99 Nissan Maxima, automatic transmission fluid for power steering fluid?

I have a 99 Nissan Maxima at 130k. The power steering fluid has never
been replaced. I went to the dealer to buy some power steering fluid,
and they gave me a Nisan ATF fluid and insist that it is what they use
for power steering fluid.

I checked the owner's manual and it says "Dexron III or equivalent".
Am I safe to use the ATF fluid?

Actually do I need to replace the power steering fluid? It's not
leaking. Will there be any problem mixing the pink stuff with the blue
stuff? Don't want to create a problem when non exist.

Thanks.

Raymond

> wrote in message
...
>
> I have a 99 Nissan Maxima at 130k. The power steering fluid has never
> been replaced. I went to the dealer to buy some power steering fluid,
> and they gave me a Nisan ATF fluid and insist that it is what they use
> for power steering fluid.
>
> I checked the owner's manual and it says "Dexron III or equivalent".
> Am I safe to use the ATF fluid?
>
> Actually do I need to replace the power steering fluid? It's not
> leaking. Will there be any problem mixing the pink stuff with the blue
> stuff? Don't want to create a problem when non exist.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Raymond

I have found several sources that say the two are equivalent.

On Dec 1, 2:56*pm, wrote:
> I have a 99 Nissan Maxima at 130k. The power steering fluid has never
> been replaced. I went to the dealer to buy some power steering fluid,
> and they gave me a Nisan ATF fluid and insist that it is what they use
> for power steering fluid.
>
> I checked the owner's manual and it says "Dexron III or equivalent".
> Am I safe to use the ATF fluid?
>
> Actually do I need to replace the power steering fluid? It's not
> leaking. Will there be any problem mixing the pink stuff with the blue
> stuff? Don't want to create a problem when non exist.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Raymond

I've use ATF in the power steering for years. It has never caused any
problems for me.

Dexron III IS transmission fluid so you are safe.

In article >, > wrote:
>I have a 99 Nissan Maxima at 130k. The power steering fluid has never
>been replaced. I went to the dealer to buy some power steering fluid,
>and they gave me a Nisan ATF fluid and insist that it is what they use
>for power steering fluid.

Sounds good.

>I checked the owner's manual and it says "Dexron III or equivalent".
>Am I safe to use the ATF fluid?

If it's Dexron III or equivalent, which most ATF is these days.

>Actually do I need to replace the power steering fluid? It's not
>leaking. Will there be any problem mixing the pink stuff with the blue
>stuff? Don't want to create a problem when non exist.

It's probably a good idea to change it out. You don't _need_ to do it,
but odds are your seals will last longer if you do. Make sure to bleed
all the air out.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

Scott Dorsey > wrote:

> It's probably a good idea to change it out. You don't _need_ to do it,
> but odds are your seals will last longer if you do. Make sure to bleed
> all the air out.

Can you clarify "bleed all the air out"?

I am going to use a turkey baster to suck out the current fluid, and
put the new one in. Do you mean wait for the bubbles to come out
before closing the cap?

http://www.motorvate.ca/mvp.php/702

Thanks again.

Raymond

In article >, > wrote:
>Scott Dorsey > wrote:
>
>> It's probably a good idea to change it out. You don't _need_ to do it,
>> but odds are your seals will last longer if you do. Make sure to bleed
>> all the air out.
>
>Can you clarify "bleed all the air out"?

I can't because the last Nissan product I worked on was a B210. But the
Haynes manual should have a complete procedure for doing the job.

>I am going to use a turkey baster to suck out the current fluid, and
>put the new one in. Do you mean wait for the bubbles to come out
>before closing the cap?

A turkey baster? Won't that take a few years? There should be a way to
drain it from the rack, I think. The Haynes will tell you for sure..
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On 12/1/08 7:08 PM, in article ,
" > wrote:

> Scott Dorsey > wrote:
>
>> It's probably a good idea to change it out. You don't _need_ to do it,
>> but odds are your seals will last longer if you do. Make sure to bleed
>> all the air out.
>
> Can you clarify "bleed all the air out"?
>
> I am going to use a turkey baster to suck out the current fluid, and
> put the new one in. Do you mean wait for the bubbles to come out
> before closing the cap?
>
> http://www.motorvate.ca/mvp.php/702
>
> Thanks again.
>
> Raymond

There is no prescribed interval to change it in the Nissan FSM. They don't
even list the capacity in the maintenance schedules. But if you insist, it
won't hurt anything to change it.

The turkey baster will take a lot of basting to actually change it.

The preferred method is to disconnect the return hose at the reservoir (and
route it into some sort of receptacle), start the engine and let it pump out
while adding to the reservoir and simultaneously turning the wheels from
stop to stop (this is easier on the car if you raise the front end so the
wheels are not on the ground) until you are pumping through new fluid. Try
not to let the reservoir go empty. After you reconnect the return hose to
the reservoir, fill it, start the engine and turn the wheels from stop to
stop some more until all the air in the system bleeds up into the reservoir.
Top off again. Keep checking and topping off for the next several days as
more air works its way out.