power steering fluid

133847 Views 57 Replies 25 Participants Last post by jkowtko, Feb 11, 2022

smithrmark

Discussion Starter · Jun 28, 2010

just got back from the steelership and the mech said that my power steering fluid is dirty and that it would cost 120 cad to replace it.

now heres the story i went into that same dealership for my oil change 3 months prior to this and the mech did not say anything about changing the power steering fluid at that time. advance to now and all os a sudden my power steering fluid is dirty and i need to change it.

what gives i never had to chage the power steering fluid on any of my cars now at 80 000km on my sienna i need to chage it. something does not add up right.

However i do get power steering pump noise when the fluid is cold up here in canada let say from anywere from 5c and below i can hear my pump pushing the fluid until it get warmed up.

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Old Crows

· #17 · Mar 18, 2011

wag said:
wiswind said:

Your power steering system uses Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF).
Do NOT use power steering fluid....(I had some Redline Power Steering fluid that IS ATF).
Use the same ATF as you put in your tranny (no need to stock 2 different fluids).

Click to expand...

In the case of the early gen2 3.3L Siennas, the power steering does NOT use the same fluid as the automatic transmission. The transmission uses ATF Type T-IV while the power steering uses ATF DEXRON II or ATF DEXRON III so you WILL have to stock two different fluids.
Toyota does not recommend changing the power steering fluid but the fluid does get quite hot and I guess it can oxidize and degrade to a certain extent over time just like ATF does in a transmission so it might make sense to change it since it is so cheap and easy to do.

Thoughts Gentlemen? Castrol Import Multi-Vehicle ATF product information says it is compatible with a lot of vehicle requirements (specifically Toyota T-IV and Dexron III H, but not Dexron VI). I'm going to change the P/S fluid and have some Castrol M-I left over from transmission fluid change. The P/S cap calls for DEXRON, no suffix. Anyone see issues in using the Castrol M-I in the P/S of my '04 Sienna?

Also, there's the Castrol "High Mileage" http://www.castrol.com/liveassets/b...ING/local_assets/downloads/p,q/pds_HM_ATF.pdf

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Old Crows

· #20 · Mar 20, 2011

steelcity said:
I like a clear p/s fluid so you can tell when she's getting dirty,same concept with the brake fluid .

Well, that's a point. Mine is black right now.... time for a change. Heading out to do it now....

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Old Crows

· #22 · Mar 20, 2011

Thanks Wiswind! I got out my Pella 6000 'oil sucker' and vacuumed the P/S fluid out of the reservoir. I disconnected the big fat hose and stuck the 'snozzle' in as far as I could get it and sucked out a whole bunch more fluid. I put the hose back and re-filled it with my remaining Castrol Import Multi-Vehicle ATF (its DEXRON III OK). When I started the car the P/S pump moaned for about a minute and it produced quite a bit of aerated fluid in the reservoir. Looked like Strawberry Mousse!!! I added some more and it stopped complaining and the lower part of the fluid in the reservoir was nice and clear. I siphoned some excess out of the reservoir leaving the fluid at the "MIN - COLD" mark.

The old P/S fluid was originally a light pee yellow. After 58500 miles it was really dark and nasty looking. Glad I changed it out.

One of those vacuum oil changers is the only way to go .... absolutely no work in this project and no spills!!!

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