(bÄsh) v. bashed, bashÂ·ing, bashÂ·es. v.tr. 1. To strike with a heavy, crushing blow: The thug bashed the hood of the car with a sledgehammer. 2. To beat or assault severely: The police arrested the men who bashed an immigrant in the park.
What is this? In power rack-and-pinion steering, fluid pressurized by the pump pushes on either side of a piston mounted to the rack, helping you turn the wheels. Simply put, power-steering fluid is the hydraulic fluid that transmits the power in power steering. Servicing it involves draining or flushing out your car's old power-steering fluid and then adding fresh power steering fluid. Absolutely. The fluid is the cheapest component of your power-steering system.
Bear in mind that engine oil and transmission fluid also become darker after a while, so a deeper shade of red doesn't mean the power-steering fluid is bad. Before you jump at paying for this service, see what your owner's manual or maintenance schedule says. You probably won't find mention of changing the fluid. You should check the power-steering fluid reservoir monthly to make sure it has the proper amount and that the power-steering system isn't leaking. Reservoirs on many vehicles are the see-through plastic type, so you don't even have to remove a cap to check the level. Consult your owner's manual for the location of the reservoir in the engine compartment for help. You also should check the manual for the type of power-steering fluid that is required.