Hello,

I had some oily fluid leak towards the right front of my 2011 MCS. any idea what thus could be? Seems to be the opposite side of the coolant resevoir and as I understand that, the coolant is blue in color. This would have been about 6-8 inches from the right front tire towards the center of the engine.

Thanks in advance.

 

Mini coolant is indeed blue. Are you the first owner? Did you bring it anywhere where the fluid might have been exchanged for non-Mini fluid? The other fluid is oil which is also not green. And A/C drainage would be colorless.

///Rich

 

Thanks for the reply. I'm the second owner. I have not taken it anywhere that would have swapped, but maybe the other owner. It didn't have a sweet smell like coolant

 

Probably the water pump. Common failure on these cars. It's on the passenger side of the engine. They start weeping when they need replacing.

 

Interesting. Thank you. I I have had this happen now twice, but not consecutively. My 2011 MCS is only at 33k miles...

 

Wait a minute I though Mini coolant was green and on the thick side? Recently had pump replaced (aluminum version) at CarMax and now have blue coolant in reservoir.

 

BMW/mini coolant is blue....looks like blue Gatorade....same thickness diluted as any other coolant.

 

If you can jack up the car (or get it on ramps), you can see if the water pump is leaking from either under the car (look up just above at the rear of the oil pan) or behind the front wheel (look at the side of the engine).

There should be some witness of what is leaking on the side of the engine. My guess is water pump as well. Oil would be brown, trans fluid would be oily and red/brown. There is no power steering fluid on our cars. The only other fluids are windshield washer (not in that area) or brake fluid (not green).

Mike