When I went by the dealership with just over 50,000 miles to get the bearing noise looked at he said that it was time for a power steering fluid flush. Is there a required time schedule to have this done or was he just trying to get me to spend some more money? Is this a necessary maintenence since I cant find it listed in the manuals?

Thanks,
Mark

 

Use a Turkey baster and suck out the fluid from the reserve and refill it. Repeat that a few times over a day or so and your system will have plenty of nice clean new fluid in it.

 

That's a great idea, and an easy method as well. Thanks! maz

 

What about the bearing noise?

 

Yeah, I just have this metal on metal noise coming from the passenger side wheel once the car warms up. Others have discussed on the board. The dealer told me it was the aftermarket pads, which is BS. I guess I'm going to try another dealership in the area since I couldnt convince him that it was the bearing.

 

what adverse affect comes from not having power steering fluid changed. My car has 95K miles and I don't believe the fluid has ever been changed.

 

i was wondering the same

 

About wheel bearings....my car makes the squeak sound even before my car is warmed up...

 

We never sell power steering flushes at the dealer i work at ...they like to sell steering racks instead. My advice would be to do what njmaxseltd
said and use only nissan fluid. If you use tranny fluid or generic fluid you will damage the seals over time and the rack will begin to leak. further more i would only change the fluid in the resivior.

 

Now I am worried. I drained and refilled the PS reservoir multiple times with 2 Qt. of Mobil 1 ATF at 76K. I wonder if I should've used Nissan ATF instead. The owner manual is not helping at all. It recommends Nissan ATF for the transmission, but specifies DEXRON III for PS fluid. I thought that Nissan ATF is not meant for PS, and only DEXRON III should be used. Any chance of Mobil 1 ATF causing problems later?

 

I have a question mayby you can help, one i have my belt off my pump if i drain some fluid out or all of it will it make it easier to steer im thinking it will because i can feel the different presures when its hot or cold outside. And if it would make it easier to steer what kind of reliabilty would it have ,mayby i could leave alittle in? Thanks

 

i wouldnt run a "power" steering rack dry. the fluid is where it gets its lubrication from. as for you UncleMax i would drain entire system as best as you can and refill with nissan p/s fluid. you should be ok.

 

Hey there's another Uncle Max?

 

I went to the dealer to buy some PS fluid. They told me that they don't sell any and that I can go to any auto store and get some. They did recommend PS fluid with DEXRON III. Is there any credence to this? I'm holding off swaping the PS fluid till I feel comfortable with the answer. I've got 66k '98 SE

 

I've been using Mobil 1 ATF for PowerSteering purposes with no problems to report.