Sorry for the n00b question, but does anyone know what reservoir this is? Power Steering? I'm fairly certain the fluid needs to be changed. What do you guys use?

 

power steering, i just topped mine off with power steering fluid, dont recall it being anything special

 

You can use regular power steering fluid though I've often heard using automatic transmission fluid works well on maximas. Any particular reason you think it needs to be changed?

 

Cause it's black, yO!

 

I recall the need to use only automatic transmission fluid and specifically not to use power steering fluid.

 

just use the same fluid you use in your tranny.

 

FFS it's the blueberry jelly dispenser

 

anyone care to elaborate?

 

^^^ 5th gen auto's use nissanmatic D tranny fluid which is the same thing as "dex/merc" in your local auto store.

EDIT: it will literally have dex/merc on the bottle but I think the generic stuff has like "dex III/merc" on it but its the same thing

 

according to my haynes manual, it says dexron III or equivalent.

 

Well at least no one suggested that it's the blinker fluid reservoir.

Thanks guys. I'm taking it to the shop for brake pads and I just noticed how bad this is. I'm not sure what is in it right now, but I'll probably have dexron III ATF put in. Last I checked, that stuff isn't supposed to be black lol.

 

ok, but why run it in the power steering?

 

try reading the cap on your power steering fluid reservoir...

 

so... basically bc they said so? just curious as to why power steering takes auto trans fluid? do i need to make sure my brakes dont take washer fluid and my cooling system doesnt take gasoline?

 

If you searched and read as much as you ask a bunch of questions that have already been answered throughout the org, you would know they are both hydraulic fluids. With tranny fluid having a slightly better operating temp(so "they" say).

Feel free to put whatever fluid you want in whatever reservoir/tank you want in YOUR max.

 

From the 2002 Maxima FSM

Automatic
transaxle fluid
model RE4F04B
capacities 9 US qt 7-1/2 Imperial qt 8.5 liters
FLUID Nissan Matic “D” (Continental U.S. and Alaska) or Canada NISSAN Automatic Transmission
Fluid *2

*2: DexronTM III/MerconTM or equivalent may also be used. Outside the continental United States and Alaska contact a NISSAN dealership
for more information regarding suitable fluids, including recommended brand(s) of DexronTM III/MerconTM Automatic Transmission
Fluid.
PS- I know things are quiet lately on the org, but it's getting sad when a query about ATF fluid generates 15 responses and yes, I'm just razzin you guys!

 

if you answered the question the first time, i would have only asked 1 question. now, youve answered me what... 3-4 times? you still havent even answered the question yet. unless you call "bc they are both hydraulic fluids..." an answer

lol, im a member of atleast 15 forums, i know how search works. but this is a thread, on the topic, which you conversate in. go search "power steering fluid" and see if you can get an answer faster than a cool person replying... "bc our pumps suck" or whatever the answer may be

but its cool, it doesnt really matter, i was just curious and conversating

 

Well he was right. Hydraulic fluid is incompressible so therefor it goes in a system absent of air and can thus produce quite a bit of force. You can really interchange the 2 but if it makes you feel better to put the brake fluid in the brake system and the power steering in the power steering system it really doesnt matter.

ATL, Where in Atlanta do you live? Are you in the city limits?

 

well i was fully aware that they are both hyd fluid, but i was wondering if there was some science behind the idea. kerosene is a fuel, but you dont put it in your gas tank bc its also a fuel. just wondering about it.

but im just north of the city, right at 75/285, up in marietta. are you in the city?

 

Well the simple answer is there is a lot more involved in a fuel as opposed to a fluid that simply doesn't compress and lubricates slightly. There is not much science behind it at all its just one of those marketing ideas to rip us off and sell us different versions of the same thing you know?

Yea north avenue but I might be moving soon, the city is expensive. My grandparents used to live in Marietta but they sold their house and moved to St. Simons. My parents live in Alpharetta/Johns Creek.

 

yea, my buddy lives off howell mill and is trying to convince me to move into the city. me and my girl are hoping to purchase our first house soon, but were looking in kennesaw area. she lives out in alpharetta right now, and its not much cheaper than the city

 

Power Steering Fluid = Hydraulic Fluid
Automatic Transmission Fluid = Hydraulic Fluid.
They are equivalent to each other, so no Scientific Magic here.
Of course though, don't be smart and put P/S fluid on your AT (assuming your power-train is a AT). ATF can withstand more heat and has some detergents that is needed for the AT but still safe enough to use on the P/S.

I use Nissan Matic-D on my power steering system.

 

no lol Alpharetta is not cheap either. Yea an X I still stay in touch with is moving into a house in Kennesaw with a girlfriend and she got it for pretty cheap. This was renting of course though. The housing market is definitely in the buyers favor though so congrats on looking and happy hunting when you do start

 

It's not rocket science lol, you can use tranny fluid in the power steering because its a hydraulic fluid like power steering fluid(this means they have the same chemical properties). That's what you asked, If you want a detailed explanation google it.

Idc if your on 25000 forums, if you knew how to search you wouldn't have asked a question you supposedly knew the answer to.

FYI: you can put kerosene in your tank...if you own a jet

 

ok lou

 

Nissan says to use dexron auto trans fluid in the power steering, so that's what will go in my cars. I don't feel like arguing with the Nissan engineers.

 

made sense to me too

 

no one is arguing with anyone. just trying to have an educational conversation, thats what forums are for, right?

 

I shouldn't have used the word argue because I don't know enough to be able to argue this.

But it seems to me that atf is a little thicker than power steering fluid. I know that atf is highly detergent to control varnish build-up in transmissions and because of this, you can use atf as a penetrating oil.

 

Reservoir has been named...


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