# 2004 Mercedes-Benz M-Class - Water in the wrong reservoir **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** mercedes-benz\ **Created:** [October 21, 2022, 1:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-m-class-water-in-the-wrong-reservoir/187005 "2022-10-21T01:24:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bdns11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@Bdns11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bdns11)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 1:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-m-class-water-in-the-wrong-reservoir/187005/1 "2022-10-21T01:24:38Z")
More than half power steering reservoir found to be water. ? How could this happen? ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 10:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-m-class-water-in-the-wrong-reservoir/187005/2 "2022-10-21T10:18:57Z")
Some one thought it was the windshield washer reservoir? ? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 8:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-m-class-water-in-the-wrong-reservoir/187005/3 "2022-10-21T20:25:10Z")
Most likely explanation is posted above by PVP, improper prior service. Next in line, seems pretty unlikely, but some vehicle’s, mostly newer models, are configured such that rain water coming off the windshield could enter the engine compartment if they have a faulty seal. Seems like that theory could be proved/disproved with a garden hose. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-m-class-water-in-the-wrong-reservoir/187005/4 "2022-10-21T20:36:49Z")
Any trip through a DEEP puddle? How long have you owned it? Could it be a flood car? ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-m-class-water-in-the-wrong-reservoir/187005/5 "2022-10-21T21:26:30Z")
![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/3/2/32714e3c4c049aef975dedd1c1bd2daa622db9ff.jpeg) Someone mistakes this for washer fluid reservoir? Black ww reservoir? ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-m-class-water-in-the-wrong-reservoir/187005/6 "2022-10-21T21:37:04Z")
I think someone could mistake that for a ww fluid tank. My massage therapist told me a funny story, one of her customers drank a pint of massage oil that was sitting on a table in the waiting room, thinking it was a glass of orange juice … lol … drank the whole thing. You’d think once you took a sip you’d know it definitely wasn’t orange juice. ---
**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2022, 11:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-m-class-water-in-the-wrong-reservoir/187005/7 "2022-10-21T23:25:05Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > Someone mistakes this for washer fluid reservoir? Stranger things have and continue to happen. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 1:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-m-class-water-in-the-wrong-reservoir/187005/8 "2022-10-22T01:23:28Z")
Never underestimate what someone can do to a car. We had a young lot porter who had a 350 Chevy and one day at lunch he asked me why it was going through so much oil; as in 2 quarts a day with little driving. He stated it was not smoking or leaving puddles. Come to find out, he thought he was supposed to fill it until it ran out of the filler hole on the valve cover. Why it never hydrolocked I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![TheWonderful90s](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thewonderful90s/32/29584_2.png) [@TheWonderful90s](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TheWonderful90s)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 3:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-m-class-water-in-the-wrong-reservoir/187005/9 "2022-10-22T03:15:14Z")
The fuel economy would be terrible with the whole engine full of oil! How does it go through 2 quarts a day and not smoke? The only way would be if that oil is spilling out on the ground. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 4:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-m-class-water-in-the-wrong-reservoir/187005/10 "2022-10-22T04:08:20Z")
Hee hee. I won’t retell the whole story but my to be wife had a 61 Plymouth to use at college. My future fil told her to make sure she kept it filled with oil, which she did. Smoked liked crazy the whole 90 miles home where my fil quietly drained the excess oil. He had five daughters. What can I say? I take care of the car maintenance here. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2022, 2:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2004-mercedes-benz-m-class-water-in-the-wrong-reservoir/187005/11 "2022-10-22T14:39:53Z")
I like elec power steering. No hoses to leak