joeygr

I took my 04 525 into BMW today to get what seemed to be a leak with my power steering. I know it's a leak in the power steering because it runs dry in a couple of weeks and theres a small (quarter size...little bigger) fluid on the ground in my garage of the same color stuff. Plus the power steering warning comes on. Anyway, when I went to pick my car up the guy said I had a big problem. He said that my radiator was busted and thats whats been causing my power steering to leak. I'm not a car buff so I'm not to familiar with the inner workings but if my radiator was busted would it be leaking coolant instead of power steering fluid. I'm station in Germany so this is a German BMW dealer. He showed me the radiator which did look like it needed to be replaced but what would that have to do with the power steering. Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. I suppose to go back on Tuesday for him to repair the radiator, which should stop my power steering fluid leak. I'm going to try and attach a picture of what the radiator looks like.

turboawd

the power steering fluid goes through a cooler, which has fins and looks like a radiator.

joeygr

So does everything the dealer is telling me sound legit? The picture of the radiator is what the dealer showed me. It looks like its drooping down. Does the power steering fluid run through there? Also the drippings in my garage don't match up with where my radiator is.

turboawd

well, there is a underbody panel underneath the motor and trans. so if you have a leak, it will drip on the panel, and then flow to the lowest spot.

here is what a power steering cooler looks like.