My car’s power steering started groaning the other day, which is the classic sign that the power steering fluid is low. So, I stopped by Napa and picked up a small container of Power Steering Fluid.
BMW, in their infinite wisdom, positioned the E36’s power steering fluid reservoir under the engine. This means that, to service the power steering fluid, the engine must be cold, you need a long funnel, and you need a long arm. You also need paper towels to wipe your hands, as the cap will be covered in grime.
None of that is really a big deal, it’s just annoying. I successfully checked the fluid level (dipstick was dry), and topped it off with the help of a long funnel. Before screwing the cap back on the reservoir, I decided to wipe the grime off. That’s when I saw the letters “ATF” — which usually stands for “Automatic Transmission Fluid”. Crap: I just put the wrong fluid into my power steering.
Fortunately, there’s a happy ending here (”happy” meaning $0 spent). I stopped by the mechanic and was ready to have the power steering drained and refilled, when I was told that power steering fluid is ATF — just with a generic label and a higher price.
Tags: BMW, misfeature
Bullet dodged