Volkswagen Golf City 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

(4,511)

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

(4,511)

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 Volkswagen Golf City 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
2007 Volkswagen Golf CityL4-2.0LService typePower steering fluid is brown or black InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$124.99 - $132.49
2010 Volkswagen Golf CityL4-2.0LService typePower steering fluid is brown or black InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
2008 Volkswagen Golf CityL4-2.0LService typePower steering fluid is brown or black InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
2009 Volkswagen Golf CityL4-2.0LService typePower steering fluid is brown or black InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$104.99 - $112.48
Show example Volkswagen Golf City 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 Volkswagen mechanics

Real customer reviews from Volkswagen owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(4,511)

Rating Summary
4,233
137
32
27
82
4,233
137
32
27
82

Theodore

16 years of experience
1638 reviews
Theodore
16 years of experience
Volkswagen CC L4-2.0L Turbo - Tire Rotation - Renton, Washington
Theodore was Great as he always is whenever he sevices my cars witch he has done now on mutiple occasions. I highly recommend him for service to anyone.

Eduardo

19 years of experience
555 reviews
Eduardo
19 years of experience
Volkswagen Rabbit L5-2.5L - AC is not working - Houston, Texas
Mechanic showed up a little early for the appointment, which was fantastic. Very friendly to work with and fixed my problem in less than an hour. Not only did he address all my concerns, he actually managed to fix 2/3 of the problems for *less* than the original estimate. More work is needed for the other issue, but I knew that would be the case already, so I'm really happy with how it went.

H

26 years of experience
828 reviews
H
26 years of experience
Volkswagen Tiguan L4-2.0L Turbo - Power window is noisy - Menlo Park, California
I was quite embarrassed when I asked Honorio to come out and look at a weird noise that my power windows were making. Turns out it was just happening temporarily because the windows had just gotten cleaned. He was very polite and didn't make me feel bad at all about driving all the way out to Menlo Park to investigate a phantom noise. He even did a quick inspection of the car and walked me through what he was looking for.

Chris

16 years of experience
419 reviews
Chris
16 years of experience
Volkswagen Golf L4-1.8L Turbo - Oil Change - San Francisco, California
This was simply a fantastic experience, Chris showed up and took care of everything, everything was transparent and Chris explained what he was doing. Highly recommendable - While Chris was working on my car I was working upstairs, no wait time, no downtime. Just perfect

Excellent Rating

(4,511)

Rating Summary
4,233
137
32
27
82
4,233
137
32
27
82
Number of Volkswagen services completed
49621+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Volkswagen MECHANICS
1000+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

How to Check a Faulty Timing Belt Tensioner
The timing belt (https://www.yourmechanic.com/parts/timing-belt-kit) is a critical part of the automotive engine; if it breaks, it can cause some serious damage. The...
10 Best Automotive Scanners
Automotive scanners are a great tool to get quick diagnostics on a car. The Donop Professional U480 can help you troubleshoot issues on the road.
Tire Maintenance and Safety: How To Care For Your Tires
Tires need to be maintained just like every other part of your vehicle.

I have a 74 distributor with 3 wires can it go on my 79

Hello, thank you for asking about your 1974 Pontiac Ventura. From what you describe it appears to me that you are attempting to convert a points ignition system to an electronic HEI ignition system. This is a very common conversion...

What is the best oil for engine and gear oil. RPM is stuck at 4000 and not going up. I'm in a Honda Zest car.

Hi there. The best oil to use on any Honda 2005 or newer is Mobil 1 high life or Valvoline. That will ensure that you have the correct type of oil (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/what-type-of-oil-should-i-use) for the best performance for your vehicle. The...

Tbi injectors will not spray. Have spark. Will run on starter fluid.

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 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com