Power steering fluid help. Please!

I cannot find any consistent information on what atf to use for my power steering fluid flush. People say ‘use atf type III/ IV’ and then show a bottle of type VI…… I have no clue what I should use. Can anybody help?

 

Just FYI you're probably just going to get the same inconsistent replies in this thread haha, different people will use different stuff.

*Personally* I used 1.5 qt Valvoline DEX/MERC ATF, specifically Valvoline or the NAPA brand since their supplier is supposed to be Valvoline. Regardless of brand the bottle you want should say applicable for systems calling for DEX III ATF (as far as I know our's calls for DEX II/III). Valvoline maxlife is also commonly used but I avoided it because its designed for "multivehicle" and synthetic, which I read somewhere we shouldn't use synthetic. No clue if that's true but I've used DexIII/MERC in toyotas, lexus, and subarus for years with no issues.

If you're really concerned about it just pay the premium for the Toyota OEM "power steering" fluid, which is apparently just un-dyed Dex III. You do not want the Toyota T-IV ATF which is spec'd for the older automatic Toyota/AISIN transmissions.

 

I have seen talk about actual power steering fluid not having detergents in it like ATF has. If you are inclined to use ATF I would use the same kind the Transmission takes or a multi-cert fluid like Valvoline Max-Life, or what the owners manual says.

Maxlife ATF meets: GM DEXRON-II, DEXRON-III, DEXRON-VI, and DEX-CVT;

Toyota states

 

Thanks Peter, good to have someone reply directly to me that has the same truck. Appreciate it!

 

Likely this comes from the "old school" "synthetic is bad mmkay, I drink dino bones for breakfast' crowd. People swap synthetic into engines that didn't come with it from factory all the time.

 

I've been sucking out the old in the PS reservoir and replacing it with Maxlife ATF at my oil changes. Knock on wood, so far no ill effects.

 

Hey don't pick on us Dino guys, it worked just fine for a reason for 100 years.

 

Yeah, I pull the lower hose from my reservoir a few times a year and drain it. Then top it off with the Dexron stuff. My truck is 10 years old with 171,000 miles on it and steering is in great shape.

 

Valvoline Maxlife ATF. Same stuff I use in the transmission.

 

Nothing wrong with Dinos, just the new stuff is just as good or better. Ancient tech worked fine for plenty of years but the new stuff is better.

330,000mi and running max life for the last 200k mi

 

Under the assumption you don’t have the owners manual the cap on the PS reservoir should state what to use, right?

 

ATF works well in PS systems, dont spend too much time researching just go to the dealer and grab some from the parts dept.