How to Replace Power Steering Fluid For a 2005 Lexus RX 330
You can easily replace the power steering fluid in a Lexus RX 330 by draining the reservoir and adding fresh steering fluid.
Written by Patrick Price
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
Replacing the power steering fluid in a 2005 Lexus RX330 is quick and easy. You just need to open the steering fluid reservoir, pump out the old fluid, and then add fresh replacement fluid in its place.
If you’re not usually a do-it-yourself kind of car owner, that might sound a little daunting, but it’s much simpler than it sounds. Once you know what to do, you’ll be able to change out your own power steering fluid in a matter of minutes—which is good, considering that forgetting to change your steering fluid can quickly cause the steering wheel to stiffen up.
That’s why
Jerry
, your friendly neighborhood car insurance
super app and maintenance guru, is here to help! In this article, we’ll go over exactly how and when you should replace the power steering fluid in your Lexus RX330, which type of fluid to use. Just for good measure, we’ll also clue you in on a few tricks for saving money on your
Lexus RX330 car insurance costs
using our trustworthy licensed broker app
! Jerry sends free alerts to keep your car up-to-date so you can avoid costly repairs
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
Get ahead of my car maintenance
* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score
How do I replace my 2005 Lexus RX 330’s power steering fluid?
Replacing power steering fluid in a Lexus RX330 is one of the easiest bits of
car maintenance
there is. It’s just the sort of project to start with if you haven’t done much car care on your own before. Before you start, you’ll need to make sure that you have a fresh container of new steering fluid, a safe receptacle to store and dispose of the old fluid, and a small all-purpose
fluid transfer pump
.Pumps are available at any auto parts store or major retailer. If you don’t already have one around the house, it’s worth picking one up—they only cost around $9 and have about a million different uses. If you’d rather not get one, you can use a turkey baster or empty shampoo bottle in a pinch, but it won’t be as effective.
Once you have all your equipment handy, you can start draining the fluid! Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Place the Lexus RX330 in park. Engage the parking brake as well for good measure.
- Pop the hood using the hood release latch near the floor, just inside the front driver’s side door—it’s right below the steering wheel.
- Open the hoodand locate the protective cover—it’s a large solid piece of plastic that covers most of the engine block on the passenger side. It’s pretty impossible to miss.
- The protective cover is held in place by “rivets.” To release each rivet, press it down, turn it slightly to the left, and then lift it up. Once they’re removed, the cover should be easy to pull off.
- Now that it’s uncovered, you should see the power steering reservoir situated near the back of the engine block. It’s a white and partially opaque container capped with a large, flat, and black lid.
- Removed the lid from the reservoir, insert the hose from the fluid transfer pump, and then begin pumping. In just a few minutes, the reservoir will have emptied and you’ll be able to pour in the fresh fluid. When you do, keep an eye on the fill line—you don’t want the fluid to overflow and spill everywhere!
- Once the reservoir has been refilled, you can replace the lid, reinstall the protective cover, and close the hood. Then, start the engine and let it idle for a few minutes while you firmly but gently turn the steering wheel from side to side—this helps to loosen it up and get the fresh fluid circulating properly.
And that’s it! You’re all done, and you’re the proud owner of a freshly refilled power steering system. You should notice the improvement in how smoothly your steering wheel turns almost immediately.
Remember to check your power steering fluid for bubbles and leaks at least once a month. If you ever notice any, change the steering fluid again right away.
MORE: How to check and add power steering fluid
Should I change it myself or take it to a mechanic?
Whether or not you want to change the fluid yourself or have a professional do it for you, is totally up to you and entirely a matter of preference.
There are very few (if any) car owners out there that wouldn’t be up to the challenge of replacing their own power steering fluid. It’s not much more complicated than filling your gas tank up.
That being said, the project will require you to get your hands a little dirty and take up about 30-40 minutes of your time. If you’d rather just pay a professional mechanic to do the
power steering fluid service
for you, that’s certainly an option—as long as you don’t mind paying about $120 or so for the service.Which power steering fluid is best for a 2005 Lexus RX330?
Most modern vehicles now use synthetic steering fluid. While there are many different brands of synthetic steering fluid, they’re all variations of the same product—unlike the old-school mineral-based steering fluids, which could be very different from each other.
You could, in theory, use any synthetic power steering fluid and have it work just fine. Just keep in mind that all of these products are not equal in quality or price.
If you’re looking for the very best power steering fluid for your 2005 Lexus RX330, consider using one of these:
Power steering fluid | Amount | Cost |
|---|---|---|
Lucas Oil Power Steering Fluid | 16 ounces | $10.97 |
Prestone AS261 Power Steering Fluid | 12 ounces | $4.97 |
Super Tech Power Steering Fluid, 32 oz | 32 ounces | $4.94 |
Lucas 10008 Power Steering Stop Leak | 12 ounces | $11.98 |
Compare insurance quotes from 50+ insurance companies with Jerry in under 45 seconds
Compare insurance quotes from 50+ insurance companies with Jerry in under 45 seconds
4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversMORE: How to react when your car steering wheel shakes
When do I need to replace my 2005 Lexus RX 330’s power steering fluid?
As has been mentioned, you should make it a habit to check your power steering fluid at least once a month. That way you can make sure that there aren’t any problems with it.
During your monthly inspection, check to see if the fluid has bubbles in it, if it has changed color from clear to amber, or if the level of fluid has dropped (possibly due to a leak). If you see any of those issues, then you should immediately drain and refill the fluid, regardless of how long it’s been since you last changed it.
If, on the other hand, you don’t ever encounter any of those problems, you can stick to the general rule of thumb—which is to change the fluid once every three years or every 30,000 miles, whichever comes first.
How to save money on Lexus insurance
Well, that just about wraps up today’s lesson on Lexus RX330 power steering fluid. Hopefully, it answered all your questions and you now feel ready to tackle all your own fluid-changing needs!
Before you go, though, take a quick minute to learn about how you can save on your
Lexus car insurance costs
!All you’re going to need to do is download the free
Jerry
app. Jerry is a policy shopping super app that specializes in saving you time and money. It works by instantaneously finding and comparing dozens of different insurance quotes. Jerry will handle all the hassle of getting your new insurance set up and even cancel your old coverage for you! It might sound like a simple enough trick, but it does save users an average of $800+ a year and countless hours of insurance shopping and research!
“Jerryquoted me a price that saved me almost $4000 a year in California! I definitely recommend Jerry.” —Patricia B.
FAQs
Can I replace the power steering fluid in my 2005 Lexus RX330 myself?
Yes! You can quickly and easily replace your own power steering fluid. You’ll just need a fresh container of fluid and a general-use fluid pump. Once you have those things, follow the instructions in this article.
How often should I replace my 2005 Lexus RX330’s power steering fluid?
You should typically replace your power steering fluid once every three years or every 30,000 miles—whichever comes first. If you have maintenance trouble, though, you may need to replace it more frequently.
Estimate your repair costs for free with GarageGuard™
Simplify your car maintenance with Jerry.
4.7
We value your privacy
