"Change power steering fluid? We've never done that."

[Percival P. Cassidy]

Looking at the recommended maintenance schedule for our '02 300M, I noticed that it was recommended to change the power steering fluid at 48K miles (now past on our vehicle). The service adviser at our 5-Star dealership looked it up and said, "You're right: it is recommended, but I don't think we've ever done it on any vehicle."

How important is that steering fluid change? Do dealerships commonly overlook or ignore recommended maintenance items?

Perce

 

[kmath50]

Looking at the recommended maintenance schedule for our '02 300M, I noticed that it was recommended to change the power steering fluid at 48K miles (now past on our vehicle). The service adviser at our 5-Star dealership looked it up and said, "You're right: it is recommended, but I don't think we've ever done it on any vehicle."

How important is that steering fluid change? Do dealerships commonly overlook or ignore recommended maintenance items?

Perce

It's a good idea to do, as is flushing old fluid from brake systems. Not very many shops will do steering system flushes.

I had mine done by a Tunex. I think that they charged about $59.

-KM

 

[Some O]

It's a good idea to do, as is flushing old fluid from brake systems. Not very many shops will do steering system flushes.

I had mine done by a Tunex. I think that they charged about $59.

-KM

I didn't flush the PS on my Chrysler LH Concord, I didn't notice a flush recommendation in my info and it felt OK. At age 10 yrs when turning full lock out of a parking space the fluid hose connector blew and I had to get a rebuilt rack. The (non Chrysler) garage which did the repair said I should have flushed it.

 

[Bill Putney]

I didn't flush the PS on my Chrysler LH Concord, I didn't notice a flush recommendation in my info and it felt OK. At age 10 yrs when turning full lock out of a parking space the fluid hose connector blew and I had to get a rebuilt rack. The (non Chrysler) garage which did the repair said I should have flushed it.

I've seen many posts on this and other forums in which strange noises in the power steering were eliminated by a fluid flush. Most (all?) later model Chryslers should be switched over to ATF+4 (I think *all* come out of the factory with it now). There's a TSB that covers this subject (lists of which vehicles should be switched over if flushed) - a search of this news group will find the TSB number if not the vehicle listings.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

 

[OldRoads]

I've seen many posts on this and other forums in which strange noises in the power steering were eliminated by a fluid flush. Most (all?) later model Chryslers should be switched over to ATF+4 (I think *all* come out of the factory with it now). There's aTSBthat covers this subject (lists of which vehicles should be switched over if flushed) - a search of this news group will find theTSBnumber if not the vehicle listings.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

You can find the TSB here:

http://AutoSmash.com

 

[Homer Simpson]

Okay, so how does one flush the PS system? The only thing I could think is to disconnect the return to the pump, and drain it into a bucket... run the engine to pump the rest out, and then fill with new.... flush again.......

 

[Bill Putney]

You can find the TSB here:

http://AutoSmash.com

I would advise not to go to that site. The TSB's are bogus - they list TSB's for things like '95 300M, '96 300M, '97 300M, '98 300M.

There was no 300M made in any of those years. The late model 300M was not in production until '98 ('99 MY). Plus there is no information on the TSB's other than title.

IOW - the information on that site is worthless from at least two points. Makes me suspicious that that site may have malicious code.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

 

[OldRoads]

OldRoadswrote:

I would advise not to go to that site. The TSB's are bogus - they list TSB's for things like '95 300M, '96 300M, '97 300M, '98 300M.

There was no 300M made in any of those years. The late model 300M was not in production until '98 ('99 MY). Plus there is no information on the TSB's other than title.

IOW - the information on that site is worthless from at least two points. Makes me suspicious that that site may have malicious code.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

There's nothing bogus about the site at all.
I built the site and the TSB data comes from databases provided by the NHTSA .

There are some anomalies in the data, as you point out above. No one with a 1995 300M is going to be searching for a TSB on a 1995 300M because that car does not exist. But someone with a 2001 300M will find the most recent TSBs on their vehicle.

As I say, the data comes right from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Vin - http://AutoSmash.com

 

[Bill Putney]

...But someone with a 2001 300M will find the most recent TSBs on their vehicle...

I disagree. I see a list of TSB's. I do not see the TSB's themselves - unless I missed something.

For example - here's one item in the list:
"2000 CHRYSLER 300M
NHTSA* TSB Technical Service Bulletin Number: 621898 Bulletin Date:
20-Mar-2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE ATF+4. *TT *MJ"

It includes a link to the NHTSA site.

That is not a TSB. It is a TSB title and brief subject. Again - that does not a TSB make - at all.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

 

[Greg Houston]

I've seen many posts on this and other forums in which strange noises in the power steering were eliminated by a fluid flush. Most (all?) later model Chryslers should be switched over to ATF+4 (I think *all* come out of the factory with it now). There's a TSB that covers this subject (lists of which vehicles should be switched over if flushed) - a search of this news group will find the TSB number if not the vehicle listings.

There were a number of TSBs issued, here is the gist of the latest one:

Between 1998 and 2002, the second generation LH cars were factory filled with one of three fluids for power steering. The earlier fluid was the traditional Chrysler fluid that had been used for years. It is *not* compatible with ATF+4. By 1999-2000, cars were getting an intermediate fluid that *is* compatible with ATF+4. By 2004 +/-, ATF+4 was the factory fill power steering fluid and is preferred. I don't think the intermediate fluid is available anymore.

The catch is that you cannot add ATF+4 to a vehicle with the oldest fluid, a complete flush would have be performed. I think I've posted the relevant TSB here in the past.

I'm not sure what to do with my own car, a 1999 LH. It was factory filled with the intermediate fluid and should have been changed to the ATF+4 fluid. Unfortunatlely, according to my dealer receipt, it was replaced with the older fluid(!) That means I cannot just do a regular fluid change to ATF+4. I didn't catch this until much later, I had just assumed the dealer would use the right fluid for my model year.