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Hello!!! A noise, which sound like the power steering pump whining has shown up on our 12 RT... is it just standard power steering fluid in these things or???

MOPAR Power Steering Fluid +4 (p/n 05013457AA quart bottle).

If MOPAR +4 is not available, then MOPAR ATF +4 Automatic Transmission Fluid (P/N 05166226AA) is acceptable.

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  • Official Dodge Support

Hello!!! A noise, which sound like the power steering pump whining has shown up on our 12 RT... is it just standard power steering fluid in these things or???

Sean Hutmacher,

Welcome to the forum!

Lobitz68 brings up a good point about fluid based on region and climates.

Be sure to speak with your dealer before replacing any fluids.

Not sure of your region however temperatures in winter months can affect these systems in extreme cases, mainly extreme low temperatures.

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Well, here in Winnipeg, Manitoba.... we will see the extreme of extremes in winter... so whatever is best for ultra low temps would be best.

May want to talk to your local dealer to see if they have the "full synthetic" kind that is used for those temps then... We get pretty cold here in Minnesota too, so I'm hoping the power steering thing doesn't happen to me.

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Milous, there are several posts scattered throughout the site about a full synthetic that is being used in colder climates where the hoses are bursting in cold whether. Are either of the p/n's you listed the one spec'd for those conditions?

The only fluids recommended/spec'd by Chrysler are those that I listed. I don't believe that switching to a non-spec'd fluid would solve the issue, otherwise Chrysler would not have gone to the trouble and expense of manufacturing new hoses. A different fluid could possibly create other issues, and I would certainly not recommend doing that especially if the vehicle is still under warranty.

For the hose-splitting issue, Chrysler has released new hoses/parts for vehicles that would be encountering temperatures of 23°C (-10°F) and below.

Here are the part numbers:

68143978AA LHD Return Hose Assembly (Replaces 05085546AB)

68143979AA RHD Return Hose Assembly (Replaces 05085327AC)

68143990AA Return Assembly Cooler Loop (Replaces 04766279AD)

68143980AA Return Assembly Cooler Loop Style (Replaces 68058397AC & 68058397AF)

68143991AA Return Assembly Cooler Fin Style (Replaces 05154457AA & 05154457AD)

You have to determine the original standard replacement part for your vehicle (under "Replaces..." above) and substitute the new part (first number listed).

Edited by Milous
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The only fluids recommended/spec'd by Chrysler are those that I listed. I don't believe that switching to a non-spec'd fluid would solve the issue, otherwise Chrysler would not have gone to the trouble and expense of manufacturing new hoses. A different fluid could possibly create other issues, and I would certainly not recommend doing that especially if the vehicle is still under warranty.

For the hose-splitting issue, Chrysler has released new hoses/parts for vehicles that would be encountering temperatures of 23°C (-10°F) and below.

Here are the part numbers:

68143978AA LHD Return Hose Assembly (Replaces 05085546AB)

68143979AA RHD Return Hose Assembly (Replaces 05085327AC)

68143990AA Return Assembly Cooler Loop (Replaces 04766279AD)

68143980AA Return Assembly Cooler Loop Style (Replaces 68058397AC & 68058397AF)

68143991AA Return Assembly Cooler Fin Style (Replaces 05154457AA & 05154457AD)

You have to determine the original standard replacement part for your vehicle (under "Replaces..." above) and substitute the new part (first number listed).

In the instances I was referring to, the dealer was the one who recommended and changed the fluids (supposedly per Chrysler feedback)... Are these new hoses standard on any of the newer models? Seems silly to ship the vehicle to Canada or the northern portions of the US without having the hose in place already. Especially considering it was a known issue that was so prevalent that there has been a constant shortage on hoses... I know that here in Minnesota we spend a significant amount of time below -10°F.

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In the instances I was referring to, the dealer was the one who recommended and changed the fluids (supposedly per Chrysler feedback)... Are these new hoses standard on any of the newer models? Seems silly to ship the vehicle to Canada or the northern portions of the US without having the hose in place already. Especially considering it was a known issue that was so prevalent that there has been a constant shortage on hoses... I know that here in Minnesota we spend a significant amount of time below -10°F.

None of the new hoses come up in the parts system for the 2015 model year. The only thing I see is that there are revisions to the original part numbers, which means that some sort of change was made. It may be that they are using the "6814..." parts just for repairs on prior model years, and for what just might be a reduced number of failures on brand new models.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Calgary, -40 last year for about two weeks, the power steering return line blew.... 800.00 to replace at the dealer. I put in a p/s flush with a full synthetic fluid. hope it helps... mine is a 2010 sxt and it has blown a p/s hose every year since we got it in 2010. Chrysler has no fix... dealers have no fix.... the mopar atf+4 gels and pops the hose. very expensive to replace so I gave it a shot with 100 percent synthetic....

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Do you now have the updated hoses?

I'm guessing most people wouldn't know to look... I assume the part number is on the work order?? Hoping I never have to deal with this myself as it definitely gets that cold here. Though every complaint I have seen is in Canada.

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I don't have the work order handy. the weather gets very cold here in Alberta, Canada. when we got the journey in 2010, the return line blew at about -25. we had to wait for a new hose.... the dealer told us to just keep filling up the reservoir. that it would be fine to drive until the part came in from Toronto. I tracked one down in a day from another dealer a few hours away and got it shipped to the dealer in Calgary. the next year, it blew where the power steering line went from metal to rubber. the rubber portion of the line is the weak link. it will blow as the atf+4 gels. there is a clamp that holds the metal portion to the rubber portion, that is what blew off the second time... it was at the dealer for an ongoing water leak and as I was picking it up, there was no power steering.... puddle on the floor. they got it in right away and knew exactly what the problem was. seems from the service manager and the tech, these lines will and have blown many times. the service manager said that the problem is so bad that when the customer comes in for a blown line, he removes the line, brings it to a hose shop and gets the line re fitted to high pressure rubber and fittings. afterwards he re installs it and have not had any problems again with that unit. the last time it blew was last winter where the temp. was -40 for two weeks. I brought it in to another dealer, and before I could tell them to save the hose for modifying it the tech had cut it to save time on the job... cut it at the metal line. couldn't do anything with it. my brother in-law has a 2010 r/t, he has blown his p/s line every winter since he owned it in 2010.

to answer your question, the hose they install is the same as the older hoses. I asked that very same question as I didn't see any sense in putting in the same line to have it blow again. same rubber fittings and composition. the part # might be different. the price when your out of warranty is steep.. the line is very long and snakes around from the reservoir to another line that leads to the rack on one end and all the way to the front of the engine bay in front of the tranny cooler and back to the reservoir. I think the line was 280.00 and labor, plus fluid and shop charges and taxes.

they tried to tell me that the fluid must have been contaminated with moisture. the fact is that every time they replaced the hose they charged me to flush the system. so moisture couldn't have been a factor with the fluid less then a year old. Chrysler has a problem with this issue and I have heard from other on this forum that journeys as new as 2014 are having the same problem. I have flushed the p/s system with a compatible fluid that is full synthetic.. power flushed it not gravity drain. I hop this will solve the problem.

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  • 1 month later...

My turn. -38 on Sat. morning here. Puddle of p/s fluid under car. Towed to dealer on Monday and he said bend over and when I asked how far he said touch your toes. I'm still sore!! 5154457AE return line with cooler $530.99 plus misc small parts and 2 hours labour. Labour was $296. Total bill was $958.10. This 2011 Journey is the first Dodge I have owned since my 1976 B100 shorty van and I won't live for that long to buy another. Not with poor software and brakes issues also. They should have kept these things in Mexico where it doesn't get cold.

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  • 3 months later...

I spoke to Transport Canada about the PS hoses blowing and they have a dedicated guy on the problem, They are aware of the parts listed in Lobitz68 post and wanted to see if my blown hose would be replaced properly. Well it wasn't. My hose was replaced with the 05085546-AG and not the cold weather hose 68143978-AA. I wrote an email to Dodge to see what their response was to this situation. I almost lost the vehicle when the line blew in a corner turn. It has be very cold here in Sudbury and I expect the hose will blow again. The puddle of ATF in my driveway has froze nicely.

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  • Official Dodge Support

I spoke to Transport Canada about the PS hoses blowing and they have a dedicated guy on the problem, They are aware of the parts listed in Lobitz68 post and wanted to see if my blown hose would be replaced properly. Well it wasn't. My hose was replaced with the 05085546-AG and not the cold weather hose 68143978-AA. I wrote an email to Dodge to see what their response was to this situation. I almost lost the vehicle when the line blew in a corner turn. It has be very cold here in Sudbury and I expect the hose will blow again. The puddle of ATF in my driveway has froze nicely.

guycabiliero,

Sorry to hear of your experience with the power steering components.

Are you able to send me the last 8 characters of your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) ?

I'd like to look into your email a bit further.

Thank you!

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I spoke to Dodge Support and got a ticket number. They still have not gotten to my email. The girl that I spoke to said it was the decision of the "specialists" at the dealership to make the decision to replace the faulty hose with the one rated for cold weather. I find it difficult to believe that Dodge would leave something this important in the hands of a guy who replaces hoses at a dealership. The service guy at Laurentian motors said that if they had time, the front end guy, sometimes makes his own hoses because the ones Dodge supplies are useless. I just spoke to a client of mine who was in my office. He had a 2010 Journey and had the hose replaced 5 times. He finally replaced the vehicle with a Ford Escape.

So if anyone else is suffering from this problem, contact Transport Canada and list your concern before someone dies.

WesH, how do I send you the last 4 characters of my VIN without everyone seeing it?

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