[HarryHeres]

Hi there,

I'm preparing to do a power steering fluid change because the current one is black/brown-ish with quite a burnt smell. After doing some research, it is still not clear to me whether I should use the ATF Dexron II or CHF-11S fluid. Based on the cap, I'd say ATF, but there seems to be some residue in the place where the green sticker would be? Couldn't find any info in the handbook either.



BMW E90 325d 03/2007 pre LCI (EU).

[TekkaMaki]

My 2011 328xi uses chf 11s.

I used a turkey baster to drain & fill. Was able to remove & refill fluid from the reservoir a few times with one bottle, this cleaned my fluid significantly.

I waiting a week between drain & fills...

[BMW Guy]

The cap says AFT so I would used that.

[Efthreeoh]

I suggest you check Realoem.com and check the steering rack and steering pump P/N against a gas engine E90. All gas E90's use CHF-11 for PS fluid. I'm not sure why a diesel engine would make any difference in the PS hydraulic oil. Most likely the green CHF-11 sticker fell off.

Edit. I just checked. Realoem shows the cap and reservoir using CHF-11 for a 2007 325d.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by BMW Guy

The cap says AFT so I would used that.

For some reason BMW cheaped out and repurposed the reservoir cap from systems that use ATF by applying a green sticker over the embossed ATF writing on the cap. Stupid idea because the sticker eventually falls off. This issue has been discussed ad nausea on E90 Post for going on nearly 12 years now when 2nd and 3rd owners of the cars discovered the stickers were missing.

All hydraulic steering E9X use CHF-11.

[BMW Guy]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

For some reason BMW cheaped out and repurposed the reservoir cap from systems that use ATF by applying a green sticker over the embossed ATF writing on the cap. Stupid idea because the sticker eventually falls off. This issue has been discussed ad nausea on E90 Post for going on nearly 12 years now when 2nd and 3rd owners of the cars discovered the stickers were missing.

All hydraulic steering E9X use CHF-11.

Ok. I can't believe a luxury brand won't just create a new cap with the embedded fluid type. BMW can be so cheap at time.

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by BMW Guy

The cap says AFT so I would used that.

The caps are wrong. I've owned three different E90s (2006 325i, 2006 330i, 2007 335i) and all of them had a green sticker over the cap that says "CHF-11S"

That sticker peels off when exposed to the fluid leaking out.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by BMW Guy

Ok. I can't believe a luxury brand won't just create a new cap with the embedded fluid type. BMW can be so cheap at time.

If you were to order a new cap today, I think they are now embossed with "CHF-11". BMW has been using that reservoir since the 1980s when most cars used ATF PS fluid. That's a standard PS reservoir used by the German auto industry. You'll find it on Porsches and Mercedes cars all the way back to the late 1970's.

My E30 had the same reservoir as does my '97 Z3 and my E46 cabrio used it as well.

You can buy the sticker from BMW.

[HarryHeres]

Hello everyone, thank you for discussion! I've been able to determine that my car actually uses CHF-11S fluid as it does have more of a brown-greenish look in a clear light.

Also, good idea with the RealOEM, it does indeed say CHF-11S. Thank you all!

[StradaRedlands]

You can actually buy the label LOL... it's more expensive than a new cap!
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...s/71212122171/
vs
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...s/32416851332/

[lordnikon]

I got a cheap replica sticker for the PS cap. They don’t work. The genuine sticker is expensive because it’s resistant to heat in the engine bay.

[Efthreeoh]

Pic I grabbed from ECS Tuning shows the current P/N 32416851332 as being CFH-11S only:

[Efthreeoh]

So here is the amusing part. BMW has now flipped it. I checked for the cap P/N for my wife's Z3. The cap P/N is 32416851332 (i.e. the CHF-11S cap) BUT now there is an ATF sticker for the Z3 PS reservoir cap.

[StradaRedlands]

Best to just do a 50/50 mix of the two to be safe!!!

[The Nightman]

Originally Posted by HarryHeres

Hello everyone, thank you for discussion! I've been able to determine that my car actually uses CHF-11S fluid as it does have more of a brown-greenish look in a clear light.

Also, good idea with the RealOEM, it does indeed say CHF-11S. Thank you all!

BMW isn't the only manufacturer that messed up during the transition from ATF to CHF. Best to determine what's already in there and use the same fluid. Sounds like CHF to me - and yes, you can use 202 with 11S

[BlackNight28]

I can certainly see BMW "stepping over a dollar to pick up a nickel" as the phrase goes. I did the turkey baster route and all is well.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by StradaRedlands

Best to just do a 50/50 mix of the two to be safe!!!

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

If you were to order a new cap today, I think they are now embossed with "CHF-11". BMW has been using that reservoir since the 1980s when most cars used ATF PS fluid. That's a standard PS reservoir used by the German auto industry. You'll find it on Porsches and Mercedes cars all the way back to the late 1970's.

My E30 had the same reservoir as does my '97 Z3 and my E46 cabrio used it as well.

You can buy the sticker from BMW.

That same reservoir is in darned near every European car with power steering. Even my '95 Land Rover disco and '01 Range Rover used the same one, plus nearly all of my Volvos and Saabs.

Of course, BMW had to be weird and use the green stuff instead of regular old ATF!

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by krhodes1

That same reservoir is in darned near every European car with power steering. Even my '95 Land Rover disco and '01 Range Rover used the same one, plus nearly all of my Volvos and Saabs.

Of course, BMW had to be weird and use the green stuff instead of regular old ATF!

Funny story. When I bought my E86 used from CarMax, Job 1 when I got it home was a fluid check. I went looking for the Euro reservoir and couldn't find it anywhere. Now, not too surprising because the Z3's reservoir is mostly hidden by the airbox. Low and behold... my 1st electric steering car. Never new! 🤣🤣🤣

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Funny story. When I bought my E86 used from CarMax, Job 1 when I got it home was a fluid check. I went looking for the Euro reservoir and couldn't find it anywhere. Now, not too surprising because the Z3's reservoir is mostly hidden by the airbox. Low and behold... my 1st electric steering car. Never new! 🤣🤣🤣

LOL - My Mercedes has it too, as did my '17 GTI and of course my '16 M235i.

How is the feel in the Z4? I have never driven one. I didn't exactly hate it in the M235i, but the GTI and Mercedes are just FAR better than the BMW was in the steering feel department. The GTI in particular was pretty much as perfect as a FWD car is ever going to be.

I feel like electric is nice in that you will never have any leaks or a failed pump, and one less fluid to maintain, but I am sure when you do have an issue hold on to your wallet! But I can't say I have really heard of many failures with the systems in German cars. Seems to be Japanese and American econoboxes that puke up electric racks on the regular.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by krhodes1

LOL - My Mercedes has it too, as did my '17 GTI and of course my '16 M235i.

How is the feel in the Z4? I have never driven one. I didn't exactly hate it in the M235i, but the GTI and Mercedes are just FAR better than the BMW was in the steering feel department. The GTI in particular was pretty much as perfect as a FWD car is ever going to be.

I feel like electric is nice in that you will never have any leaks or a failed pump, and one less fluid to maintain, but I am sure when you do have an issue hold on to your wallet! But I can't say I have really heard of many failures with the systems in German cars. Seems to be Japanese and American econoboxes that puke up electric racks on the regular.

So, the E85/86 Z4 electric steering is unique to the E85/86 chassis. The electric power assist is not built into the rack but rather built into the steering column. Essentially the E85/86 has a manual steering rack and pinion set up with an electric motor attached to the steering column behind the gauge cluster underneath the dashboard. The M versions of the E85/86 have a tradditional E46 hydraulic system.

I love the Z4's electric steering system. To me it feels no different than any other 3-series I've owned or driven, which dates back to the E21 and the 2002 (pre-3 Series). The US market E21, of course, has unassisted manual steering. You'll read on the Z4 subfourum the M hydraulic system is better, but I think those observations are "M brand" bias, or anti-EPS biased. I think it is cool as shit and gives great feedback. My only comparison to other BMW EPS systems are from seveal drives of the early gen F30 and a 2-series in 2021, both which completely sucked.

I've also had nearly 1,000 miles piloting a Cadillac ATS, which uses the same ZF electric rack found in the F30. The Cadillac ATS EPS is excellent and on par with any hydro-assisted 3-series I've ever driven.