8th Generation Honda Civic Forum - View Single Post - Power Steering Fluid is "soiled" ???
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Old 07-02-2009, 01:47 PM   #16 (permalink)
racerex
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigT View Post
I can't say I've ever heard of a dealership recommending you to change your power steering fluid (which I assume is what they are getting at by saying it is "soiled"). However, if you are concerned just take a look at it yourself and see what it looks like.

I suppose any fluid can break down and I don't see why power steering fluid would be any different. I really wouldn't be expensive at all to change it. If for some reason it did get contaiminated it would be much easier and cheaper to replace it than to replace a power steering pump or steering rack down the line.

If you want to do it yourself I can walk you through doing it. It really is simpler than even changing your oil and doesn't take very long.
As for changing the P/S fluid, I've been doing the following for years (I also do this with my brake fluid) on all of my imports and domestics. Around every 25k miles, I suck the old fluid out of the reservior with a turkey baster (get it in at Wally World.. with the kitchen stuff) and I re-fill with fresh OE fluid. I do the procedure twice (i.e., remove, re-fill, drive around a few miles......say 50-75 miles for the brake fluid....remove and re-fill). As for the brake fluid, I usually do a full system re-fresh when it comes time for new pads and rotors.....since I have to bleed the system anyway, as I'm not a fan of forcing brake fluid back up through the ABS unit when I compress the caliper piston to install the new bads.
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