Alright, I'm an idiot! I love cars and can fix just about anything. I just got home from vacation and was stressed. I loaned my car to a friend and when I got back, the red BRAKE light on the dash was on. Upon looking in the manual, I found it meant the brake fluid was low.

I went to the local auto shop and bought DOT 3 brake fluid. I don't even know how or why I did it, but I poured it into the power steering container! I finally realized what I did and tweaked! I got in about '1/2 a cup' before I realized what I was doing. I stopped and filled the real brake container.

I have driven the car 40 miles since.. the power steering was a little below MAX but not much, i just filled it to MAX with the brake fluid. Right now, the power steering seems fine...

The steering doesn't seem to be affected. How much harm did I cause? What should I do? Please let me know!!!! I'm so upset at myself for being so stupid. You could say it was a blonde moment.

In any case, I put the rest in proper brake container. The car is a 97 Max SE with 60.3k on the ODO. Lemme know, please.

-Mike

 

remind me not to buy your car when you decide to sell it

j/k, i dont know what could/would happen... but maybe you could pump it out or something and fill it with all PS fluid.

 

mabye rig up a turkey bastor with some extra tubing and suck it all out?

 

Remove the return line from the power steering reservoir and route it to a
catch can (you may have to rig a temporary extension line to reach). Start
the engine, turn the steering wheel to left lock, to right lock, and turn
off the ignition. Do this quickly because that reservoir will go dry in a
few seconds. If possible, have an assistant operate the steering wheel
while you pour in new "blood" as fast as needed. Reconnect the return
line. Top off the reservoir. Test drive the vehicle.

 

http://www.ifsja.org/tech/steering/psfluid.shtml

http://www.se-r.net/engine/replace_steering_fluid.html

 

It's been done before, cause I did it on my wife's '93 Sentra. DOH!!!
So do like Daniel said, is what I did, flush the system.

 

If you don't want to do it by disconnecting the lines, you can use a turkey baster, suck out as much as you can, add ATF (Power steering fluid), drive the car, and do the suck and fill several times over. This will not be as effective as the full drain and refill, but it's easier.