Hey y’all,

I have a 2000 E320 4matic wagon with a nasty power steering leak I’ll get around to in the coming weeks. The rack has been my biggest leak problem on the car, which has 250,000 miles on it. I’ve heard that because of the SLS accumulator pump you must use a specific power steering fluid, but it’s expensive as hell and near impossible to find for a car that’s simply not worth anything due to rust and mileage. Am I going to incur significant problems just running the Euro spec prestone fluid or CHF11S that I have lying around?

Exactly what I want to hear. Although it doesn’t leak fast enough for that to be a problem, so my worry is that whatever advance auto tier fluid I put in will definitely make it’s way toward the SLS system.

I just put regular MB Power Steering Fluid in it - it's not extraordinarily expensive.
I had same problem and AT-205 sealed it up. And before everyone says it's poison, it not only pretty much fixed it, it's been 4 years and it's working fine. It still drips 1 drop/day or so, so I keep an eye on it and add more fluid and AT205 every 3-4 months.

Great, I’ll just put regular Euro spec fluid in, I keep hearing that you have to buy the specialty Fuchs fluid because of the SLS but this car simply isn’t worth it. Thanks, glad to know it won’t cause catastrophe.

Give the AT205 a shot - worth the $20 and it may avoid an expensive repair...all it can do is not work.
Also, mine had a crack in the PS oil fluid reservoir that was causing PS fluid leak too, so check that. Years ago I had to replace the high pressure PS hose too....everything but the rack...knock on wood.

The high pressure line was a nightmare to me, I had to get it rebuilt and the rack has never performed the same since. Luckily it all still goes. I’ll give the AT a try for sure.

I’m probably not telling anyone anything new, but little leaks are like little land mines that blow up into big leaks. It usually happens when you least expect it, and is the most inconvenient.