Ford Focus mk2 unknown power steering fluid

[DRoss01]

I have a 58 Ford Focus 1.6 zetec mk2 facelift, 85k miles. I purchased this several months ago and I only have a few receipts from the previous owner for replacing the timing belt and services, otherwise I don't know what work has been done.

My owners manual + Haynes manual + owners manual from website when I enter my VIN (http://www.ford.co.uk/OwnerServices/Owners-Manual) all say that it needs WSS-M2C204-A2 power steering fluid. When I look online, this is green. I was going to buy Comma MVCHF - Central Hydraulic Fluid (http://www.commaoil.com/passenger-vehicles/products/view/221) as this supposedly matches that (and is also green).

When I checked the fluid I currently have in the car it is red... In which case, what should I be replacing the fluid with? Should I flush the system and replace it all with the green stuff or should i continue with red? In which case, which do I use, since I only know that it is red.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[mick85]

Wat year is it they use both kinds of u wanna change to green u will need do an extreme flush u will never get all red fluid out I would personally stick with colour in it less hassle they both do same job later models mostly use green fluid


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[DRoss01]

Thanks for your reply. It is from 2008. I can't find anything that says it would use the red stuff (ATF fluid?), other than in an owners manual from the US ford site (https://owner.ford.com/tools/account/how-tos/owner-manuals-search-results.html?make=Ford&model=Focus&year=2008), the manual from the UK site say the green stuff. I don't see why there would be a difference though between the same car UK and US (other than the obvious).

I have heard that using the wrong fluid will cause the seals to break and possibly do some damage to the pump, so I don't want to do anything without knowing for sure as I don't really fancy paying £200 for a pump plus labour.

Having said that, I have driven the car for around 2k miles since I purchased it in November. So whatever is in there has been there for at least 2-3 months, presumably much longer. I have attached a picture of the current fluid so someone can maybe have a guess at the age based on that.

[JW1982]

The WSS-M2C204-A2 specification is not completely correct for this type of vehicle/engine. This was a known fault of the instruction manual. The manual does not mention that this type of fluid is not used for all production dates and engine types.

The correct power steering fluid for systems that are filled with the red power steering fluid has the WSA-M2C-195A specification.

 

Initially the green power steering fluid was only used for the old Ford Galaxy (which basically is a VW Sharan). All other Ford models used the red power steering fluid. During production of the Focus MK2.5 Ford switched from the red power steering fluid to the green power steering fluid.

Personally I would not mix the new green power sterring fluid with the old red power steering fluid. If you want to use the green power system fluid on a system that is filled with the red power steering fluid you should drain and flush the complete power steering system. Completely flushing the system will need a lot of new green power steering fluid. Personally i would avoid this and just stick to the red power steering fluid. 

[v530anh]

It would be a good idea to pump some out and put some new red atf every year as it has a tendency to go black then it would need a full flush.

[DRoss01]

5 hours ago, JW1982 said:

The WSS-M2C204-A2 specification is not completely correct for this type of vehicle/engine. This was a known fault of the instruction manual. The manual does not mention that this type of fluid is not used for all production dates and engine types.

The correct power steering fluid for systems that are filled with the red power steering fluid has the WSA-M2C-195A specification.

 

Initially the green power steering fluid was only used for the old Ford Galaxy (which basically is a VW Sharan). All other Ford models used the red power steering fluid. During production of the Focus MK2.5 Ford switched from the red power steering fluid to the green power steering fluid.

Personally I would not mix the new green power sterring fluid with the old red power steering fluid. If you want to use the green power system fluid on a system that is filled with the red power steering fluid you should drain and flush the complete power steering system. Completely flushing the system will need a lot of new green power steering fluid. Personally i would avoid this and just stick to the red power steering fluid. 

Thanks for the detailed response. I am still a little confused as mine is the Focus MK2.5, so should be the green like you say. However, I think what you say makes sense that I should stick to what is already in there. Thanks for the correct specification of fluid (WSA-M2C-195A), I will flush out most of the old stuff anyway and replace it with new ATF fluid and see how it goes after that.

[JW1982]

Early versions of the focus MK2.5 did still have the red power steering fluid. At some poit Ford decided to reduce costs by reducing all different types of power steering fluid that were used to just 1 type.

First the versions with the EHPAS (Electro Hydraulic Power Assisted Steering) switched over to the new green type of power steering fluid. The versions with the conventional (engine driven) power steering system did still have the red type of power steering fluid at that time. On the conventional power steering systems the transition to the new green type power steering fluid was much later.

 

Ford prescribes that the green power steering fluid can also be used to top up a system that has the red power steering fluid in it. This basically means that both types of power steering fluid can be mixed. However I would personally not recommend this.  

[Solverz]

On 2/5/2017 at 3:21 PM, JW1982 said:

Early versions of the focus MK2.5 did still have the red power steering fluid. At some poit Ford decided to reduce costs by reducing all different types of power steering fluid that were used to just 1 type.

First the versions with the EHPAS (Electro Hydraulic Power Assisted Steering) switched over to the new green type of power steering fluid. The versions with the conventional (engine driven) power steering system did still have the red type of power steering fluid at that time. On the conventional power steering systems the transition to the new green type power steering fluid was much later.

 

Ford prescribes that the green power steering fluid can also be used to top up a system that has the red power steering fluid in it. This basically means that both types of power steering fluid can be mixed. However I would personally not recommend this.  

 

On 2/4/2017 at 5:02 PM, DRoss01 said:

I have a 58 Ford Focus 1.6 zetec mk2 facelift, 85k miles. I purchased this several months ago and I only have a few receipts from the previous owner for replacing the timing belt and services, otherwise I don't know what work has been done.

My owners manual + Haynes manual + owners manual from website when I enter my VIN (http://www.ford.co.uk/OwnerServices/Owners-Manual) all say that it needs WSS-M2C204-A2 power steering fluid. When I look online, this is green. I was going to buy Comma MVCHF - Central Hydraulic Fluid (http://www.commaoil.com/passenger-vehicles/products/view/221) as this supposedly matches that (and is also green).

When I checked the fluid I currently have in the car it is red... In which case, what should I be replacing the fluid with? Should I flush the system and replace it all with the green stuff or should i continue with red? In which case, which do I use, since I only know that it is red.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Hi sorry to bump old post,

I also have a 2008 Focus mk2.5 and I believe to have red power steering fluid in it, please see picture if in correct? 🙂

Which comma fluid should I use? The Comma PSF or Comma MVCHF?