Burned Transmission Fluid

Unfortunately, there is no detergent that you can use to eliminate the damage caused by years of lax maintenance. And, once you see trans fluid that is dark and burnt-smelling, the chances of getting many more miles out of that trans are…not good.

However, I would recommend changing the fluid, and I would recommend that you go to an independent trans shop (NOT AAMCO, Lee Myles, Cottman, Mr. Transmission, or any other chain) for this service. If you are a particularly lucky person, the fluid change may allow you to get a bit more life out of that trans.

As to the PS fluid, I’m not quite sure how that would have gotten burnt also, but I guess that anything is possible. If you saw it and it was foul-smelling, then–yes–it should also be changed.

Just for future reference, trans fluid should be changed every 3 years or 30k miles (whichever comes first), even if the mfr does not list this procedure in its maintenance schedule. There is a trend toward car mfrs using “lifetime fluid”, but that terminology is essentially meaningless IMHO, and the fluid would still need to be changed on the above-noted schedule.

Many people never change their PS fluid. I do it every 60k miles, but I do tend to be a bit obsessive with maintenance.