E93 - is there something missing from these bolts?!

[Bonzaroo]

Just back from a mini-break where the car packed in and got flat bedded to bmw; four days and one new starter motor later we were sadly (!) back in our car for the trip home (the hire car was a nice new 5 series, much nicer than our aging 3er)

The good points - both hire car and starter motor were covered by the extended warranty, so only cost to me was the £100 excess

I didn’t look under the bonnet until today as I needed to change a sidelight. I noticed the two bolts pointing skyward toward the right hand side. Now, nothing much under the bonnet means much to me, I only open it for the oil topups every 1k miles or so. I’ve never noticed those bolts before.

Is there something missing? Or is it perhaps a different plate in there to what might have been in there before? The two bolts pointing up have nothing on them, they are just two bolts threaded into the plate..

Maybe it’s always been there and is a testament to my lack of observation, but it stood out as soon as I opened the bonnet.

57 plate 325i which I think is an n53

[beambeam1]

N53 engine bay:



Looks more like an N52 to me? Do you have your VIN?



But yes, does look like a part is missing:



I think that's your power steering reservoir. It's usually fixed on to those bolts and fastened down. Is it possible it hasn't been reattached and is dangling down below the intake somewhere?

[drdino]

Looks like the bracket where the power steering reservoir is mounted on?

[to3m]

If it's got an N53, won't it have electric power steering?

[Bonzaroo]

Its a 3L which I thought meant n53; realoem says n53 when I put the vin in..


I’ll have a feel around in the morning and see if I can find anything dangling. I did see something that looked like a loose rubber gasket near the under tray earlier but when I put my arm down there it felt fixed.

I think it did have something that looked like that (the reservoir) before but I might be mistaken.

Edited by Bonzaroo on Saturday 29th May 00:57

[Bonzaroo]

Looks like this is what would go there. But I don’t have active steering so maybe they used the wrong bracket when putting it back together.

I’ll take a look in the morning but thanks for the suggestions

[to3m]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure 3.0L 325i means N53. I've got an N53 330i - if I remember tomorrow, I'll open the bonnet and post a photo of what's under it. No active steering on mine.

(Like you, I only open the bonnet to tip more oil in, and occasionally add some screenwash. Can't remember offhand what it looks like.)

[g3org3y]

N53 engine

Appears normal, judging by the photos on this thread by Sir Dave who I believe is a forum member here also.

See video below:


HTH

[Pastie Bloater]

Bonzaroo said:

Looks like this is what would go there. But I don’t have active steering so maybe they used the wrong bracket when putting it back together.

I’ll take a look in the morning but thanks for the suggestions

The same bracket is used either way.
A VIN breakdown can confirm if you have active steering S217 or not.
https://bimmer.work/

[Bonzaroo]

Thanks for the pictures - very useful.

[to3m]

Checked under the bonnet of mine, and I can confirm it's got the same obvious bolts with nothing attached.

[Bonzaroo]

to3m said:

Checked under the bonnet of mine, and I can confirm it's got the same obvious bolts with nothing attached.

Thanks! I’ll consider it case closed. Just shows how observant I am - we’ve had the car at least 10 years and I’ve never noticed the bolts!