hello, I am considering changing my power steering fluid even though it is not mentioned in my car’s manual. Would it be ok if I drained the reservoir with a siphon and then refill with fresh fluid. then turn on car for a few minutes and then repeat process? Honestly, I am not comfortable with taking off hose for fear of spillage, etc! If I do this, it will not damage car or should I leave fluid alone? Of course I would use Honda Power steering fluid.
thank you for your replies…much respect for your advise!!
Car: Honda accord 2.3L 4 cyc automatic 105,000 miles.
Yours is the best and an accepted way. Go for it. A turkey baster from the dollar store is as good as anything else for this.
thanks for your reply! May I ask how long I should leave the car on and also how many bottles do you think it will take?
sorry I forgot to ask…do I need to turn the steering wheel or having the car on for few minutes will circulate the fluid? again thank you and sorry for my car ignorance.
The fluid should continually circulate. When you turn the wheel it gets directed by the spool valve to one or the other side of the rack’s piston.
Drain the reservoire with the baster, refill with fresh fluid, turn the engine on and cycle the steering wheel a few times, and repeat. This cycle fluid in the rack. Do this a few times and you’ll replace enough of the fluid to have accomplished your goal.
thanks same mountain bike. I will attempt this tomorrow!!! Is there a special place to dispose of the old fluid?
I would think a parts store like Advance Auto or Autozone should take it for free.
My town dump would take it. Perhaps yours will too.
“. . . even though it’s not mentioned in my car’s manual.”
It’s not mentioned because it’s not necessary. If it was necessary, it would be in the manual.
You can change the fluid if you want to, but I fail to see why you would want to. If the Honda engineers thought it was necessary they’d have told you.
They didn’t tell you to change the fluid, so it’s not necessary.
There is a PS fluid reservoir. There will be two hoses connected to it, a suction hose and a return hose. The return hose usually is held in place by a simple hose clamp…Remove this hose and stick it in a 2 liter soda bottle. Start the engine and wait until fluid stops pouring into the bottle…Shut of the engine. With a flashlight, peer down inside in the now empty reservoir and see if there is a filter screen that needs to be cleaned…Reconnect the return line and refill with fresh fluid…Start the engine and turn the wheel lock to lock a few times. Recheck the fluid level…
Thank you for all your replies!!! I’m a big fan of preventive maintenance and since changing the ps fluid can’t hurt, might as well since the car has over 100,000 miles and I live in orlando fl (hot weather)! Ideally, I would love to do what caddyman suggested but I’m not comfortable with removing the hose for the first time. Best if I could watch someone do it to learn. Therefore, I am going to try what same mountain bike suggested. In time, I will gain more confidence and familiarity with cars. Of course I will be responsible and dispose properly. Thank you again …much respect from this honda girl!!!
Use the turkey baster as mountainbike said . . . squirt it into a clear glass measuring cup . . . then simply replace the exact amount that you removed. Easy as pie. Rocketman