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

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

 

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')

 

You can find the TSB here:

http://AutoSmash.com

 

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.......

 

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')

 

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

 

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')

 

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.