CarCareTruth Score
Recommended, but it's tough on the environment.
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Prices may varyHealth score is for adult use as intended, per the manufacturer's SDS. It does not model child ingestion, accidental spill cleanup, or off-label use. See the safety panel below for full hazard classification, and /disclaimer for the full editorial scope.
GHS hazard codes are quoted from the manufacturer’s Safety Data Sheet. PPE tiers below translate those codes and the listed ingredient chemistry; they are not CarCareTruth recommendations.
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Only when: splash risk
Beyond SDS: translated from the ingredient chemistry
SDS §2 classifies this product as NOT CLASSIFIED · no H319 or H318 at mixture level. Situational: splash risk is present during a full system flush when old fluid is displaced under reservoir pressure.
CarCareTruth publishes the cited sources verbatim and does not advise what action a user should take. Consult the full SDS before use.
Only when: prolonged use
Beyond SDS: translated from the ingredient chemistry
SDS §2 is NOT CLASSIFIED · no H315 or H317 at mixture level. Brief contact during a top-off is low risk. Situational for prolonged or repeated dermal contact during an extended flush.
CarCareTruth publishes the cited sources verbatim and does not advise what action a user should take. Consult the full SDS before use.
Only when: in enclosed space
Beyond SDS: translated from the ingredient chemistry
No inhalation H-codes present at mixture level. Flash point >157°C PMCC indicates negligible vapor pressure at ambient pour conditions. Situational only in an enclosed, unventilated garage with extended exposure to an open container.
CarCareTruth publishes the cited sources verbatim and does not advise what action a user should take. Consult the full SDS before use.
No PPE specified in published sources for ventilation. Absence does not imply “not needed” — consult the full Safety Data Sheet.
PPE tiers translate the manufacturer’s SDS and U.S. regulatory standards. Not professional safety advice. How we report safety.
Scope of these PPE tiers. The tiers on this page translate the product's Safety Data Sheet where one is published, plus its ingredient chemistry, into a comparable rating. They describe a formulation, not a situation: a tier is not a safety determination for any specific user, task, quantity, or environment. The manufacturer's label and use instructions govern how the product is handled. Where the product is used at work, the employer's PPE program and hazard assessment under 29 CFR 1910.132 decide what protection is selected, not this page.
No warranties. CarCareTruth makes no warranties, express or implied, and expressly disclaims the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
This product ranks #2 of 8 in Power Steering Fluid.
Last reviewed June 6, 2026
TL;DR Ford's genuine OEM ATF-type power steering fluid for Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles specifying MERCON V or MERCON. The reference formulation, not an aftermarket match. Prop 65 warning applies.
Ford's own MERCON V fluid (license M5091101) for power steering and automatic transmission service on Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury platforms. Hydrotreated petroleum base oil with a viscosity index of 205 for strong cold-flow and high-temp stability, plus an additive package covering wear protection, oxidation resistance, and corrosion inhibition. Well-regarded by owners, who confirm direct-fit compatibility with no pump noise.
For any Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury owner whose service manual specifies MERCON V or MERCON for the power steering reservoir or automatic transmission. Skip it for applications calling for MERCON SP, MERCON LV, FNR5, or Type-F · these are distinct, incompatible specs. Skip for European and Japanese platforms requiring their own OEM hydraulic fluids. Skip if your vehicle has electric power steering (EPS) · EPS systems do not use hydraulic fluid.
The SDS classifies this product as NOT CLASSIFIED under GHS · no signal word, no H-codes at the mixture level, HMIS Health = 0. The SDS explicitly states no aspiration hazard. A Prop 65 warning is on the bottle label; the triggering substance is not disclosed. Drain-destined: collect old fluid during a flush and take it to an automotive fluid recycler.
Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles whose owner's manual or service documentation specifies MERCON V or MERCON type fluid. Common applications include Ford rack-and-pinion power steering systems on models from the late 1990s through the mid-2010s. Always verify with your owner's manual · MERCON V is not the correct fluid for vehicles specifying MERCON SP, MERCON LV, or electric power steering.
No. The product label explicitly states: 'Do not use in transfer cases where MERCON ATF was previously recommended.' Transfer case applications require a specific fluid · check your owner's manual for the correct specification.
No. These are distinct specifications with different additive packages and viscosity profiles. MERCON V must not be used in applications specifying MERCON SP or MERCON LV. Substituting the wrong MERCON variant can damage clutch packs in automatic transmissions that specify a different spec.
Aftermarket ATF formulations licensed for MERCON V (look for the Ford license number on the label) are generally acceptable. Ford's own XT-5-QMC is the reference formulation the spec was designed around. If using an aftermarket product, confirm it carries a valid MERCON V license number · 'meets or exceeds MERCON V' without a license number is a marketing claim, not a certification.
The listing for Ford XT-5-QMC MERCON V Automatic Transmission and Power Steering Fluid carries a California Prop 65 warning. Ford XT-5-QMC MERCON V Automatic Transmission and Power Steering Fluid is a working automotive fluid rather than a passive part, so the warning points at the formulation itself. The manufacturer's Safety Data Sheet is the primary source for what is in it: the hazard classification and the PPE tiers on this page are translated from that sheet, and the full SDS is linked from the safety panel. California requires the warning whenever exposure to any of roughly 900 listed substances is possible. It does not name which substance applies to a given product, and it states no dose or risk level, so it is not on its own a measure of how hazardous this fluid is in normal use.
Marketing copy from Ford, via Amazon. Not editorial.
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