'08 Camry SE 2.4L 52K miles---does the power steering fluid circulate throughout the system?

Yes.

 

Thanks---I had thought it did, just wanted a 2nd opinion.

 

Use dexron 4 atf in the power steering system

 

Thanks, but I'm using Valvoline Max Life synthetic ATF.

 

I’ve been using cheap Prestone power steering fluid from Walmart for the past three years and have yet to experience any problems.

 

To each his own.

 

if you look in the manual it shows atf not normal power steering fluid. these are Toyota that are designed a specific way to last along time not some cheap dodge or chevy

 

Agreed. That's why I'm using The Valvoline synthetic ATF.

 

Does it have two hoses going to it? If yes then it's an in loop reservoir and circulated through the system and not an overflow tank.

 

Yes--the reservoir has 2 hoses on the same side facing the engine--one in the front (slightly higher, and I guess is the fluid return) the rearward one is lower (supply)

 

Yes, the power steering pump is quite effective at recirculating the fluid throughout the system. I learned the hard way recently NOT to replace half of the fluid with the pricey Lucas Power Steering Stop Leak. I had noticed the beginning signs of seepage at the rack and pinion and thought I would nip it in the bud. The problem with their stop leak is that it is thicker than honey at room temperature. All was fine until the next freezing morning recently. It put a huge strain on the pump and made a loud metal against metal screeching noise on start up. Fortunately the lower return hose blew off. Then the pump belched out the rest of the fluid. HUGE mess. Better the hose coming off than ruining the pump or rack. I replaced the fluid with Lucas PS conditioner. Same viscosity as ATF.

 

As a complete aside, if you're ever replacing the return hose (which is, essentially, "no pressure") it's worth considering putting a filter on it. Your typical inline fuel filter works fine.

These will catch a lot of the fine particulate matter that otherwise keeps circulating. Not essential, mind you, but for the really fussy . . .

 

As a complete aside, if you're ever replacing the return hose (which is, essentially, "no pressure") it's worth considering putting a filter on it. Your typical inline fuel filter works fine.

These will catch a lot of the fine particulate matter that otherwise keeps circulating. Not essential, mind you, but for the really fussy . . .

I agree, will be doing another change of fluid, Valvoline ATF Synthetic & FILTER on return

What Fluids & Parts to use??? Good Sticky Thread
Sticky on front page of early 2000's Camry has maint sticky for fluids & suggestions.....has worked for many.

This spring, soon very soon, My FL 2006 Solara 38k miles will be getting major updates after 18 yrs in FL Heat. I tube syphoned out the PS Fluid & cycled turning a few times before my trip to MN in the Walmart parking lot.

OUR PS Hoses & Steering Racks are known to fail & leak. A MUST is to change the PS Fluid.
I will be adding filter to return line and both lines are leaking a little bit since summer use in 2022.

A better PS, Power Steering Fluid Change
IF you have help can remove the return line, rubber cap the PS Tank, raised the ft wheels off the ground, and add PS fluid at the same time you run engine and turn the raised wheels turn to turn. Catch the return line fluid in clear plastic bottle. Fluid will clear / clean in color and system will be flush. Takes a driver to turn wheel & shut/start car, 2nd person to fill tank and watch fluid dump in to plastic container. I think the auto store will recycle the old fluid it is trans fluid. ........ Do not let the PS Tank go dry......

I did this on my 45 yr old classic CJ 15 years ago. Still the orginal PS Pump.
Time to do it again..... 12 k miles since then

 

Best to use the type of fluid Toyota recommended for your car, this way it will be the proper viscosity, have the necessary additives, and not have other additives that might not be compatible with your pump, seals, etc. Some car's PS systems were designed for specific type of ATF (they vary), some require a specific PS fluid, some can use generic PS fluid. Check your owners manual or with Toyota.

 

Good Cautions, Ken 2116

If you run the car before the PS Flush by taking off the low press side hose..... The hose will be warmer? High Idle for cold engine will be off, so pumping of PS fluid will be slower. I did mention the MY PS Hoses are both leaking. My Low Press Hose Mostly, I did take it off this winter storage, cut the end off with razor blade plyers and then terminated again.... it stoped the "storage" leak..... fender & floor were wet. Adding the filter will allow the return like to be reterminated for a little more like...... FYI.

3rd Person to fill the PS tank, one to fill the empty tank with old fluid, one to operate the car. Takes 2 people min.

Time Belt, Valve Cover Gaskets, Water Pump.... the front and top of engine will be off. Will be the best time & access for the PS, power steering hoses. Do the flush with old hoses installed. Install the new hoses run auto with inline filter.

Clean up engine bay before tear down....

 

Wow is this off the rails. If you own a Subaru, yes Maxlife. Toyota is regular PS fluid. I use Prestone. Drain the fluid, ( from the reservoir), then refill 2 or 3 times once a year and your car will be very happy. ATF seems a bit thinner than PS fluid. And avoid any fluid that seals leaks, unless you got a leak that you are not going to fix. If you really want to spend $$$ find what Pentosin makes. Search on Amazon for original supplier to Toyota, like Idemitsu.

 

you need to learn how to work on Toyotas if you think they take regular p/s fluid. they take dexron 3/4

 

Why does TMC specify Dexron II/III for PS system and not ATF Type-IV used in 04 transmission?

 

DEX III is extinct now and the new stuff is backward compatable. ( with Dex 3 and Type F )

 

DEX III is extinct now and the new stuff is backward compatable.

Technically, DEXRON III is extinct because GM does not do any official licensing under that specification anymore. However, from a practical standpoint that's not relevant, as many of the major makers still make and sell fluid made to the DEXRON III spec. They're not going to lie about that, as it serves no purpose.

DEXRON VI is, as you say, backward compatible with all the earlier DEXRON formulations, so it can be safely substituted for DEXRON II or III.

Chemical/lubricant engineers are able to produce fluids that meet or exceed a wide variety of specifications "all in one bottle." Valvoline MaxLife ATF is but one example, and it meets or exceeds a huge number of different specifications. Universal, or near universal, fluids are one of the great inventions of modern lubricant engineering.

 

Rude response reported. No need for that.

 

Actually, there is. You are the one who is insisting on presenting grossly inaccurate information. Those with any desire for accuracy will be justifiably peeved by that action, and have every right to express that they're peeved.

Own what you've said, and own that it is, unequivocally, wrong. You should have been called out, and now you have been via unimpeachable sources.

Prestone power steering fluid does not meet any ATF standard that I'm aware of. And in this very topic, post #19, you stated: "Toyota is regular PS fluid. I use Prestone." That is wrong. Period. End of sentence.

 

Why, oh why, is it so difficult to consult the Owner's Manual. Toyota gives a very easy way to source any Owner's Manual you want:

Manuals & Warranties | Toyota Owners

From Page 310 of the 2008 Camry Owner's manual:

and page 329, which is the continuation of the discussion of checking the power steering fluid level that starts on page 328:

Let's not pretend that Toyota's own documentation is not definitive about what they specify.

I don't care, personally, what anyone uses. There can be times when something other than OEM specified "whatever" that is an improvement gets put on the market later. But that's a completely different issue.

It's not hard to find definitive information about the fluids that Toyota specifies for any vehicle it has produced for many years in the past up to the present. For the love of heaven, just look it up!

 

Short answer, yes

 

i can understand ya know, "hey i bought my car used previous owner used the owners manual to roll joints and smoke like a idiot or lost it" it happens. that's why ya ask us so we can help but doesn't Toyota offer owner manuals for free from the internet? i don't know the link exactly but its like toyota.tis or something like that

 

With the front wheels in the straight ahead position, the PS fluid goes in and out the spool valve on the rack&pinion and returns to the reservoir. Moving the steering left or right, the spool valve ports 1200 psig fluid to the rack piston for turning left or right. PS system is just a simple hydraulic unit. F=PXA

 

To the OP, I'm not a fan of removing the return hose to pump out fluid while adding fresh fluid to the reservoir. As another said, it may not be possible to add fluid as fast or faster than the fluid is being pumped out. The debris screen near the bottom of the reservoir can only pass fluid so fast. My technique has been as you stated in your first post. Siphon old fluid out of reservoir, replace fluid with fresh fluid, run car while turning steering wheel from lock to lock a couple of times. Then repeat. Each drain and fill uses about a pint (or more, depending on which of 4 cars I'm working on). Each time the fluid coming out will be dirty, but after 3 times, some slight improvement in fluid color will be detectable. I usually do this procedure at every oil change, so that each year (the highest annual mileage car only sees 8K/yr) , I see some improvement. I try to use 2 qts for each car.

If you're clever, you may be able to rig up a old length of brake line on the end of your siphon line to help suction volume on your siphon line at the bottom of the reservoir. I have done this to aid in removing sediment/debris that inevitably gets into the reservoir and sits on top of the screen at the bottom of the reservoir. You have to be delicate with your siphon tube/hardline so as not to puncture the screen.

 

There is actually a good way to fully flush a power steering system fluid, with only 1 person involved, at home. Similar to the method described earlier. I'll try to explain.

1. Raise up front of car so tires are off the ground/floor
2. Remove return hose from power steering reservoir
   • cap the power steering reservoir immediately to prevent all fluid from draining out
   • have plenty of old rags under the power steering reservoir to capture what hopefully is a minor spillage
3. With a length of 3/8" ID clear vinyl tubing and a double barbed hose fitting installed on one end of the 3/8" ID clear vinyl tube, connect the other end of the barbed hose fitting to the hose that was removed from the power steering reservoir
   • see the attached picture of what I use for the 3/8" ID clear vinyl tubing and double ended hose fitting
4. Put the open end of the 3/8" ID clear vinyl tubing into a waste fluid collector/container
5. Turn the ignition to ON (engine not running) to unlock the steering wheel, allowing the steering wheel to be turned
6. Turn the steering wheel from center to full right to lock, then full left to lock, then back to center
   • About 1/2 to 3/4 of the fluid in the power steering reservoir should be gone now, with the same amount in the 3/8" ID clear vinyl hose and in the fluid collector/container
7. Fill the power steering reservoir with Valvoline MaxLife ATF (or whatever Dexron IV product of your choice)
8. Repeat steps 6-7 multiple times until the fluid seen in the 3/8" ID clear vinyl tube changes from the color of the old fluid to a color matching the new fluid from the ATF fluid botttle (usually transparent bright red)
9. When a transparent bright red fluid color is observed, stop the cycles, remove the barbed connector from the hose that was connected to the power steering reservoir, remove the cap from the power steering reservoir hose connection, and reconnect the power steering fluid return hose to the power steering reservoir
10. Fill the power steering reservoir up to the proper level (as per the markings on the reservoir)
11. Wipe clean the area around and including the power steering reservoir and return hose and remove the rags
12. Going back to the steering wheel, turn the steering wheel lock-to-lock in both directions multiple times (to ensure any possible air in the system is pumped back to the reservoir)
    • also check that there are no fluid leaks from the area of the previously removed return hose
13. Check the power steering reservoir fluid level again, add if needed
14. Turn ignition OFF, lower the front of the car - your done with the power steering flush