does power steering fluid need to be changed?

Passport1 said:
PS hoses deteriorate like coolant hoses. The debris contaminates the fluid and over time can cause a steering rack to leak or wear out. Like so many have said, 'oil is cheap, engines are $$'. Substitute steering rack for engine and this aphorism is still true. BTW, I changed out the ATF in my son's Suzuki Grand Vitara using the method of unhooking the return line to the reservoir and filling it with clean fluid while the engine running. I works but I made a proper oleaginous mess on my driveway.
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Great word! The first time I read it was in an article written by George Will about five years ago when he was describing a particular politician. Will has excellent language skills.
 
I did the same thing on my 91 Ford pickup at 150,000 miles. (Turkey baster suck & fill). It came out jet black. I did it several times over a 2 month period. (4 or 5 times), until it came out nice and red.

I noticed one thing, and my wife another. The pump ran quieter, and my wife told me it was easier to steer. (She didn't know that I had replaced the fluid).
 
I say it needs changed. Hydraulic systems have service intervals.

I changed the PSF in my wife’s Volvo 2015 or so. Not sure what it had, but I’m sure it wasn’t the correct fluid. I did several drain and fills until the fluid was its normal clear clean and green. I then checked the level at oil changes and topped off when needed.

A few years ago, I noticed it was very black. Did several drain and fills and now it’s back to normal. I’m guessing there was around 50k-60k or so on the fluid.
 
Ive always changed mine...usually just suck it out with a mighty vac a couple times. They do sell flush kits and cleaners, I wouldn’t use those, but a simple drain and fill every few years should do the trick. Most power steering pumps have little metal vanes that scrape against the pump internal body to create the pump of the fluid. The vanes have a certain length, once they wear away it’s done. I imagine new fluid prolongs the life while also keeping the seals in the pinion of the power steering rack fresh (keeping them from drying out and leaking into each other - this is called morning sickness, when in the morning the power steering doesn’t feel right till it warms up).

None of this ^^ really matter now, electric steering has taken place on most newer vehicles for the last 6-7 years.
 
I change my PS fluid at the same time I do the auto trans. 3 years or 30k miles. I'm thinking of going 5 years or 30k miles (Ill never make 30K in 5 years!
 
My last car had hydraulic power steering. The current ride has electric steering. I used to pump out all of the psf (Dexron3/6) at every oil change, and the top off the reservoir. Every 4 years or so I'd flush the psf and replenish it.
 
Yes, for Honda J35 V6 engines for sure. The fluid deteriorates and makes the pump noisy. Clearly quieter after replacing the reservoir contents two or three times.
 
My old RAV4 went to the junkyard at 399,000 miles with the original PSF and mostly all original ATF. My current vehicles don't have PSF so nothing to worry about.
 
The way we change PS fluid is after drawing out the fluid and refilling we turn the steering wheel all the way from stop to stop then drain and fill. Seems to work. Also in vehicles mounted next to the exhaust manifold the pumps get really hot.
 
If you're servicing due to noise, make sure there's not a screen in the reservior. It's not serviceable, and they do get plugged and cause whining. Resevior replacement is the only option.

Some cars are hard on the PS fluid, and PS noise can be reduced through a fluid change. I like to suck out the fluid, pull the return line off the res, pipe it into a container, start the car and turn it off as soon as the pump starts to starve, reconnect the return to the res, refill, start the car with the tires off the ground, turn the wheels left and right, turn the car off and wait about 10 minutes, and do the last step until things are quiet and smooth, but usually it's good after the first or second time.
 
Gus_Mahn said:
If you're servicing due to noise, make sure there's not a screen in the reservior. It's not serviceable, and they do get plugged and cause whining. Resevior replacement is the only option.

Some cars are hard on the PS fluid, and PS noise can be reduced through a fluid change. I like to suck out the fluid, pull the return line off the res, pipe it into a container, start the car and turn it off as soon as the pump starts to starve, reconnect the return to the res, refill, start the car with the tires off the ground, turn the wheels left and right, turn the car off and wait about 10 minutes, and do the last step until things are quiet and smooth, but usually it's good after the first or second time
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I honestly didn't notice any whining on the way home today. Huh
 
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