aykay514

Recently I noticed my steering wheel got harder when I steer. Last month, the fluid was leaking but by adding Lucas Stop Leaks actually stopped the leakage now I dont know if its because of the cold season but couple days ago it got roughed up on me. Even tho last night I refilled the power steering fluid. Any Ideas?

sadc

I've heard that some times "stop leaks" acually cause more damage if anything.....might of clogged up the power steering pump.

KLF

What did you put back in the system? Should be ATF, not Power Steering fluid.

PFB

With the leak that you have/had you may have ended up with some air in the power steering system that will need to be bled as follows:


Bleeding:

1) Jack up front of vehicle and support it with stands, OR Park it such, that the front is raised as high as possible compared to the back.

2) With the engine stopped, turn the steering wheel slowly from lock to lock several times.

3) Lower Vehicle

4) Start Engine and Run the engine at idle for a few minutes.

5) With the engine idling, turn the steering wheel to left or right full lock and keep it there for2-3 seconds , then turn the steering wheel to the opposite full lock and keep it there for 2-3 seconds.

6) Repeat several times. and check to make sure that there is no air or foaming in the power steering reservoir. If there is than repeat some more.

Hope that works for you.

Phil

PS: Where in Canada are you?

aykay514

Thx ill try that, in Montreal too.

aykay514

and KLF i putted back the power steering fluid instead. Will that damage even more?

DRACO A5OG

Drain it and replace with ATF as recommended on the fill cap.

aykay514

i need remove the reservoir and empty or is there another easier way?

DRACO A5OG

Get a bucket, a 3/8" x 3' hose if I remember correctly ( measure the hoses and get it ), 2 quarts of ATF.

There are two hose just to the left of the reservoir if you look at it from the passenger side.

Disconnect one or the other, the one that flows out of the reservoir ( be quick about it or you will have a big mess) and place the recently bought hose to it, start the car and the bad fluid should start flowing into the bucket.

With the cap off, the level will start going down, replace with ATF until new fluid starts coming out into the bucket. Stop the car and put back the removed hose.

To get any air out, while the car is on turn the wheel left to right until the e the system quiets down. Make sure you do not over fill, when cold it is the middle mark you want to be at. When hot it must never go above the HOT MAX line.

Hope this helps

aykay514

thanks alot for help guys! ill try that tomorow at school

DRACO A5OG

Keep us posted, if insecure get 3 quarts of ATF in case you spill too much. You can always return the unused quart.

PFB

Depending on the year of the ES, the power steering fluid requirements may be different.

Mine is a 2001, and takes power steering fluid. Yours may be different, so check your cap, or the owner's manual.

Phil

aykay514

ok so i brought my Es300 93 at my mechanic school and they found there was a leak due to a hoe that loose and kinda bent. so they cut off the damaged part and empty the reservoir and refill with some Power Steering Fluid again. Now the teacher told me no matter what car you are driving, power steering and ATF(Dexron III) is the same. So now my steering is harder than the usual and was told it would go away and be back to normal. Are they doing it the proper way?

aykay514

I lost the manual unfortunaly but it on the cap it says Power Steering Fluid and something else was written something about may also use ATF.

KLF

You might want to look closer. Both the cap and the Owner's Manual in my '05 say to use Dextron II or III ATF. It does say "POWER STEERING FLUID" on the cap, but that is just a label so you know what that reservoir is for.

Your teacher is wrong. Ask him to drain all the ATF out of his transmission and replace it with power steering fluid, see what he says.