Fluid needs a change as it’s very black. Also needed some taking out as last owner had filled above the max level. Any suggestions as to what grade I need?
Thanks all
Same as autotrans ATF . No need to talk “grades”.
Any atf will do although there are specific PS fluids available from the likes of Halfords and others. Also buy a cheap turkey baster to remove as much of the old fluid as possible before you put any new stuff in. Let it run for a while and repeat. You’ll never get all the old fluid out unless you strip the whole system down but at least you can get most of it out this way, unless anyone has a better method?
Do you know how much fluid I’d need? Would 1litre be enough?
Does this fluid get stressed in any way? Or is just a time thing? This is the only fluid I haven’t changed.
Capacity is 0.8l so 1.5 to 2l should give you a good flush.
As far as I can see there is no change frequency in the Mazda Service data for the NC PS fluid. However everything (including humans) deteoriates with age so if it’s looking a bit brown rather than pinkish it maye be time to at least give it a flush with some new fluid added and its not expensive either.
Fair point but it’s not very satisfying sucking out what you can rather than a satisfying full flush😀
Between each time you suck out and refill you need to cycle the steering wheel from lock to lock a few times to get the fluid round the system. Eventually after repeating this multiple times the fluid should stay nice and red and pretty clear. Be careful not to cycle the wheel with insufficient fluid in the reservoir as it can make the pump groan 
.
I use one of these extractors - has been very good - works on brake fluid, oil etc.
So Halfords have the Comma AQ3 (link below) . Is this okay to use?
Thanks
Yep, that’ll do.
Replaced mine the other day after reading this thread and because it looked a bit murky on my NC1 at 80,000 miles. A genuine 10 minute job with the turkey baster (as long as you don’t drop the reservoir cap down into the engine bay - I didn’t) and now the car feels so much more . . . . . steery!
(Nope, absolutely no different, but I know I’ve got fresh clean fluid in there 
)
This sounds similar to changing the hydraulic clutch fluid. People report it looks grubby without any obvious lack of function. If you’re bleeding the brakes it’s only one other tapping point but difficult to get at compared with the brakes. I missed it out when changing the brake fluid.
For oil, the stresses for activating the clutch or turning the steering are minimal. My guess is it just discolours over time without any significant loss of function.
I’ve got some braided lines to fit sometime so maybe then.
I replaced mine by extracting as much as I could from the reservoir with a syringe. Refil. Run the engine, rotate the steering a dozen or so times, then did the same again.
Admittedly, it won’t get all the old stuff out, but what’s in there now is probably 99% new.
Changed the fluid on Saturday. Syringed out as much of the old as I could and replaced with comma AQ3 from Halfords. Easiest service job so far .