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So jiffy lube told me my power steering fluid is black, they asked if I wanted it service for $60 but I passed. I called up midas they charge $99. I called up my buddy and he said I would need 3 bottles of those power steering fluid to replace the old one. Is that about right? I’ll let him do it for me but in case it’s an easy job and I want to do it my self. How do I do it?
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It is fairly simple to do. If this is concerning your Celica you will need Dexron fluid…
Here is a write up for a Camry, but yours should be very similar…
or Youtube
-Karl
[quote=”bananaspree” post=132558]So jiffy lube told me my power steering fluid is black[/quote]
Is it black?
good question, I’d have to check my self because from looking at the compartment, I don’t think steering fluids go black the way engine oil does. Does steering fluid actually go black?
[quote=”barneyb” post=132574][quote=”bananaspree” post=132558]So jiffy lube told me my power steering fluid is black[/quote]
Is it black?[/quote]
The reason I asked is because Jiffy Lube’s job is the upsell. They want to sell you more things than a oil change in order, surprise surprise, to make more money. Now, it is not unusual for a vehicle to have other needs but they might be tempted to sell you something not needed. So, if they say the car needs this or that it is a good idea to actually check.
so I checked and the liquid is black. I’ve never ever serviced it since I owned the car for close to 10 years. Maybe it’s time to get it done. Someone here mentioned using Dexron liquid, but I don’t see anything Dexron at Walmart maybe they are out of it. What I saw was a steering fluid for “Asian”, so I’m assuming it could be used for my Celica. Maybe they are all Dexron which is why it never needed to be labeled as such? I’m only familiar with trans fluid being dexron etc. didn’t know steering fluids also come is as such.
For years Toyota used Dexron as a Power Steering fluid. If you don’t believe me, just do a google search, or better yet, read your manual, call the dealership or look at the Power Steering Fluid reservoir top… if it has the OEM Cap it will read “USE DEXRON TYPE ATF”
Also Dexron is backwards compatible, (They don’t make Dexron, Dexron II, or Dexron III anymore) They jumped and are now on Dexron VI which is available at any auto parts store… It is as common as you can get, and also affordable unlike some other manufacturers (Cough, Cough… Honda) Power steering fluid…
-Karl
This is a simple way of changing the power steering fluid. There are other and quicker ways of doing this but they all require tools and mechanical experience.
Buy Dexron and a suction gun. Suck black fluid out of the reservoir. Refill. Run engine. Repeat. The more times you do this the cleaner the fluid will be.
The only caution here is don’t run the engine with low power steering fluid. Doing so could damage the pump.
So there’s no way to run the fluid out through the hose connected to the fluid reservoir? A suction gun is required
?You don’t need a suction gun, a turkey baster will do it, but slowly. By the way Dexron isn’t a brand of fluid, it’s a type of automatic transmission fluid. Most power steering systems use any atf. I’d get a suction gun though. They’re about $13 at advance auto and they come in real handy. You could drain it thru the return hose but it would get messy.
Transmission fluid? I thought we’re talking about power steering fluid here? LOL. I checked at Walmart and none of the power steering fluid has a dex or atf sign so I just grabbed something for a Toyota (labeled “Asian”) plus it’s synthetic I think.
I’ve only seen “dexron” on tranny fluids. Maybe my buddy has a suction gun, but how does it suck out all of the old fluid? Does it all get sucked out or not so much as long as newer fluids gets put it? I bought 3 12 ounce bottles. It seems more than enough but whatever.
[quote=”TokyoDrift99″ post=132972]You don’t need a suction gun, a turkey baster will do it, but slowly. By the way Dexron isn’t a brand of fluid, it’s a type of automatic transmission fluid. Most power steering systems use any atf. I’d get a suction gun though. They’re about $13 at advance auto and they come in real handy. You could drain it thru the return hose but it would get messy.[/quote]
COOL! Glad I read this thread. I’ll make sure to do this. Just one question: Does it being black mean it’s no good? IIRC GM service manuals say nothing about PS Fluid change intervals however I would have to look at the manual to confirm this.
The power steering fluid in my car at 100k looks the same it did the day I bought it new. My car uses special Mitsubishi power steering fluid. One day I stopped at the Mitsubishi dealership in Fort Collins, Colorado to buy the special power steering fluid and was given a jug of automatic transmission fluid. The people at the dealership claimed to have never heard of special Mitsubishi power steering fluid. I bought the ATF.
Some cars call for hydraulic fluid and I have a jug of that too. It looks brown and dirty new in the jug. So, anyway, how does power steering fluid that starts out clean become black? Well, obviously, something has become entrained in the fluid and it is possible that this something might cause wear to the parts it comes in contact with. On the other hand, most cars, if they never leak, go to their deaths with the power steering fluid that was installed at the factory. So, is changing fluid a good idea? Well, if black it seems like a good idea and that is all I know.
Edit: In case the reader is wondering, this is an answer to a question posted here that has disappeared – a database error seems to have occurred. Having been a database manager for many years it seems like old times.
[quote=”TokyoDrift99″ post=132972]You don’t need a suction gun, a turkey baster will do it, but slowly. By the way Dexron isn’t a brand of fluid, it’s a type of automatic transmission fluid. Most power steering systems use any atf. I’d get a suction gun though. They’re about $13 at advance auto and they come in real handy. You could drain it thru the return hose but it would get messy.[/quote]
Yeah, a turkey baster will do but it is much more manly to be using a real tool rather than something you ‘borrowed” from the kitchen. On a forum somewhere I remember a guy asking how to get the petroleum smell out of his wife’s turkey baster so that he could return it to the kitchen. The answer was buy her a new one.
You might find this helpful.
As many have pointed out, using the correct fluid is critical. Good luck.
well my car is over 300,000 miles and I’ve never done any power steering service and I’ve had the car when it had only 68,000 miles. I’m surpirsed the fluid do not evaporate like oil or tranny fluids. I wonder why if it doesn’t really evaporate because it recycles and keep getting used back?
Since I couldn’t find any dexron or atf power steering fluid at Walmart, I’m assuming it’s default and comes as such that it needs no labeling.
[quote=”barneyb” post=133023]The power steering fluid in my car at 100k looks the same it did the day I bought it new. My car uses special Mitsubishi power steering fluid. One day I stopped at the Mitsubishi dealership in Fort Collins, Colorado to buy the special power steering fluid and was given a jug of automatic transmission fluid. The people at the dealership claimed to have never heard of special Mitsubishi power steering fluid. I bought the ATF.
Some cars call for hydraulic fluid and I have a jug of that too. It looks brown and dirty new in the jug. So, anyway, how does power steering fluid that starts out clean become black? Well, obviously, something has become entrained in the fluid and it is possible that this something might cause wear to the parts it comes in contact with. On the other hand, most cars, if they never leak, go to their deaths with the power steering fluid that was installed at the factory. So, is changing fluid a good idea? Well, if black it seems like a good idea and that is all I know.
Edit: In case the reader is wondering, this is an answer to a question posted here that has disappeared – a database error seems to have occurred. Having been a database manager for many years it seems like old times.[/quote]
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