Poll: Your Power Steering Fluid...How Old is it?

[SilverS70]

How old is your power steering fluid? Have you ever changed it? Does it groan on hard left, or hard right turns, or cold engine start ups?

I recently did a "Turkey Baster" treatment. I removed as much as I could out of the reservoir, I got about 10oz out. I replaced it with ATF fluid as the owners manual states.

Drove the car for 1 week, then removed another 10oz, refilled with fresh ATF fluid. Repeated it again after another weak.

I'm very happy with the results, no leaks, no groaning. I think this fluid change is often over looked.

Its cheap too, my 1qt of ATF cost 4 dollars and the turkey baster cost 1 dollar at the dollar store.

I'm hopeful I have extended the life of my Power Steering Pump. Winter is upon us, and mine has been quiet so far.

p.s. I realize this is not a total flush, some of the new fluid gets removed on the second and third extraction, but its not a "wallet flush" either!

[Warren561]

What type of ATF did you use? Mobil 3309? Type F? Dextron-Mercon?

[FlyingVolvo]

2000 V70XC - 131,000 miles

I installed a new power steering fluid reservoir over the summer, and took the time do to a modified flush as well! After installing the new reservoir, I left the return line off and attached a hose that left to a bucket. With the front of the car raised, I then had my dad turn the steering wheel lock to lock continuously as I slowly poured new fluid into the reservoir. The old stuff was a nasty dark green stuff (OEM - probably original). I used Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF as the replacement. A week or so after doing the flush, I did a couple more "turkey baster" drain+fills. I used probably about 4 quarts. Not too bad!

After the initial flush, the difference in the feel when turning was very significant. Steering was a lot easier and the occasional groaning that I had (leaky reservoir; had to top up often) was all but gone after the flush.

I highly recommended everyone take the PS fluid into consideration to be a regular maintenance item!

[polskamafia mjl]

I too had the groaning until I replaced my power steering fluid. When I replace all of the brake hardware I am going to flush the power steering fluid and replace it with mobil 1 ATF.

[C@lvin]

I am second owner on both my current Volvos. To my knowledge the fluid has never been changed in either one. Other than the 00 V70 PS pump having a small leak, have never had any PS problems or symptoms. I did once put a small amount of (I think it was Castrol) ATF in the V70 to top it up.

[misha]

In Volvo owners manual says that steering fluid change is not required.It says just to add fluid if level is low.

[FlyingVolvo]

In Volvo owners manual says that steering fluid change is not required.It says just to add fluid if level is low.

They also say that changing the transmission fluid is not required when it's pretty much proven fact that doing so will significantly increase the life of the transmission in most cases.

And why would you just top up if low? To my knowledge, the power steering pump/rack doesn't eat up any fluid, unless it's leaking... which might be due to bad fluid ruining it all.

[misha]

I'm just saying what is written in owners manual.

[t5rrr]

With my used cars I usually do the turkey baster method of changing the PS fluid, repeat 3-4 times over the course of a week or 2 and it's good to go

[tjts1]

I'm just saying what is written in owners manual.

The owner's manual is wrong. A lot of cars from that era tried to claim they had low running costs by saying fluids don't have to be changed. On my 960 the coolant, ATF, PS fluid and diff oil are all 'lifetime fluids'. There is no such thing. All fluids must be changed eventually.