issue with your PS system develops later down the line...and it is due to this mistake...that you'll have some compensation due to their mistake.

[hugo_nz]

Originally Posted by K7

My car definitely has the power steering reservoir and I saw them add fluid into there. I will be sure to ask the service centre to check the hydraulic steering lines/pipes and the hydro steering box. Hopefully, they'll get everything back to proper order tomorrow.

Thank you for your insight.

Op just check the cap on that reservoir. If it says CHF11S anywhere on it then it is the PS reservoir and water most certainly should not have been added.

[Derekz4]

After talking to the dealer and getting them on a recording, I would go straight to corporate on this one.

[NorthCountryGuy]

Originally Posted by Derekz4

After talking to the dealer and getting them on a recording, I would go straight to corporate on this one.

Actually I would do the same, and inform BMW NA as well.
This was a careless mistake, likely by a youngster who doesn’t know his way around. It will however need a first rate flushing job possibly even with some dismantling to get the aqueous fluid completely out of the system. This ‘service center’ needs more than you looking over there shoulder. Their corporate parent needs to be involved should there be an issue down the road.
Best Wishes.

[Opie55]

And just to note that they not only put in the wrong liquid, but they way overfilled it. The PS fluid fill level on every car is always way below the cap. The fact that some leaked out even with the cap on indicates it was over-pressurized, so I might be worried about some internal seals being blown. That a dealer would let somebody like this touch anybody's car is crazy. Even if it were the coolant reservoir - either one of the two - it should not be that full. I agree you need to make a WRITTEN record of telling BMW NA and include the picture.

[DRock3d]

Holy fuck how does this even happen.

[Opie55]

OP, what was the resolution of this?

[e38740imd]

subbed

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by Opie55

OP, what was the resolution of this?

Thanks for pulling this back up...I just mentioned it in another thread but I couldn't remember which BMW forum it was discussed. I'm on multiple sites that have the N63TU engine...and though the topic was in my head...the site (Bimfest/BimForum/Xoutpost/BimPost) just didn't click.

[K7]

I apologize for not updating everyone as final exams and work got in the way. I got my car back a few weeks ago, and the SA informed me that they performed multiple flushes and the system is clear of any traces of coolant. I did later question if the introduction of coolant would have any long term effects and I was assured that it wouldn't. I do have records of everything including the dealership stating that one of their employees did add coolant into the power steering reservoir, so if there are any issues in the future I should be covered.

They also found one of the sources of my coolant leak. It turned out to be a radiator hose that they replaced. The car still leaks coolant but nearly not as much; I plan to take the car back in after my exams are over.