BMW 318i Power Steering Fluid Replacement Costs

Signs you’ll need a Power Steering Fluid replacement

Scheduled maintenance

Let me guess. You probably don’t pay attention to scheduled maintenance or spend time reading your owner’s manual. No judgement here. Okay, maybe just a little. Here’s the deal: Scheduled maintenance is preventative maintenance; it exists so that you can have affordable and easy car services that will keep you from having extreme and expensive ones. Can we agree that’s a good thing? Just as you need your oil changed regularly, you need your power steering fluid changed regularly. Now, not nearly as regularly as your oil, but still regularly, before it starts collecting all kinds of contaminants that you don’t want running through the system.

Fluid is grungy

When you get your oil changed, the technician doing the service will usually check your other fluids. Often that means just checking the fluid levels, but even that type of visual inspection can give some clues about your power steering fluid. As the power steering fluid gets contaminated and dirty, it will change in color, and become brown or black. That’s a sign that it’s time to get out with the old, and in with the new. So, if a technician tells your power steering fluid is gross, then it’s probably time to replace it.

Hard to steer

Presumably I don’t need to tell you that it shouldn’t be difficult to drive your car. If anything is making it difficult, you probably have an issue. If your power steering fluid needs to be replaced, it may not be doing it’s job well. That means that your power steering system will be compromised, which means it’s going to take more effort from you to turn the steering wheel.

Groaning noises

Another thing I hopefully don’t need to tell you: Your car shouldn’t make weird noises. Your car can make a lot of noises, depending on what’s wrong. If the power steering fluid is in need of replacing, you may hear a groaning noise whenever you turn the steering wheel.