I read a few posts but none where the same.
I was hearing a whinning noise from the engine and the second I heard it I thought ...oh its the power steering fluid low.....its happened to me many times in pretty much every car I owned.
Im in Mexico so I went to the chrysler dealer and they were clueless and were trying to sell me tramsmission fluid claiming its the same....I said forget it Ill go to an MB dealer.....I went to the MB dealer and the fluid was 50 dollars and it came in a quart container in German and it just didnt make sense,,,,I kept going to other dealerships and finally the Honda dealer gave me a bottle that finally looked like a steering fluid container that said power steering in Enlish....I thought perfect.
I filled the steering fluid and the noise reduced but it did not go away....I read my manual and it said DO NOT USE XXXXXXXXX power fluid use the approved fluid....so I thought darn it I cant beleive it. Do i pour the other out???? is it the problem???? if it is how do I empy it??? if its not then what is the proble,????? Please help

 

by the way....it was definately low (the power steering fluid)

 

Our cars use Pentosin in the power steering system, which is a synthetic fluid. If you top up the reservoir with regular fluid you will most likely have the seals in your steering system begin to leak. I would recommed you do a complete system flush and refill with Pentosin.

 

I second that......if you use a petroleum product in something meant for synthetic, there's a good chance the rubber parts in the system will begin to swell and leak!

 

Pentosin is a German company, the MB dealer probably gave you the right container. I would have the system drained if you put standard power steering fluid in. I'm not sure with these cars, but the VW's I'v had actually did use ATF in the power steering system and I suspect these are the same. Essentially they require hydraulic fluid, which ATF is a variant of, as is the specified Pentosin fluid. Generic "Power Steering fluid" is mildly corrosive and will destroy the seals in the system if synthetic hydraulic fluid is required. I had a Jetta that someone put normal fluid in and the steering rack seals were all destroyed, which was an expensive repair.