Sentra power steering fluid screw up

[measureman]

OK I did a dumb thing. I have an 06 Sentra and noticed the power steering fluid was red and smelled bad.So I thought someone put ATF fluid in it.
I got a quart of power steering fluid and sucked out the red stuff ran the car turning the wheels and sucked it out again replacing with the power steering fluid 3 times.The fluid still looks pretty red
Then I checked my owners manual and it says to use ATF in the power steering.
I think the two are compatible but did i really screw up? Or am i just being too cautious?

 

[Volv04Life]

Originally Posted By: measureman
OK I did a dumb thing. I have an 06 Sentra and noticed the power steering fluid was red and smelled bad.So I thought someone put ATF fluid in it.
I got a quart of power steering fluid and sucked out the red stuff ran the car turning the wheels and sucked it out again replacing with the power steering fluid 3 times.The fluid still looks pretty red
Then I checked my owners manual and it says to use ATF in the power steering.
I think the two are compatible but did i really screw up? Or am i just being too cautious?


I did it aswell. I have an 05 altima. Car still runs and steers great with no whines from the pump.

 

[lubedude13]

Should be fine. I've used power steering fluid in my celica for 40k miles and it specs trans fluid

 

[gregk24]

I would not panic over it, but I would have it flushed and filled with the proper spec ATF. Thats what it calls for after all.

 

[artificialist]

Often where I worked, the power steering slush system would come with yellow PSF, and they told us to use it even where ATF was used. It never caused a problem.

There is another example where PSF is used where ATF is specified. Some Toyota cars would be shipped with yellow PSF, even though the manual and reservoir cap would say "Dexron III ATF" on it. That yellow PSF would become dirty more quickly than ATF.

Mitsubishi is also kind of weird this way. The manual calls for Diaqueen PSF which is orange in color, but also says to use ATF.