Woman’s Car Runs Out Of Power Steering Fluid. Then She Googles It And Tries To Fix It Herself: 'Tell Me You Didn’t'

It’s the kind of costly mistake that’s enough to make even the most jaded of internet denizens sigh in sympathy. A mistake that’s more than expensive; it’s potentially ruinous. 

When J:) (@hotgirlname) heard a familiar grinding sound before heading out to get her nails done, she wasn’t too worried. Yes, her power steering situation was compromised.

But this is something that’s happened before, and she knew how to mitigate it. 

‘Dumb Girl VS Power Steering Fluid’

On the day she wanted to get her nails done, she went out to her car, and it had leaked “power steering [expletive] out, and it was crazy,” she said to the 9,989 people who viewed the video. 

She mentions that her boyfriend “won’t be home for hours,” so she’s taking things into her own hands—literally. As she explains the situation, she’s holding a bottle of power steering fluid in her right hand. She’s going to attempt the fix on-camera.     

J:) is convinced that, as a reasonable human, she can Google her way to the correct fluid compartment. But the odds aren’t in her favor. And she’s given a little context clue as to how things might play out. The in-video text says, "dumb girl vs power steering fluid.” It’s not flattering, but it is revelatory. 

Power Steering Fluid Cap  

Google presents her with an image of a scallop-edged metal cap with the words “Power Steering Fluid” embossed on it, literally spelling out where the fluid should go. But when the camera cuts to the engine, things don’t seem quite so self-evident. 

There are multiple places where fluid could be poured into this vehicle that J:) said is older than she is. She reviews a few of the reservoirs she’s familiar with, as if in a process of elimination. Finally, she settles on a small yellow tank with a black screw cap. After unscrewing it, she promptly dropped it into the engine. 

She’s about to pour the fluid in and says, “Uh, hopefully it's the right [expletive] thing. I really think it is.” It’s cold out, so she’s in a hurry. Then, she dumps the fluid in and slightly overfills the tank. 

Where Does Power Steering Fluid Go?

In a rare display of online unity, many people in the comments section are convinced she just dumped power steering fluid into the brake fluid reservoir. 

“Please god tell me she didn't put power steering fluid in her brakes,” said Michaelshawn925 (@michaelshawn925). 

She did, confirming it, saying, "We fixed it guys.”

Meanwhile, TimeisMoney (@.timeismoney) noticed she got very close to getting it right: “You pointed right at the power steering [reservoir] but put it in the brake [reservoir] [tilted laughing emoji] it's right above the wiper fluid.”

And another user offered advice to remedy the situation. “So uh brake fluid flush immediately to try and save your braking system [and] don’t recommend driving it anywhere,” wrote 615._.Deka (@fxck.this.shxt).

But if J:) was almost right, where exactly is the power steering fluid cap located? 

Experts say the reservoir is located “on or near the engine, and can have a white or yellow reservoir and a black cap.” In the engine, it is usually located on the power steering pump or just above it. 

“Typically it is labeled with ‘power steering' or ‘steering fluid’ or it may have a generic symbol for a steering wheel on the reservoir cap,” reports the site Carparts. But that same site offers a caveat for DIY newbies: It can be quite confusing. If you think your vehicle might need steering fluid, listen for groaning or whining noises when turning the steering wheel, and consult your car’s manual. 

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Now, imagine it’s cold, you’re in a hurry to get your nails done, and the fix your vehicle needs is one you’ve seen done before. It’s understandable that in an older vehicle that needs power steering fluid, a hurried person could dump fluid into the wrong tank. And in so doing, risk the roadworthiness of a venerable vehicle.

Motor1 reached out to J:) via email and TikTok direct message. We will update this if she gets back to us. 

 

 

 

 

 

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