The ABCs of Checking and Changing Power Steering Fluid

You do not need professional help to check or change the power steering fluid of your car. If you have an older model, note that it may not have power steering. Circumstances under which you should change the steering fluid of your car are when you hear whining noises when turning the wheel, where there are leaks, when the power steering fluid level has gone down on the indicator, every five years or at least every 100,000 miles, whichever comes first, and when the steering fluid changes color. The importance of changing the power steering fluid cannot be overemphasized. You should change the fluid regularly because over time, the O-rings and other interior power steering components undergo tear and wear and the power steering fluid hence becomes impure. This makes the power steering pump work much harder than it should and this leads to eventual breakdown. You will be forced to cough up much money in repairs when this happens. There is even a risk of the system breaking down beyond salvage. Another reason you should check and change the steering fluid regularly is to avoid accidents. There is a risk of accidents when the fluid levels are low or when there is debris in the system because there is increased friction. The wheel could lock itself or fail to respond as it should and this will make the car hard to control. To check the fluid level, open the hood of the car. There is a hood release lever beneath the dashboard. After pulling the hood release lever, find the hood latch and depress it. You will find this at the front end of the hood in most cars. A pulley and belt system drives the power steering pump. This is usually labeled power steering by most manufacturers to avoid confusion. You can also go through your owner's manual to find out where the power steering pump is located. Locate the reservoir on top of the pump and check the level of the fluid. If you car has a plastic cap, you can check the level of the fluid by looking at the side calibrations. If you car is metallic, unscrew it and use a dipstick attached to it to measure the level. You can check the fluid while it is hot or cold. The dipstick for the metal cap and the marking on plastic caps has levels indicating Hot and Cold. If the fluid level is below these markings, add extra fluid. You should note that some cars should not be topped up with steering fluid that is not made specifically for the make. You should also go through the owner's manual to check whether there is anything extra you should do or know about. If the fluid has changed color or if you have refilled for far too long, you need to change everything. To do this, use a special tool designed to withdraw all the fluid. Fill the cap up to the level required and turn on the engine. Leave the engine running for some minutes and then check the level again and top up if necessary. If there is a change in color, you will need to replace the fluid several times until the color is normal again. This will take a week or so.

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