Anyone here replace the power steering fluid? Its something I have never done to a car but now that I have a Jaguar with 120k miles and given the cost of parts... maybe this is a good idea? ...I had a Toyota that went 350k with the same power steering fluid...

 

Um, I'm game.

What year, and V12 or 6cyl???.

 

I replaced mine with "Lucas power steering fluid with conditioners". Very smooth and seems to work like it should. I did NOT use the stop leak version...

 

It would be a good idea for you to insert details of your car NOW so you won't always get the same response when asking a question...which would be...what year and engine do you have.

You gave us just as much information about your Toyota as you have with the Jaguar, and you weren't even asking for help with the Toyota!

There are 21 years of options, we can't exactly assume which one you have.

 

There is fluid in the rack and lines, but if you make it easy on yourself then it is easier to change it more regularly, which makes a partial change at home worth it.

Just get a hand vacuum pump or turkey baster and remove all the fluid from the reservoir and replace it with new fluid. If you want, you can do this several times, until the remaining old fluid is a lower percentage of what is in the system.

running a different car to 350k with no power steering problems while doing no maintenance isn't really something to brag about, you didn't take care of it, but got lucky. The stuff isn't very expensive, and if you just change some of it out, like i described, it is pretty painless.

Generally, I think a good rule of thumb is change it when you change out brake fluid, about once every 2 years or 30k miles, whichever happens first. Many people don't do the brake fluid that soon either, so again, if it is easier change out the reservoir and do a complete job the next time around.
I am not recommending you only change the reservoir fluid for a brake fluid change, but if it is a question of doing that, or nothing at all, it is obviously the first choice.

 

In response to a reply... I did care for the Toyota which is why it went so long. Oil was changed every 3k. I just never thought of the PS fluid which is why I post here. I'm just curious as to what issues people may have had with old PS fluid. It does not seem to be an intensive mechansim which is why I guess people go so long without replacing the fluid.

Also, things can be made worse if not done correctly... I think I will just siphon out what I can and then add more fluid.

For the record its been 120k since this was last done...

 

I am not saying you didn't take care of the car at all, just that you didn't take care of the power steering system. It is best to think of it like the brake fluid or tranny fluid, especially since the fluid is so similar to tranny fluid.

It is a closed system, so it requires little maintenance, but over time the fluid does get debris from wearing metals and stuff in it, and it needs to be replaced. The brake fluid doesn't get that so much as it becomes exposed to moisture and its boiling point drops dramatically.

There are some pretty fine orifices in the steering rack and pump and any worn away metals can act as a fine grit that will wear it even faster. This can damage the pump and the rack.I recently changed a pump control valve because of a lack of maintenance.