power steering dextron can't find

[Sail Fisherman]

My older car says to use dextron 3 but I can't find it. Can I use regular power steering fluid instead?

[Dean Hoffman]

[Scott Dorsey]

Any auto parts store should have a bargain-basement ATF that meets only the Dexron III spec. You could use a higher end one that meets Dexron IV also, if you want.

--scott

[invalid unparseable]

1. it's Dexron, not dextron

1. Try nearest Advance Auto Parts

[Roger Blake]

Valvoline makes Dex/Merc which is Dexron III (also Mercon which is virtually the same). Other companies such as Castrol do as well. Even Wal-Mart sells it under their "Super Tech" brand. Although no longer licenced by GM that formulation is still made.

Dexron VI is claimed to be backward-compatible that is for automatic transmissions only, not power steering or other older hydraulic systems that used Dexron II or III.