# Power Steering fluid 1998 Passat 1.8T - Generic, ATF or 'German special'



## vtraudt (Mar 1, 2010)

VAG for pretty all fluids points out that the fancy German stuff has to be used.

I have done my research on some of them (for example coolant: all modern (yellow, green) antifreeze work well. The old myth (DO NOT USE IN ALUMINUM ENGINES) has long been proven wrong (was true decades ago, when the first European aluminum engines showed up). The only difference: the 'fancy' stuff does not break down as quick (good for 100k miles) while the 'yellow/green' stuff breaks down and should be changed every 30-40k). What IS true for the coolant: do NOT mix G12 (fancy) with 'yellow'!

Example brake fluide: DOT4 seems to work fine.

What is the REAL story (no unsupported bland statements) for the power steering fluid? 
In 'normal' cars, a lot of car mechanics just use ATF. 

The VAG stuff is expansive and not so easy to find (NAPA often has it, but none of the other guys), and even the the 2 versions I have (CHF 7.1 (mineral) and CHF 11S (synthetic) cannot be mixed as far as I know (I may even have CHF 11, maybe a 'semi synthetic).

In a bind yesterday (system totally drained, leaked out), I filled up with ATF (to avoid running dry).

a) leave as is
b) drain and fill up with generatic PS fluid, or mineral or synthetic?


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