Educate me on Power Steering fluid color / level.

So i tried to search for the answer and saw a few posts regarding this but none of them answered my question. Basically the power steering fluid has never been changed or topped off since the truck was new (bought by me) and for some reason never really thought to check that fluid... all other fluids get changed regularity except this one just never popped into my head. See the two attached pics that is the color of the fluid and it was on the cold level when the engine was on operating temp. So I know I need more fluid but the brown tells me that it has been overdue to a flush for many many years. I just want to confirm before I book an appt with toyota for a flush that it actually needs one (as I remember the fluid is supposed to be reddish like the ATF).

Thanks for all the help.

--Dan

 

sometimes and quite often dealers use their own color fluids for things like PS so they can tell theirs from others so they know if someones messing with stuff as well as sell it at a high price because people think its somehow different.

color means nothing, smell it, if it smells burnt then change it, flushing isn't needed. just suck out as much as you can with turkey baster and refill and your done

 

Alright thanks for the info. So what kind of power steering fluid should I add?

--Dan

 

It should say on the cap to use ATF for the fluid. Don't take it to Toyota to do a flush, its so so easy! Remove the rubber line that goes into the reservoir it has a small spring style clamp, its the return line. Route that line down and point it at the ground so you can fill your container with the old fluid. Jack up the front end, both tires off the ground. Make sure your steering wheel is unlocked then simply grab one of the tires, don't matter which one and turn it back and fourth. Like you were "steering" it. That's it, do that until you're seeing clean fluid coming out of that return line, you'll have to fill the reservoir a few times obviously, cause itll drop in fluid level pretty quick, so so easy!! If you like you can take a Turkey baster and suck out as much as you can from the reservoir before you start, then fill with new fliud and start turning a wheel back and fourth. That doesn't need to be done but might save you a couple minutes since you're getting out a bunch of that old fluid and not sending it through the system. The truck is not running when doing this! Engine off and steering unlocked.

 

I just used a turkey baster. Sucked out the old, refill, turn steering wheel, suck out again, refill and repeat until the color is ATF red.

 

^^what he said. I did mine the same way using red ATF fluid.

As for the fluid, I was told they use an ATF fluid that doesn't have any dye in it at the factory.

 

Question regarding fluid type here. The FSM and OM say to use Dexron II ATF or Dexron III ATF. That being said, is it safe to use Dexron IV for power steering ATF since they claim to be backwards compatible? Also, is it safe to use synthetic ATF for power steering. I've read from a few different sources that the answer is no to one or both of those questions but forgot where I came across it. I recall that when it comes to manual tranny fluid, you want to avoid GL5 and use the GL4 stuff (94 and older trucks for sure, 95-04 would be better off with the GL4 if possible).

 

yes, if its ok for the tranny its ok for the PS, its the viscosity and seal lubricating factors that matter the most