Toyota Sienna Power steering fluid is brown or black Inspection at your home or office.

Our certified mobile mechanics come to you 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(1,010)

How A Diagnostic Works

Instantly book a certified mobile mechanic to come to you

Mechanic diagnoses the problem and quotes necessary repairs

Your vehicle is ready to go

Fair, upfront & transparent pricing for all services

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to you now.

Customer Ratings

(1,010)

Power steering fluid is brown or black Inspection Service

How much does a Power steering fluid is brown or black Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a Toyota Sienna Power steering fluid is brown or black Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
2012 Toyota SiennaL4-2.7LService typePower steering fluid is brown or black InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$124.99 - $132.49
2002 Toyota SiennaV6-3.0LService typePower steering fluid is brown or black InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
2009 Toyota SiennaV6-3.5LService typePower steering fluid is brown or black InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
2011 Toyota SiennaL4-2.7LService typePower steering fluid is brown or black InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$104.99 - $112.48
2016 Toyota SiennaV6-3.5LService typePower steering fluid is brown or black InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.02 - $112.55
2020 Toyota SiennaV6-3.5LService typePower steering fluid is brown or black InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
2011 Toyota SiennaV6-3.5LService typePower steering fluid is brown or black InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$109.87 - $117.28
2012 Toyota SiennaV6-3.5LService typePower steering fluid is brown or black InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$110.24 - $117.94
Show example Toyota Sienna Power steering fluid is brown or black Inspection prices

Finding discolored fluid in any component of your vehicle is worrisome. Discolored fluid can be a frustrating problem because you may not know what is causing the discoloration and because it looks harmful. Indeed, brown or black power steering fluid is never a good sign and should be addressed quickly.

How this system works:

Power steering fluid is a necessary part of your vehicle’s power steering system. The fluid is pumped from the reservoir to the wheels by the power steering pump. Near the wheels the power steering fluid applies pressure to a piston inside the rack and pinion, which is connected to the wheels. This pressure gives the wheels the strength needed to turn and makes a vehicle dramatically easier to steer.

When the fluid becomes contaminated, the entire power steering system can be damaged. The dark colored power steering fluid can clog the power steering pump hoses and damage the bearings in the system.

Brown or black power steering fluid is not a death sentence for your vehicle but it is an issue that should be handled promptly. You can continue to drive your vehicle however, it is best to make an appointment with a mechanic as soon as possible.

Common reasons for this to happen:

  • Contaminated with Aluminum: As your power steering fluid does its job, it comes into frequent contact with your vehicle’s rack and pinion. The rack and pinion system is made up of high amounts of aluminum which over time can shed into a fine powdered state. This fine powder can contaminate your power steering fluid resulting in a sludgy compound that does not hold the same consistency as your ideal power steering fluid.

This shedding of aluminum particles is natural, so you usually don’t need to be concerned with the status of your car’s rack and pinion. However, after having your steering fluid replaced, you should check its color with regularity. If the fluid returns to a dark color quickly, then the rack and pinion should be inspected.

  • Water In System: Water causes power steering fluid to oxidize, which diminishes the ability of the fluid and therefore of the system as a whole. As with many components of your vehicle, the power steering fluid reservoir can sometimes trap unwanted water. This water mixes with the fluid, causes oxidization and changes the color of the power steering fluid.

  • Fluid Degradation: Power steering fluid is subject to high loads of pressure, as it relies on pressure to do its job effectively. This pressure causes the temperature of the fluid to increase, especially during long drives. As the fluid rises in temperature, it begins to slowly break down as the chemicals separate from one another. This is known as electrochemical degradation and is the cause of discoloration and sludge in the power steering fluid.

What to expect:

A top-rated mobile mechanic will come to your home or office to determine the cause of the brown or black power steering fluid, and will then provide a detailed inspection report that includes the scope and cost of the necessary repairs.

How it's done:

Discolored power steering fluid cannot be reversed. Instead, the fluid needs to be drained from the power steering system and replaced with fresh fluid. This is called a power steering fluid flush. A mechanic will disconnect the power steering hose from the power steering pump and drain all of the fluid out of the system. After reconnecting the hose to the pump, a fresh batch of clean power steering fluid will be added to the reservoir. Once the system has been flushed, the mechanic will usually turn on your vehicle and turn the steering wheel a few times to introduce the new fluid to the system. This process will also allow your mechanic to identify any other issue that may require his or her attention.

How important is this service?

When your power steering becomes discolored, it runs the risk of harming the rest of your power steering system. It’s important that you schedule an inspection as soon as you notice that your power steering fluid is brown or black, so that you don’t cause severe damage to the system.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert Toyota mechanics

Real customer reviews from Toyota owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(1,010)

Rating Summary
950
34
7
3
16
950
34
7
3
16

Blake

13 years of experience
114 reviews
Blake
13 years of experience
Toyota Sienna V6-3.3L - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Durham, North Carolina
Blake was efficient, honest, and professional. I highly enjoyed this service and will recommend him to others.

Colin

27 years of experience
117 reviews
Colin
27 years of experience
Toyota Sienna V6-3.5L - Not able to change gears - Saint Petersburg, Florida
Incredible mechanic, thank you for the great work in getting my van back up and running.

Refugio

21 years of experience
109 reviews
Refugio
21 years of experience
Toyota Sienna V6-3.5L - Brake Pads Replacement (Rear) - San Antonio, Texas
Refugio is our top choice mechanic! He works with you and came early since we were available. He is honest about the work that needs to be done and we have never had trouble with our vehicles after his repairs.

Michael

27 years of experience
483 reviews
Michael
27 years of experience
Toyota Sienna V6-3.5L - Oil Change - El Segundo, California
Thanks so much!

Excellent Rating

(1,010)

Rating Summary
950
34
7
3
16
950
34
7
3
16
Number of Toyota Sienna services completed
11110+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Toyota MECHANICS
1600+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

How to Set Up a Radar Detector in Your Car
A A radar detector can give you early warning when you’re about to enter an area where a police officer is using a radar gun. A radar detector can save you the expense of incurring a speeding ticket. When installing...
How to Get the Most Horsepower Out of Your Car
The The more horsepower (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/5-essential-things-to-know-about-horsepower) your vehicle has, the faster it can accelerate and pick up speed. Therefore, it is natural to reach a time in a car owner’s life when they may ask themselves how they can assist in...
P0798 OBD-II Trouble Code: Pressure Control Solenoid “C” Electrical
P0798 means there is a problem with the electronic pressure control solenoid or solenoid circuit due to low or dirty transmission fluid.

Check engine light for EGR valve

Hi there, thanks for writing in. Typically when a problem is recognized by the on board computer (ECM), an error code will be triggered that illuminates the check engine light initially. However, this error code is also stored in the...

My automatic shifter will vibrate hard when I'm going over 80 and my car also would shake a bit

Hi there. Not sure what roads you can travel over 80mph but several things may cause this issue. One possibility is having broken or sagging transmission/engine mounts (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/engine-mount-replacement). Another possibility is a driveline vibration caused by worn CV joints (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/axle-cv-shaft-assembly-replacement)...

I have a transmission on a 95 ford ranger automatic and i can't find the spot for the speed sensor. Its not the stock tranny.

Hi Patrick. Thanks for the question today. Unfortunately, if this is not the OEM transmission, it's hard for us to tell you where the speed sensor is located - since we don't know the identity of the transmission.

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (844) 997-3624 · hi@yourmechanic.com