Vehicles that have hydraulic power steering systems have power steering pumps. It’s the power steering pump that circulates the power steering fluid through the steering system to make controlling your automobile a breeze. Typically, you will get at least 100,000 miles out of your car, truck, or C/SUV’s power steering pump. Miller Brothers Auto Repair advises that your power steering pump may be going bad if you notice any of the following problems.
Odd Steering Noises
Strange noises when you turn the steering wheel usually point to an issue with the power steering pump. For example, the pump will make a groaning or whining noise if it is going bad. You might also hear the pump squeal, especially when you turn the steering wheel tightly. If you hear a squealing noise when you fire up your automobile, it could be that the accessory belt is too loose. This belt powers the power steering pump, so a loose belt can cause problems with the pump.
Leaking Red Fluid
Red fluid spots on your garage floor could be a sign that the power steering pump has sprung a leak. You will need to replace the power steering pump as soon as possible to make sure you don’t end up with low levels of power steering fluid in the system. This can make navigating your vehicle difficult.
Stiff Steering Wheel
A faulty power steering pump can also make turning the steering wheel difficult. Perhaps you’ve driven an automobile that was equipped with manual steering. If you have, you’ll know what it feels like to drive a vehicle with a bad power steering pump that isn’t pushing the fluid through the system.
Unresponsive Steering
At some point, the power steering pump may fail completely. When this happens, your vehicle may not respond to your steering at all. As you can imagine, this can make driving your automobile dangerous, especially if you get stuck in a situation where you need to make a turn but the car won’t turn.
Metal in the Fluid
Finally, if your power steering fluid has turned gray or you see specks of metal in it, the power steering pump has gone bad and the power steering fluid has oxidized. Oxidized (gray) power steering fluid has had air introduced into it, likely by a leaking power steering pump. If you see metal flakes in your power steering fluid, the power steering is disintegrating into the power steering fluid.
Miller Brothers Auto Repair is the best auto service shop in Somerset, WI, so call us today to set up an appointment for a power steering inspection if you believe your power steering pump is bad.