Bring your car, truck, or utility vehicle to Premier Auto Repair if you are having any of the problems listed below. These problems are signs that the power steering pump is going bad. Generally, you can expect to get about 100,000 miles out of the factory pump. If you have more than that clocked on your odometer, the power steering pump is going to need to be replaced sooner rather than later.
Groaning When Turning the Wheel
One of the most common signs of a faulty power steering pump is groaning when you turn the steering wheel. This noise will get louder the tighter the turn you need to make. It may also sound like moaning or you may hear squealing. The bottom line is that you shouldn’t hear any noises when you turn your steering wheel. If you do, the pump is going bad.
Difficulty Turning a Stiff Wheel
The steering pump is in charge of circulating the power steering fluid through the system. As such, it can become difficult to turn your steering wheel because it will get stiff if the pump is malfunctioning. You may wonder whether you are driving an automobile with manual steering; this is what it will feel like. It will be extremely difficult to turn the wheel.
Unresponsiveness to Steering
Unfortunately, there is a dangerous sign that your power steering pump is going bad and that is an unresponsiveness to your steering. In other words, your vehicle will not change directions. Naturally, this can make driving your automobile dangerous if you cannot control it, so we recommend that you pull over and call for a tow to our shop.
Leaking Power Steering Fluid
You may also end up with leaking power steering fluid on your garage floor if the pump is going bad. The color of the steering fluid is red. If you have red spots on the garage floor underneath your engine, you may have a steering fluid leak, a coolant leak, or a transmission fluid leak, although the latter will leak more toward the center of your automobile.
Silver Flakes in the Steering Fluid
Finally, you may end up with silver flakes in the power steering fluid if the pump is disintegrating. Unfortunately, there’s no way we can repair this problem. We will need to replace the dissolving pump with a new one to restore your power steering.
Premier Auto Repair in Tyler, TX, is here to help, so call us today to set up a service appointment for a power steering pump inspection.
