Overfilled power steering fluid -- bad?
 

Okay... so my car was making noises when I was turning... I figured it was low power steering fluid so I checked it out... it was below the bottom of the dipstick. I thought "mmm... bad" so I went and bought some extra (sure I could have scheduled an appointment but for $20 I'll wait the month).

Anyway I guess it was only about 3 ounces low, and originally I added (oops!) about 10 -- filling it to the top of the reservoir -- about 2 inches too high. Thinking that was probably not too cool I sucked some out of there (using a super secret old oil bottle method ;-) but I can only get it to where it's about 1/2" above the "max" level. I'll assume this isn't all that bad. Is there something I'm missing? I'd think it's not as urgent as a serious oil overfill.

As to why it was low -- I dunno. I have service in about a month and as it was only a couple ounces low (but damnit low enough for me to notice via noise when cranking the wheel) I don't think it's super urgent.

Harumph.

Mine has been eating it since I got it. You'll be fine overfilled a bit.

Slightly overfilled is OK....I always put a little more than max for track days.

mine was below the min...
 

so I thought... so I went by AB and asked the service guy to top me off... he said sure... walks back, grabs a bottle, takes a look and says it's at the max?!? He asked if I checked it when it was cold and said that the level rises when it gets up to temp. Did you check it when it was cold?

Well...
 

When I originally looked in there it was *way* low, and that was warm. It was likely even lower cold (that's when the noise was the loudest... heh its kind of embarrasing because it's like that "steering lock out noise" when you crank it all the way to the side and the pump squeaks) except this was at any time.

Anyway when I originally overfilled it the car was warm -- but I *way* overfilled it. I mean, it was almost to the top -- pretty much the cap area was the only place there wasn't fluid. Hehe there's a little "shelf" on the dipstick at the top and it was completely submerged.

At any rate I'm about 1/2" over the max mark now when it's warm -- maybe I'll check tomorrow morning. Sounds like I'm okay tho'

-B

ham fist ;-p