Toyota Power Steering Fluid: What To Buy & Where To Find It
Photo by Raivis Razgals on Unsplash
You probably drive a Toyota because you love the way it drives. It feels great, does what you want, and keeps you safe. These renowned vehicles would not work the same way without routine fills of a liquid called power steering fluid, an essential piece of any working car often overlooked.
Even though it may sound obscure, a power steering fluid is essential to keeping your car driving right. Although this may sound complicated, CoPilot has all the information you need to find the suitable Toyota power steering fluid for your vehicle.
THE BEST TWO-SEATER CARS
If you’re in the market for a speedy two-seater, we’ve got you covered. Check out our list of the best two-seater cars on the market today.
Why You Need the Right Power Steering Fluid
Power steering fluid is a crucial component of any sound steering system and must not be ignored. Your car requires up-to-date, quality power steering fluid so that you can drive safely and steer properly. This fluid allows the connection between your steering wheel inputs and the car’s tires to work as intended, making the wheels go the way you want them.
With that being said, however, all power steering fluids are not made equal. Different fluids will have different chemical makeups attuned to specific vehicles, so you have to be picky with the kind of fluid you put in your particular vehicle.
You must use one specified by your manufacturer or at least one that clearly states its compatibility with your vehicle’s make. Using the wrong power steering fluid can risk causing extensive damage to your nice vehicle by locking up your steering system and corroding your car’s seals designed to keep the fluid in, creating loud grinding noises and destroying the pump.
This simply means that it’s of the utmost importance that you get the correct fluid. Thankfully, Toyota is a pretty lenient make for finding a compatible power steering fluid so that the search won’t be too tricky!
DOWNLOAD THE FREE APP
The CoPilot car shopping app is the smartest way to buy a car. Get a curated list of the best cars for sale in your area, as well as notifications if a similar vehicle is listed nearby at a lower price. CoPilot is the smartest way to shop for used cars.
What Kind of Power Steering Fluid Is Best for Your Toyota?
If you’re worried about bending over backward trying to find the suitable power steering fluid for your Toyota, you’re in luck! Your car comes from one of the few manufacturers that’s pretty relaxed about the fluid you use, so you have various options to choose from, whereas owners of most other makes don’t. There are still some that are better than others, but you have plenty of choices. Here are the Toyota power steering fluids we recommend:
- Dexron II or Dexron III Automatic Transmission Fluid. This is Toyota’s primary power steering fluid and is the main fluid we recommend for your Toyota vehicle. It’s manufacturer-approved and is the fluid that’s best optimized for Toyotas. The Dexron ATF boasts a great extension of your steering system’s life and protection against age and wear and tear.
- Idemitsu PSF Universal Power Steering Fluid. The Idemitsu Universal PSF is a jack-of-all-trades in the power steering fluid world. Designed to be used for many different makes, this fluid isn’t optimized particularly for one type of car but works very well for many of them. Toyota is no exception, as it works even better with Toyota than most cars due to its compatibility with most of their OEM power steering units. No matter what you have, this is great at keeping the steering system’s noise down and lubricating the unit in both warm and cold weather.
- Royal Purple Max EZ Power Steering Fluid. You really can’t do much better than the Royal Purple for an aftermarket power steering fluid. This versatile product can be mixed in with other fluids you’re using to top off the power steering fluid reservoir, or you can use it entirely by itself. You can expect to enjoy a long lifespan for your steering system unit and outstanding protection against the elements. The Royal Purple fluid is on the pricier side, but it’s worth it if you’re willing to shell out.
- Prestone Power Steering Fluid with Stop Leak. This probably shouldn’t be your first choice for Toyota power steering fluid, but it is worthy. Prestone is another brand that works well with Toyota. The main draw of this fluid is its stop leak additive, made to fill in any of the gaps in your unit’s structure from wear and tear and keep it working as it should.
- Peak - Original Equipment Technology Full Synthetic Asian Power Steering Fluid. This fluid is specifically designed to service Asian vehicles, Toyota included. While it isn’t the most robust fluid out there, it’ll undoubtedly have your car steering correctly in all sorts of conditions. This isn’t one of our top recommendations for Toyotas, but if you can’t get the above four for whatever reason, go with this one.
As you can see, Toyotas aren’t too picky about the kind of power steering fluid they want. This is generally true across models; it’s best to check your owner’s manual as well, just in case the manufacturer wants something different for your particular model.
THE BEST CARS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS
Whether you’re squeezing into a tight campus parking spot or hauling ten loads of laundry back home, these best cars for college students will get you, your friends, and your stuff where you’re going.
Where Can You Buy the Right Toyota Power Steering Fluid?
Power steering fluid is generally easy to find, but it’s even easier for Toyota power steering fluid. A classic, tried-and-true method to find the right power steering fluid is to go to an auto parts center like AutoZone or O’Reilly because they usually have a vast suite of these products. Since you have various options at your disposal, many stores carry the product you’re looking for.
If these stores don’t do it for you, you can always shop at major retailers like Walmart for the items you’re looking for, both in-store and online. You can also shop online from these stores if you don’t feel like going in person! Finding the proper power steering fluid to keep your Toyota humming is just a simple Internet search away.
Other Things You Should Know about Toyota Power Steering Fluid
The rule of thumb for changing your power steering fluid should be made around every 50,000 miles. However, this may not be true for your specific model, so it’s wise to read your owner’s manual and see if the manufacturer has any other suggestions which would override that 50,000-mile rule.
While searching for this information, check if they have any tips or recommendations for the type of power steering fluid that should be used (or avoided). Our recommended fluids should be great for your Toyota, but sometimes a model or two can have weird structural changes, so check on that to be extra safe!
Toyota Power Steering Fluid FAQS
Should I change my Toyota’s power steering fluid when recommended?
Absolutely! There’s no reason not to go through with the service, especially when the fluid is the cheapest component of your power steering system. As a result, the rest of the more expensive parts like the power steering pump and rack will work properly and last longer.
How often should I change the power steering fluid in my vehicle?
Unlike oil changes, power steering fluid changes can’t be scheduled. The mechanic must visually inspect the power steering fluid to decide whether it’s due for changing.
What are the common symptoms that I need a power steering fluid flush?
The primary way to determine if the fluids need to be flushed is if the color is black or brown. In addition, groaning noises from the power steering system as you use the steering wheel and difficulty in steering are reasonable indications you need a fluid flush.
Is it safe to drive with old power steering fluid?
Technically, you can still drive with fluids that are due for changing. However, old fluids will cause extra wear and strain on your power steering system and may result in failure.
Get a Curated List of the Best Used Cars Near You
The CoPilot car shopping app is the easiest way to buy a car. Tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll search the inventories of every dealership in your area to make you a personalized list of the best car listings in your area.
Only looking for newer models? CoPilot Compare is the search engine for nearly-new cars. Only see cars five years or newer with low mileage — CoPilot Compare is the best way to find off-lease, early trade-in, and CPO cars.
The best part? CoPilot is built using the same technology that dealerships use to buy and sell their inventories, so we have more info on each vehicle than competitors. CoPilot doesn’t work with dealerships, so there are no sponsored posts or other shady practices — just the most info on the best cars. Check out our About Us page to see how CoPilot works.
