If there is a power steering on the steering wheel of your car, then in the future you will have to change the fluid for its full operation. This procedure is not complicated and does not require any special knowledge or skills, so each car owner will be able to carry out the replacement on his own.
When is it worth changing the power steering fluid?
Like engine oil and gearbox oil, power steering fluid also has a shelf life. As a rule, car manufacturers recommend changing the fluid every two years, or, based on the run, every 60 thousand kilometers traveled. Of course, if you are not driving too actively and in a small town, then you can reach up to 70 thousand. But nevertheless, if the fluid, which has developed all its properties, is not replaced in time, the hydraulic booster sediment may break, but it is not cheap.
How does the fluid change work?
If we consider the procedure, then it will take no more than 30-40 minutes. First, you should stock up on a brand new liquid. As a rule, all modern cars are filled with Dexron. Naturally, there are exceptions, say SUVs or sports cars, where the active operation of the car is provided. Therefore, before buying a new fluid, look in the data sheet, which fluid was originally filled. It is best to buy with a margin, so that later you do not go and look for the product you need in all the shops in the city.
Stock up on two pieces of cardboard (you can rip open the box) and place them under the two front wheels. This should be done to keep the wheels spinning easily in place. Then align the wheels and stop the engine. Take a large syringe and use it to pump out the old fluid from the power steering barrel. Already, when all the liquid has been removed, fill a new one with the same syringe.
After that, start the engine and turn the steering wheel three or four times to the stop in each direction so that the liquid warms up well and goes through the system. If you feel a strong obstacle that makes rotation difficult, then do not be alarmed, just the liquid under pressure begins to disperse through the pipes. That is why you need to turn the steering wheel several times in order to create the pressure that will distribute the fluid, because it will be difficult and not safe to do this on the road.
As a matter of fact, the whole procedure is nothing complicated, so you should not be afraid to perform it yourself.
