No wonder it makes a groan sound. I have some dexron lying around that I put into my 84 crown vic. The crown vic 's power steering takes an older fluid called FX. I bet I bought that fluid a good 30 years ago.

Of course my owner's manual is 26 years old so the dexron sounds great. Who knows what the new cars use in their tranny. I hear the new cars don't even have a dip stick or or tube to add fluid. Makes me love my 95 even more.

I would get some Mobile 1 ATF instead of Dex. You can get a cheap quart at Walmart. The current bottle of FX should be taken to an oil recycle place and disposed of = do NOT put that in your car!! It is too old for the 5 cyl aluminum tranny and will probably clog it up.

If you get a gallon of M1 ATF and use a couple of quarts to flush the power steering fluid.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

The FX I'll keep as that is what the manual for my 84 Ford calls for power steering. Well nobody updates their specs for 30 year old cars. Ford specs Dex for the tranny, Fx for the PS.

The 850 has a 5 speed so I certainly won't use AT except for the PS. The Mobile sounds like a good idea.

I've seen light wetness around the steering rack for 15 to 20 years.

As long as that FX isn't moldy. I could check some ford forums. I wonder if I forget I have the FX and have put Dex in the Ford's power steering pump, it looses fluid like my 850 must do now.

Mobil 1 stopped leaky rack seals in my 95 850. Flush it first or use the easy Turkey Baster method as I did...:)
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Will I buy another Volvo??? We'll see....