Water in power steering fluid

Maintenance/Repairs
1

I put windshield washer in the wrong spot…into the power steering reservoir. I removed almost all with a turkey bulb baster :slight_smile: into two containers. The frist was 2/3 of the tank and the last third into a tall cup and it was mostly the washer almost clear fluid.



My husband thought it would be ok to put the first container that looked like power steering fluid back in. Was it a good idea? I leave in 2 days for a 5 hour trip towing a horse trailer and cannot be stranded.



Thanks

2

The fluid is not that expensive. I don’t recall if PS fluid will absorb water, many fluids can. The fluid is not that expensive, replacing parts is expensive.

Did you drive the car after filling it with the washer fluid?

3

If you didn’t drive the vehicle you can probably just remove as much fluid as you can and replace it with new, clean PS fluid.

C’mon, PS fluid is cheap. Why gamble putting the old stuff back in?

4

I would take the hose off the bottom of the reservoir, let the remains drain out, tip the hose down and drain as much out as possible. Put it back together, refill with all new fluid.

5

Washer fluid has more than water in it. winter mix has alcohol and there is probably detergent. You don’t know what will partition into the PS fluid. Don’t put anything back in. Change the rest of the fluid.