Its been only 9 months since I completely flushed and replaced with Honda P/S fluid and yet its beginning to smell burnt and has taken on a deep amber colour.
I'm thinking maybe transmission fluid instead of the original P/S stuff.

 

I think deep amber is the normal color. Many don't realize there is a filter screen in the bottom of the reservoir. Even if you replace all the fluid in the system, the contaminants in the tilter/screen stay and will color and add smell to the new fluid. I think you have to buy a new reservoir to replace, or do a lot of flushing w/ solvent on your old reservoir.

Fluid may not look/smell nice but it's probably just fine.

good luck

 

Texas is right... when i flushed my system, i took the reservoir out and tried to clean the screen as much as i could... it helped it a little compared to when i just drained and filled it with new oil...