Power steering fluid: selection table by car make. How to choose and what to fill in the power steering?

I noticed that the power steering was humming or something when turning and the steering wheel became stiffer, so I went to look at the level, and it was at the very beginning of the dipstick. Did I kill the power steering? What fluid should I add? Is it possible to mix?

Comments 37

Hello, don’t bother! Go to the service center and ask what kind of fluid should be there and immediately notice from them, just buy from them. Then when you buy it, change it all, drain the old one and pour a new one, but when you pour it into the reservoir, pour more so that air doesn’t get in and in one it will work out. I've already gone through all of this, if you ask me anything!

The other day I had the same problem. I went to the store and looked at the computer and it was green. The seller asks, what kind of one do you really have? Do I know?! I was about to take a liter of brilliant green and then the seller remembered that they had a universal one on sale, suitable for all colors made in USA and only $8 a liter. I topped it up to the level, drove home, added a little more and the sound went away.

You cannot mix mineral water, synthetics and semi-synthetics, and what color someone has is the second question (it does not match for all manufacturers). What kind of oil do you have, ask the question in the store or from the officials, let them look at the official catalogues, and decide which manufacturer to take according to your wallet. I poured Febi and there were no problems, but the fact that they write shit most likely poured the wrong oil.

I came from the service. Filled with 2 liters of liquimol. Somehow I don’t like it. The sound of the Volga remained.

Perhaps your pump has “run out”... I went through this... If it turns out to be true, look into the topic of replacing the pump with a pump from a shnivy! Yes Yes! I actually ordered the original for the allroad, but then I found out that it was possible from Shnivy, because they have Bosch pumps with the part numbers “blow to blow”! There is a lot of information about this on AK and Drive

Ok, thanks, I'll read it! Everything seems to be back to normal now. But I don’t know, when I turn the steering wheel in place, the speed jerks a little, is this normal?

Isn’t it critical that the jerk occurs at the very beginning of the rotation? The load on the internal combustion engine increases, so it’s not scary

Yes at the beginning, thanks for reassuring))

Regarding mixing In order not to harm the power steering system, you need to follow the rules: 1) Yellow and red mineral oils can be mixed; 2) Green oils cannot be mixed with either yellow or red ones. 3) Mineral and synthetic oils cannot be mixed.

What is power steering fluid

Power steering fluid is a specialized fluid that acts as a working fluid in the hydraulic power steering systems of cars, tractors and other wheeled vehicles.
Modern cars and trucks, buses, tractors and other wheeled vehicles are equipped with a system that facilitates the driver’s work - hydraulic power steering (power steering). This system consists of a liquid pump driven by the engine crankshaft, a power actuator, a control mechanism and piping. The actuator is racks or steering mechanisms with bipods, and the control mechanism is a distributor integrated with the rack or steering mechanism, which controls fluid flows depending on the direction and angle of rotation of the steering wheel.

Power steering uses various fluids as a working fluid, which are assigned several important functions:

Transfer of force from the power steering pump to the actuator, which ensures the rotation of the steered wheels;
Lubrication of rubbing parts of the power steering system;
Protection of metal elements of power steering from corrosion;
Cooling of the rubbing parts of the power steering system.

All these functions can be most effectively performed only by special fluids designed for use in power steering. These liquids have a number of features and distinctive features, which should be discussed in more detail.

Horror stories about power steering oil - true or false?

Main myth No. 1. Oils should not be mixed

Answer: Almost true.

The Internet and the minds of “experts” are full of information that:

We can say this with 100% confidence:

Mineral and synthetic oils cannot be mixed!

In extreme cases, you can mix red with yellow, red with red and yellow with yellow from different manufacturers. BUT! At the same time, do not forget the rule that you can only mix mineral water with mineral water, and synthetics with synthetics.

If you're stuck somewhere in a field with a broken power steering and a driver passing by shares some oil with you, but you don't know if it can be mixed with yours, drive without oil. As they say, it does not affect speed. Well, if you pump up your hands a little, the steering wheel still turns.

Myth No. 2. Synthetics spoil the elements of the power steering system

This myth is based on the fact that “aggressive” synthetics destroy system parts made from materials based on natural rubber.

Automakers are trying their best to make seals and oils more friendly. It is unlikely that they would produce power steering fluids that destroy components.

Over 10 years of working with steering systems, we have not found a connection between the rate of wear of seals and the type of oil. But the connection between component wear and old dirty oil is the most direct. Old oil carries metal microparticles and debris, which destroys not only the seals, but also the metal elements of the system. Low-quality oil simply does not perform its functions.

Due to dirty oil, the pressure reducing valve of the power steering pump “sticks”

By the way. The myth about evil synthetics is also fueled by stories like this: the driver filled the power steering with some kind of fresh water for a long time or simply didn’t change the oil for a hundred years “and nothing flowed.” And then I finally bought good synthetic, poured it in, and it started pouring out of all the cracks! Well, synthetic oil is to blame.

Not guilty. If nothing was leaking with dirty oil, it was for one simple reason: the mass of viscous oil and dirt clogged micro leaks in the seals (as plumbers say, it took too long). And synthetics, with their super-cleaning properties, washed away all these dirt plugs, and here you go. By the way, if you fill in high-quality mineral water, the picture will be the same - tired seals will leak.

Classification of power steering hydraulic fluids

Fluids used in power steering can be divided according to several criteria:

Color;
Compound;
Variety.

Color classification

It is wrong to be guided only by color gradation when choosing oil, although this practice is widespread among car owners. It is also often indicated what color liquids can be mixed and which ones should not be mixed.

Mixing is contraindicated with liquids based on composition and not color, and since now both mineral water and synthetics can be presented in any color, you should treat this information very carefully.

Red ATF gear oil is usually synthetic, the Dexron brand from General Motors is considered the standard, but there are products from other manufacturers, such as Revenol, Motul, Shell, Zic, etc.

Yellow oil, produced by the Daimler concern and under its license, is used in Mercedes-Benz hydraulic boosters. It can be synthetic and mineral.

Green oil. For the most part, multifunctional and universal liquids can be either synthetic or mineral in composition. They are used in power steering, suspension and other systems that operate on liquids. It cannot be mixed with other colors, except in cases where the manufacturer declares full compatibility, for example Comma PSF MVCHF is compatible with some types of Dexron.

Reds

They belong to the ATF class, that is, transmission. Most often used for automatic transmissions, but sometimes also used for power steering. The red brands Dexron II and Dexron III are developed by the automobile concern General Motors. There are other red brands, but they are manufactured under license from General Motors.

Yellow

This liquid is considered universal. This type of oil can be found in most hydraulic power steering systems. This lubricant is also used in manual and automatic transmissions.

Green

Synthetic or mineral based oil. For use exclusively in manual transmissions. You can use such a lubricant in power steering, but before doing this you need to drain all the old fluid and flush the system.

Types of power steering fluids

Power steering fluids must have different properties, which are provided by additives and chemical composition. Among them:

required viscosity index;
temperature resistance;
mechanical and hydraulic properties;
corrosion protection;
anti-foam properties;
lubricating properties.

All power steering fluids on the market have all these characteristics to one degree or another.

In turn, according to their chemical composition they are distinguished:

synthetic;
semi-synthetic;
mineral oils.

Let's look at their differences and scope of application.

Synthetic

Synthetics are based on hydrocarbons (alkylbenzenes, polyalphaolefins) and various esters. All these compounds are obtained as a result of directed chemical synthesis from oil. This is a base to which various additives are added. Synthetic oils have the following advantages:

high viscosity index;
thermal-oxidative stability;
long service life;
low volatility;
resistance to low and high temperatures;
Excellent anti-corrosion, anti-foam and lubricating properties.

But even with such characteristics, fully synthetic oils are rarely used in power steering systems due to the many rubber seals that are aggressively affected by synthetics. Synthetics are used only if approved by the manufacturer. Another disadvantage of synthetics is the high price.

Semi-synthetic

To neutralize the aggressive effect on rubber parts, manufacturers add a variety of silicone additives.

Mineral

Mineral oils are based on various petroleum fractions, such as naphthenes and paraffins. 97% is a mineral base, the other 3% is additives. Such oils are more suitable for power steering, as they are neutral to rubber elements. Operating temperature ranges from -40°C to 90°C. Synthetics work up to 130°C-150°C, the lower limit is similar. Mineral oils are affordable, but in other respects they are inferior to synthetic ones. This concerns service life, foaming and lubricity.

What kind of oil should be poured into the power steering - synthetic or mineral? First of all, the one recommended by the manufacturer.

Differences between hydraulic fluids

Dexron. Lubricants have been produced since 1968. This is a separate class created by General Motors Corporation. Dexron is an official brand and is not manufactured exclusively by GM.

ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) - lubricants intended for automatic transmissions. Widespread among Japanese manufacturers. Often such hydraulic oil is found in power steering, most of it has a red tint.

PSF (Power Steering Fluid) – oil for hydraulic booster.

Multi HF are universal hydraulic oils for use in hydraulic power steering systems, allow complete mixing and interchangeability, and have approvals from many automakers. This oil is the best choice when purchasing.

Why can't you save?

If you decide to buy hydraulic fluid for your car, you need to pay attention to trusted manufacturers. This consumable material cannot be purchased in dubious places and retail outlets, since the safety of vehicle operation largely depends on it. If you save money and end up with low-quality or counterfeit liquid, you will get a number of disadvantages. Let's look at two main signs characteristic of poor hydraulic fluids.

Performance degradation

During operation of the hydraulic system, the working fluid is heated to high temperatures - up to 100 degrees or more. In this case, oils with low-quality additives may coagulate, making it difficult to rotate the steering wheel.

Liquids of particularly low quality can generally lead to breakdown of the hydraulic booster under high loads. In this case, the steering will work for a while, but over time the driver will have to change the entire rack or repair the hydraulic system. Read a separate article about servicing and replacing the steering rack.

Release of hazardous vapors

Hydraulic fluid contains chemical additives and reagents that can emit dangerous vapors if a counterfeit low-quality lubricant is poured into the system. These vapors penetrate into the vehicle interior and can harm people's health.

If you buy hydraulic fluid from trusted auto stores from well-known brands, you won’t have to worry about this, but if you decide to save money and buy the product somewhere on the market or along the road, a problem may arise.

Motorists have to change or add hydraulic fluid relatively infrequently, so saving on it is simply not worth it. It is better to buy liquids with additives from well-known companies that have all the necessary certificates.

Source

Changing power steering oil - description of the process

Replacing the lubricant in the power steering is a rather painstaking task; you should take the procedure seriously and follow the instructions.

Adding fluid

To add oil, it is recommended to purchase Multi HF universal fluid, since it can be mixed with absolutely any lubricant.

Instructions for adding hydraulic lubricant to the power steering:

Inspect the power steering reservoir and mechanism for leaks. If there are any, they need to be eliminated;
Check the hydraulic oil level in the power steering reservoir;
After removing the plug, add fluid to about;
Start the engine and turn the steering wheel from the extreme left to the extreme right;
Check the lubricant level in the power steering reservoir and, if necessary, top up to about.

Complete fluid change

A complete lubricant change requires great perseverance and coordination. Hydraulic oil must be selected based on the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Hang up the car. This is done to facilitate rotation of the steering wheel when the engine is off;
We will need a syringe - we need to pump out all the fluid from the power steering reservoir;
Then loosen the clamps on the hoses, remove them from the tank, rinse the container itself thoroughly;
Direct the return line (steering rack hose) into an empty jar - the liquid remaining in the rack will drain there;
By turning the steering wheel, remove any remaining lubricant from the mechanism. It is required to make quite intense and prolonged movements with the steering wheel;
After the hydraulic oil stops leaking, you need to fill (rinse) the rack with freshly purchased fluid. To do this, insert a funnel into the second hose and fill it to capacity;
After this, we repeat the manipulations with the steering wheel again. When all the oil has flowed out of the return hose, the procedure can be completed;
Then reassemble the hydraulic power steering system in reverse order;
Fill the mechanism reservoir with oil according to the level;
After the system is filled, you need to turn the steering wheel from the extreme left position to the extreme right. Such manipulations should be carried out with the engine running;
We turn off the engine, lower the car, check the tightness of the connections, and add fluid to the amplifier tank to the maximum.

This is interesting: What are the types of lubricants for calipers and guides: what to look for when choosing a
belt-driven power steering pump

Is it possible to mix power steering fluid of different colors?

Comments 37

I came from the service. Filled with 2 liters of liquimol. Somehow I don’t like it. The sound of the Volga remained.

Ok, thanks, I'll read it! Everything seems to be back to normal now. But I don’t know, when I turn the steering wheel in place, the speed jerks a little, is this normal?

Isn’t it critical that the jerk occurs at the very beginning of the rotation? The load on the internal combustion engine increases, so it’s not scary

Yes at the beginning, thanks for reassuring))

In general, it should be green, and if you are not the first owner and it is not known how the previous owners had fun with the gur, and the slurry itself is not subject to actual color determination, due to the fact that it has become like loosened graphite, then there is only one way to find the truth - look for a leak, eliminate and make a complete change of liquid! Other options are in the GARDEN!

Useful to see what color it is. It’s really not clear, it looks like the color of oil, yellowish black or something. I checked the service books and it says that VAG 004 was filled in in 2010.

Here are our approvals... .Audi/Volkswagen G 004 000 M2 Audi/Volkswagen G 004 000 M7 Audi/Volkswagen G 004 000 M8

It says M2 was filled in, but I’ve never had it green =( I’ll go on foot to the garage to see what bottles are left from the previous owner...

For some reason, everyone has it yellow from the factory, I also had yellow, but don’t even think about mixing it with green or red if you don’t want to get the rack repaired. Only a complete replacement with flushing of the system.

Terms of use of liquids

It is also worth taking care of how to change the oil in the hydraulic booster. Such information is always contained in the car’s service book. No less often, manufacturers recommend not changing this oil at all. They are guided by a simple rule: the service life of the mixture is designed for the average life of the machine.

But a car can serve faithfully for quite a long time. If the fluid is not original, it needs to be changed more often. Some manufacturers clearly prescribe the procedure for replacing the fluid, including taking into account cases when the composition is not original. Often the control period ranges from 50 to 100 thousand kilometers.

If there is a problem with the power steering system, the first thing you need to do is change the oil. It is also worth checking the condition of the fluid in the power steering. If it has darkened, thickened, or smells unpleasant, it needs to be changed. By the way, synthetic compounds can be used much longer.

Which liquid should you choose?

Hydraulic system design

As mentioned above, hydraulic steering fluid is a kind of oil, so it is also classified into a mineral and a synthetic product. The latter type of fluid is usually used for technical vehicles, while mineral hydraulic fluid is intended for ordinary passenger cars.

This is explained quite simply: mineral power steering fluid easily copes with its tasks, preventing the formation of corrosion on surfaces and preventing rubber elements from drying out. Synthetic fluid can be filled in only in one case: when the car manufacturer recommends it. The reason is that synthetic compounds contain rubber fibers, which contribute to the appearance of cracks in the rubber elements of the steering system.

Is it possible to fill the power steering with engine oil?

Motor - definitely not, transmission - with reservations. Next we will look in detail why.

To understand whether other oils, such as motor or transmission oils, can be poured into the power steering, you need to know what functions it performs.

The power steering fluid must cope with the following tasks:

Lubrication of all power steering components;
Protection against corrosion and wear of parts;
Pressure transfer;
Prevents foaming;
System cooling.

The above characteristics are achieved by adding various additives, the presence and combination of which gives power steering oil the necessary qualities.

As you understand, the tasks of motor oil are somewhat different, so it is highly not recommended to pour it into the power steering.

Regarding transmission oil, everything is not so clear; the Japanese often use the same ATF fluid for automatic transmission and power steering. Europeans insist on using special PSF (Power Steering Fluid) oils.

How to check the fluid level?

Checking the condition of the oil in the power steering does not take much time. To do this, perform the following steps:

1. Unscrew the tank cap. Located near the power steering pump. This is a plastic, less often a metal tank.

2. Check the fluid level. Most reservoirs are made of translucent plastic, which allows you to quickly determine the amount of oil. To check the liquid level in metal tanks, you will have to use the dipstick, which is built into the lid.

3. Lower the dipstick into the tank, and then wipe it on a light cloth or napkin. The remaining traces will allow you to quickly determine the condition of the oil. A good liquid should have a transparent color and a uniform structure without cloudiness, traces of rust or metallic inclusions.

An unpleasant burning smell also indicates the need for replacement.