Where does the power steering fluid go? - 1995 Nissan Maxima

Causes of Power Steering to fail.

• Contamination problems occur more frequently in rack and pinion power steering systems. Contamination can occur when pumps fail, hoses deteriorate, or moisture gets into the power steering fluid. All of these problems result in material contaminating the power steering fluid which can plug small orifices in the steering system, increase friction, and interfere with the fluids hydraulic characteristics, resulting in a failure of the power steering system.

Low fluid

• Low power steering fluid levels reduce the amount of hydraulic pressure created by the power steering pump, resulting in hard steering. Low fluid levels also cause increased wear of the power steering pump from inadequate lubrication and high fluid temperatures which further accelerates pump wear. Low power steering fluid can cause a power steering pump to wear out prematurely and can result in the eventual failure of the power steering system if not corrected.

Snapped belt

• Many vehicles use power steering pumps which are driven by a belt connected to the crankshaft of the engine. Worn belts can slip causing a reduction in the fluid pressure produced by the power steering pump, which increases the effort needed to operate the steering system. Power steering belts that catastrophically cause an immediate loss of power steering as the pump is no longer being driven by the engine.

Worn pump

• As power steering pumps are operated and age they wear out. The seals and internal parts of the power steering pump break down over time and lead to an incremental loss of fluid pressure. As the pump wears out, pump noise and steering effort increases. Worn out pumps will eventually fail, leading to a total loss of fluid pressure and a failure of the power steering system.

Leaks

• Power steering systems require hydraulic fluid to operate. Hydraulic power steering fluid can leak from worn or damaged hoses and failing seals. When enough fluid is lost, the power steering pump can overheat or wear out prematurely, resulting in a loss of hydraulic pressure and failure of the power steering system.

Power Steering Fluid Reservoir Outlet Hose Replacement

Removal Procedure

1. Remove the fuel injector sight shield. Refer to Fuel Injector Sight Shield Replacement .
2. Remove as much power steering fluid from the remote power steering fluid reservoir as possible.
3. Place drain pans under the vehicle as needed.


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4. Disconnect the power steering fluid reservoir outlet hose (1) from the remote power steering fluid reservoir.


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5. Disconnect the power steering fluid reservoir outlet hose (1) from the power steering pump.
ImportantDisconnect any clips as needed before attempting removal.

6. Remove the power steering fluid reservoir outlet hose from the vehicle.

Installation Procedure

Hope this helps a little.

If you can't find a power steering fluid reservoir under the hood in the engine compartment your G6 could have Electronic Power Steering . If you look up under the dash below the steering column you will see a electric motor mounted to the steering column !
The power steering system reduces the amount of effort needed to steer the vehicle. The system uses the powertrain control module (PCM), body control module (BCM), power steering control module (PSCM), discrete battery voltage supply circuit, steering shaft torque sensor, steering wheel position sensor, power steering motor, driver information center (DIC), and the serial data circuit to perform the system functions. The PSCM and the power steering motor are serviced as an assembly and are serviced separately from the steering column assembly. The steering shaft torque sensor and the steering wheel position sensor are not serviced separately from each other or from the steering column assembly. The steering column assembly does not include the power steering motor and module assembly.

Never brake fluid and nothing else goes in brake master cylinder.

Put power steering fluid or automatic transmission fluid (dextron)

I would drain your power steering pump, even if I had to take it off and dump the fluid! Yes, you do need to use power steering fluid, but what will get you in the most trouble is if you mix your fluids because then they work against each other.

While some people will use transmission fluid in a power steering pump in an emergency, I always recommend they drain it out and use the proper fluid in the proper place.

FIRST OF ALL TURN OFF RADIO REMOVE NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE. THEN REMOVE POWER STEERING PUMP FLUID FROM POWER STEERING PUMP.USING A HAND PUMP SIPHON. BE CAREFUL DONT GET POWER STEERING FLUID ON CAR PAINT IT WILL DAMAGE PAINT JOB.PUT A DRAIN PAN UNDERNEATH CAR TO CATCH POWER STEERING FLUID THEN DISCONNECT POWER STEERING PUMP LINES.REMOVE POWER STEERING PUMP ADJUSTER BOLT AND MOUNTING BOLT.REMOVE POWER STEERING PUMP.MOST OF THE TIME NEW POWER STEERING PUMP DONT HAVE DRIVE PULLEY ON IT SO TAKE TO A MACHINE SHOP THE WILL REMOVE PULLEY FROM OLD PUMP AND PRESS ON THE PULLEY TO NEW POWER STEERING PUMP.BESURE TO BUY NEW O RINGS TO END OF PRESSURE LINE.ONCE NEW POWER STEERING PUMP HAS PULLEY IN PLACE AND YOU HAVE NEW O RING FOR HIGH PRESSURE LINE.INSTALL NEW PUMP.ADJUST BELT TENSION.NOW BLEED POWER STEERING PUMP WITH FRONT WHEELS POINT STRAIGHT A HEAD POSITION.POUR POWER STEERING FLUID IN PUMP UNTIL FLUID LEVEL ON COLD MARK ON POWER STEERING PUMP DIP STICK.KEEP ADDING FLUID UNTIL FLUID STOP DROPPING. START THE ENGINE LET IT RUN AT IDLE ADD MORE FLUID IF DROPS KEEP FLUID ON FULL COLD MARK.ON DIP STICK TURN OFF ENGINE.CHECK TO MAKE SURE POWER STEERING PUMP NOT LEAKING AT THE LINES THEN.SAFELY RAISE SUPPORT FRONT OF THE VECHICLE WITH JACK STANDS. MAKE SURE VECHICLE ON SOLID LEVEL GROUND CHECK.FLUID LEVEL MAKE SURE AT FULL COLD MARK. NOW START ENGINE.LET IDLE MINUTE.THEN TURN STEERING WHEEL ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT TO RIGHT SEVERAL TIMES WITH OUT STOPPING IT IN PLACE. CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID WHEN FLUID LEVEL STOP DROPPING.AND FLUID IS NOT A TAN COLOR WHICH MEAN LOTS OF AIR IN SYSTEM. TURN OFF CAR UNTIL AIR BUBBLES DISAPPEAR.CHECK FLUID LEVEL BLEED POWER STEERING AGAIN. DONT DRIVE VECHICLE UNTIL STEERING FEEL NORMAL.IF FLUID REMAIN TAN WITH AIR BUBBLES CHECK FOR LEAKS AT POWER STEERING PUMP PRESSURE HOSE ORING. AND CHECK POWER STEERING LINES TO PUMP FOR LEAKS.

YOU HAVE A RUPTURE PRESSURE LINE IF YOU HAVE NO POWER STEERING FLUID IN THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR.LOCATE LEAK THEN BLEED POWER STEERING SYSTEM BY ADDING POWER STEERING TO RESERVOIR.DONT OVER FILL BY FULL COLD MARK ON POWER STEERING DIP STICK.ADD FLUID TO RESERVOIR WAIT A 2 MINUTES.CHECK FLUID LEVEL AGAIN.WHEN POWER STEERING FLUID LEVEL STOP DROPPING.START ENGINE LET IT RUN FOR 10 SECONDS.THEN TURN OFF ENGINE CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID ADD FLUID IF FLUID LEVEL DROPS. WHEN FLUID LEVEL STOP DROPPING.SAFELY RAISE SUPPORT VECHICLE FRONT WHEELS.START ENGINE.NOW TURN STEERING WHEEL GENTLY FROM STOP TO STOP MEANING LEFT TO RIGHT DONT HOLD IN POSITION.LET THE STOP TO STOP BE QUICK.CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID AFTER YOU HAVE TURN STEERING WHEEL ABOUT 7 STOP TO STOP.WHEN FLUID LEVEL STOP DROPPING YOU AT HOT MARK ON DIP STICK BLEEDING PROCESS COMPLETE.TURN OFF ENGINE LOWER VECHICLE BACK TO GROUND WAIT ABOUT 5 MINUTES CHECK YOUR FLUID LEVEL.IF FLUID LOOKS LIKE A TAN COLOR.YOUR POWER STEERING SYSTEM FULL OF AIR.TURN OFF VECHICLE LET VECHICLE SET A LONG WHILE TO AIR BUBBLES SETTLE DOWN LOOK FOR LEAKS AROUND POWER STEERING PUMP FRONT SEAL AND CHECK FOR LEAKS AROUND POWER STEERING LINES.

CHANGING POWER STEERING PUMP YOU HAVE TO PLACE A DRAIN PAN UNDER THE VECHICLE. SIPHON OUT POWER STEERING FLUID WITH A SIPHONER DONT USE YOUR MOUTH TO SIPHON SWALLOWING POWER STEERING FLUID CAN BE FATAL MAKE YOU SICK.WHEN ALL POWER STEERING FLUID IS REMOVED FROM POWER STEERING PUMP.REMOVE DRIVE BELT.THEN REMOVE THE POWER STEERING PUMP.THEN YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE POWER STEERING PUMP PULLEY THE NEW POWER STEERING PUMP DONT HAVE A PULLEY YOU HAVE TO HAVE REMOVE PULLEY FROM THE OLD POWER STEERING PUMP.YOU NEED A PUMP PULLEY REMOVER AND A PULLEY INSTALLER.YOU CAN TAKE OLD POWER STEERING PUMP AND NEW POWER STEERING PUMP TO A MACHINE SHOP.THEY WILL REMOVE PULLEY OFF OLD PUMP PRESS IT ON NEW POWER STEERING PUMP.THAT WOULD BE CHEAPER THAN BUYING THE PULLER AND INSTALLER.GO TO AUTO PARTS STORE BUY NEW HIGH PRESSURE LINE O RING GOES TO PRESSURE LINE GOING INTO POWER STEERING PUMP.ONCE YOU GET NEW PUMP READY PULLEY BEEN PRESSED ON.TAKE POWER STEERING PUMP HOME PUT IT ON. BLEED POWER STEERING SYSTEM.WHAT YOU DO WHEN YOU GET NEW PUMP INSTALLED HIGH PRESSURE LINE IN PLACE.PUMP BOLTED IN DRIVE BELT ON POUR POWER STEERING FLUID IN POWER STEERING PUMP UNTIL FLUID LEVEL STOP DROPPING AND YOUR LEVEL ON POWER STEERING DIP STICK AT COLD LEVEL.NOW START CAR UP LET IT IDLE FOR 3 MINUTES.THEN TURN OFF ENGINE CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID IF FLUID LEVEL DROP ADD LITTLE MORE UNTIL LEVEL ON DIP STICK ON COLD MARK DONT OVER FILL.NOW SAFELY RAISE SUPPORT FRONT OF VECHICLE. START THE ENGINE.TURN STEERING WHEEL FROM ALL THE WAY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT DONT STOP LOCK WHEEL .GO LEFT TO RIGHT SEVERAL TIMES.THEN TURN OFF ENGINE CHECK FLUID LEVEL.IF ALL IS GOOD LET VECHICLE BACK DOWN LET IT SIT FOR A WHILE CHECK FLUID AGAIN.DONT DRIVE VECHICLE IF POWER STEERING PUMP MAKE NOISES OR YOUR STEERING FEEL STIFF HARD TO TURN.JUST MAKE SURE FLUID LEVEL RIGHT AND DRIVE BELT TIGHT GOOD LUCK.

Problems associated with low power steering fluid…

Hard Vehicle Steering
A low power steering fluid level can often times cause a vehicle's steering to become hard and labored. Adequate amounts of power steering fluid are necessary to enable a vehicle's power steering system to function and operate at optimum levels. A lack of power steering fluid in a vehicle's power steering system reduces the amount of hydraulic fluid pressure necessary to efficiently operating the various parts of the entire power steering system. Power steering fluid supplies the fluid force needed to operate the power steering gears and to enable power steering gearbox operation. Low power steering fluid levels reduce this hydraulic pressure, which commonly results in hard vehicle steering.

Pump Noise
It is very common for a low power steering fluid level to cause significant power steering pump noise. An adequate amount of power steering fluid is required to ensure the proper function and longevity of a power steering pump unit, which is a belt-driven pump responsible for housing and circulating power steering pump fluid. A low level of power steering fluid results in increased power steering pump friction, heat, and wear, all of which can significantly reduce the operational life of the power steering pump while at the same time cause excessive power steering pump noise.

Fluid Boiling
Many times a low power steering fluid level can result in excessive heating of power steering fluid, a condition that can seriously degrade the fluid and cause it to boil. A low power steering fluid level results in less available fluid to both lubricate and cool a power steering pump unit. A lack of power steering pump lubrication and cooling leads to excessive heat being generated within the power steering pump unit itself, a condition that translates into the available level of power steering fluid becoming super-heated and degraded. When this happens it is common for the power steering fluid to boil and lose all of its lubricating and heat-reducing capabilities.

Gearbox Wear
The power steering gearbox is a set of gears within a vehicle's power steering system designed to facilitate movement of a vehicle's front wheels. The power steering gearbox is connected to the power steering pump by hydraulic fluid lines that deliver a constant supply of power steering fluid to the power steering gearbox. A low power steering fluid level, especially a chronic and severe low power steering fluid level, can lead to increased friction and wear within the power steering gearbox assembly, a condition that can significantly shorten the operational life of the power steering gearbox and negatively affect its operation

YOU DONT HAVE POWER STEERING PUMP FLUID RESERVOIR ANY MORE INSTEAD.YOU HAVE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST MOTOR.