Power steering whines like crazy with no fluid in reservoir

BravoJohny33 · 02-20-2018, 04:08 PM

So I tried the turkey baster method of sucking out the old fluid from the reservoir to change the fluid. I sucked it out then started the car up but there should still be fluid in the pump. The pump whined like crazy so I put fluid back in the reservoir and it stopped making a loud whine. I thought sucking the fluid out, driving around then sucking out what flows into the reservoir and then refilling it was the correct way?

BMW ONLY · 02-20-2018, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BravoJohny33

So I tried the turkey baster method of sucking out the old fluid from the reservoir to change the fluid. I sucked it out then started the car up but there should still be fluid in the pump. The pump whined like crazy so I put fluid back in the reservoir and it stopped making a loud whine. I thought sucking the fluid out, driving around then sucking out what flows into the reservoir and then refilling it was the correct way?

Suck, refill, turn the car on, rotate wheel back to back or drive, then suck again and repeat. After you suck, you gotta replace the fluid. Or you can jack the car up and get all up in it.

ChuckThomas · 02-20-2018, 05:16 PM

You have to rotate the wheels to left and right locks to correctly bleed out all of the air. Just keep slowly turning them back and forth while filling the system. Have the front two wheels off the ground if you can. In order to pump fluid through the pump, you have to turn the wheels to each lock.

EndOfAnEra · 02-20-2018, 07:13 PM

There’s a DIY on here on how to properly drain the power steering fluid. You should read it.

Welcome to NBA Jam · 02-20-2018, 07:32 PM

You ran your power steering fluid pump dry. That was not the correct method.

You need to suck out the old fluid, fill it with new fluid, rotate lock-to-lock about 10 times, suck out the fluid, and repeat 2-3 times depending on how old the fluid is.

mecheng77 · 02-21-2018, 08:16 AM

I bought my car with PS whine, turns out the reservoir was very low. I'm still at a loss why, because after topping it up 4 months later: no leaks or noise. I used it as a bargaining tool when I bought my car, it was a BMW dealer and they could have just checked the fluid and made more money from me.

PichaDis11 · 02-21-2018, 09:23 AM

Op you def had a Johnny Bravo moment doing this job.

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02-20-2018, 04:08 PM	#1
BravoJohny33 Major 310 Rep 1,016 Posts Drives: BMW 2010 Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: GA iTrader: (0)	Power steering whines like crazy with no fluid in reservoir So I tried the turkey baster method of sucking out the old fluid from the reservoir to change the fluid. I sucked it out then started the car up but there should still be fluid in the pump. The pump whined like crazy so I put fluid back in the reservoir and it stopped making a loud whine. I thought sucking the fluid out, driving around then sucking out what flows into the reservoir and then refilling it was the correct way?
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02-20-2018, 05:16 PM	#3
ChuckThomas Dealer Speed 64 Rep 140 Posts Drives: 07 328 E90 Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: North Carolina iTrader: (0)	You have to rotate the wheels to left and right locks to correctly bleed out all of the air. Just keep slowly turning them back and forth while filling the system. Have the front two wheels off the ground if you can. In order to pump fluid through the pump, you have to turn the wheels to each lock. __________________ CT
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02-20-2018, 07:13 PM	#4
EndOfAnEra Lieutenant Colonel 518 Rep 1,705 Posts Drives: AW X3 35i Msport + S2000 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Largo, FL iTrader: (13)	There’s a DIY on here on how to properly drain the power steering fluid. You should read it. __________________ flickr
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02-20-2018, 07:32 PM	#5
Welcome to NBA Jam Is it the shoes!? 3885 Rep 5,112 Posts Drives: (Sold) 2011 E92 335i ZMP 6MT Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: USA iTrader: (1)	You ran your power steering fluid pump dry. That was not the correct method. You need to suck out the old fluid, fill it with new fluid, rotate lock-to-lock about 10 times, suck out the fluid, and repeat 2-3 times depending on how old the fluid is.
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02-21-2018, 08:16 AM	#6
mecheng77 Colonel 1007 Rep 2,244 Posts Drives: 2007 328i / 2014 M235i Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Ontario Canada iTrader: (0) Garage List [0.00] [0.00]	I bought my car with PS whine, turns out the reservoir was very low. I'm still at a loss why, because after topping it up 4 months later: no leaks or noise. I used it as a bargaining tool when I bought my car, it was a BMW dealer and they could have just checked the fluid and made more money from me.
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02-21-2018, 09:23 AM	#7
PichaDis11 Colonel 295 Rep 2,203 Posts Drives: E90 N52 Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: NY iTrader: (3)	Op you def had a Johnny Bravo moment doing this job. : __________________ Retrofits: 322, 609, 6FL, 6NR, 6VC, 2TB.. Upgrades: Bilstein B8 Eibach Spring kit
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