Strange oil leak - ideas?

[SS7]

Hey guys - quick question about my 2017 X3, 40k miles on it. Noticed the bottom of the oil pan was wet with oil and accumulated dirt. Can't really figure out where it's leaking from. Any ideas? Thank you!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WPQ9GTxWLB6WiNbN7

[conroyt]

Are you sure it is oil and not power steering fluid? I find the BMW high pressure PS hoses seem to leak fairly regularly.

[SS7]

Are you sure it is oil and not power steering fluid? I find the BMW high pressure PS hoses seem to leak fairly regularly.

Yeah it's definitely oil. I know the smell of PS fluid (repugnant) and it's not that. No signs of leaks from the hoses either.

[FaithfulBMW]

Clean the motor with a light detergent and wash and see if you can identify the source. As is photos do not show origin.

But for a few of these cars, the valve cover gasket can go bad as well as the pcv which will allow pressure build up in crankcase and cause oil leak from multiple gaskets. Basically, a good start is to change the valve cover/pcv and valve cover gasket.