# Q about a power steering fluid change **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** fluids, accord, honda\ **Created:** [November 23, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/q-about-a-power-steering-fluid-change/82356 "2013-11-23T21:15:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Accordion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ab992/32.png) [@Accordion](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Accordion)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 9:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/q-about-a-power-steering-fluid-change/82356/1 "2013-11-23T21:15:21Z")
99 Accord with over 202,000 miles I am wondering if Honda has issued any limitations regarding briefly running the pump for the purpose of ejecting fluid out of the system after draining the reservoir? I saw a YouTube video where a fellow just ran the engine until “air” came out of the return hose and then his assistant shut the engine off, it didn’t take long at all. He seemed to mention in the remarks that this is what Honda recommends doing. It was on an Accord that it is 10 years newer, though. Really appreciate any help, Accordion ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 10:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/q-about-a-power-steering-fluid-change/82356/2 "2013-11-23T22:04:28Z")
Whaaaaaaa?!?! That sounds as crazy as draining all the oil out of the engine, then running the engine to get the last few drops out. Bat-sh@#$ crazy. You run that pump dry, immediate damage occurs. Irrepairable damage. Just suck out what you can with a turkey baster, and replace with fresh. Do that every 30,000 or 3 years. Use Honda power steering fluid. Honda’s are very sensitive to that. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/q-about-a-power-steering-fluid-change/82356/3 "2013-11-23T22:57:34Z")
What is usually done is the return hose is removed from the pump reservior and pointed into a container. Then new fluid is added to the reservior. The engine is started for just a second or two until the fluid in the reservior drops then the engine is shut off. The reservior is refilled and repeat. Continue doing this until the fluid coming out the return hose is clean. Reattach the hose and top off the power steering fluid. Tester ---
**Author:** ![Accordion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ab992/32.png) [@Accordion](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Accordion)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/q-about-a-power-steering-fluid-change/82356/4 "2013-11-24T21:13:42Z")
Perfect, thank you! Accordion ---
**Author:** ![FoDaddy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/fodaddy/32/717_2.png) [@FoDaddy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FoDaddy)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/q-about-a-power-steering-fluid-change/82356/5 "2013-11-24T21:58:50Z")
I use the turkey baster/siphon approach, and have had no problems. What I do is just pump out whatever is in the reservoir, put fresh fluid in, then let run the engine for a few seconds, and then repeat the process. I don’t get every last drop of old fluid out with this method, but I do get the vast majority of the old stuff out.