When I got my '96 E300D at 248,000 miles, the power steering fluid had never been changed and was black with age. I flushed it out with fluid from the local NAPA auto parts store. The pump has been damaged with age and dirty fluid so it sometimes does not provide the proper boost at low engine speeds (parking lot driving, for example). One of these days I'll have to replace it but as it is expensive I am not in a hurry.

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970