1995 540i, power steering fluid

[mrrock00]

I just bought a 1995 540i
Maybe a stupid question..

Where do I add power steering fluid? Anyone have a diagram or something?

Thanks

[lonce]

wish I could help. I have the exact same car, only had it a week though.

[atl530i]

There is a cap on the driver side that is ribbed behind the brake booster. That is where you add PS fluid.

[Shankster]

Right hand side of the car. Between fuse box and brake reservoir. Round canister with a green/black cap.

Takes Pentosin CHF11S only. You can get this at a VW dealer in a pinch.

[Qsilver7]

First...I know it does NOT take Power Steering Fluid!

Second, do the automatic 540i models require CHF 11S (Pentosin hydraulic fluid)? I thought they used ATF (auto tranny fluid)

Third, I thought only the 540i/6 and the Tourings with rear self leveling, and perhaps the M5 were the only e34s that used CHF 11 S?

What or which ever...PLEASE READ what it says on the lid of your PS reservoir. It will tell you what type of fluid to use.

I know the image below is of the M62 V8 (not the M60 V8 you have)...but the PS reservoir is pretty much in the same location:



Here's the engine bay of a 1995 540i...the PS reservoir sits between the driver's side shock tower and the engine...it is black and has the knurled lid (just like in the image of the M62 engine pictured above):

[GatoEnFuego]

Takes CHF 11S, it's about 4x as expensive as ATF but luckily it doesn't require much. One "can" will let you do a full flush.

[bahnburna]

ID advise, as any other 540 owner probably will, DO NOT CHANGE/FLUSH YOUR TRANSMISSION. I cannot explain why other than something always changes with the trans, and will never be the same again. im sure others will have more to say about that... Even the dealer told me not to do it... FYI...

[ohnoes]

CHF 11 S is an effing rip-off at the local dealer. Cost me some unbelievable sum like $35 for a can. Luckily, it's lasted me a month now, but with the hose leaking, I bet it will be a consistent $20/month of this stuff till I fix the leak.

ID advise, as any other 540 owner probably will, DO NOT CHANGE/FLUSH YOUR TRANSMISSION. I cannot explain why other than something always changes with the trans, and will never be the same again. im sure others will have more to say about that... Even the dealer told me not to do it... FYI...

Huh, what does that have to do with power steering?

[mrrock00]

Excuse me for being ignorant. Isn't the diagram for the p/s fluid knob actually the at fluid reservoir? They are not one in the same correct?

[Qsilver7]

Why would the transmission need a small reservoir under the hood when it stores all of its fluid within its housing and pan near the rear of the car?

And if you really think that the small reservoir indicated in the diagram above and spoken about in every reply you received is STILL the automatic transmission reservoir...then go to the online parts database: www.realoem.com and look up the power steering reservoir and get an idea of what BMW artists think it looks like...then look up the automatic transmission reservoir (personally, I don't think you're gonna find one, though).

Learning to use the online parts database will be a very useful tool for any future references. You can identify parts, see how to decontruct stuff and reconstruct stuff if needed...and you can always verify part nbrs so that when you're ordering parts, you'll get the correct item for your car. It also helps verify that everyone is on the same page in a discussion such as this.

[mrrock00]

The picture of the 95 540 i (diagram) for the ps reservoir... on my vehicle it says ATF Oil only

[mrrock00]

Ok I just read the BMW used ATF fluid and not Power Steering Fluid and that is why the reservoir cap states that correct?
Sorry I no nothing about cars..

[GatoEnFuego]

There really isn't "power steering" fluid per say, it's generally always ATF and some fancy car makes (ie. BMW) like to specialize what fluid it can take and corner the market with ridiculous markup. Not saying that the fluids are interchangeable, but I'm sure they aren't far from that.