Power Steering Trouble Shooting
NOTE:
This is GENERAL
information. This article is not intended to be specific to any unique situation or individual vehicle configuration. The purpose of this Trouble Shooting information is to provide a list of common causes to problem symptoms. For model-specific Trouble Shooting, refer to SUBJECT, DIAGNOSTIC, or TESTING articles available in the section(s) you are accessing.
BASIC POWER STEERING TROUBLE SHOOTING CHART
| CONDITION & POSSIBLE CAUSE | CORRECTION | |
|---|---|---|
| Rattle or Chucking Noise | ||
| Pressure hoses touching engine parts | Adjust to proper clearance | |
| Loose Pitman shaft | Adjust or replace if necessary | |
| Tie rods ends or Pitman arm loose | Tighten and check system | |
| Rack and pinion mounts loose | Tighten all mounting bolts | |
| Free play in worm gear | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Loose sector shaft or thrust bearing adjustment | See POWER STEERING GEAR | |
| Free play in pot coupling | See STEERING COLUMN article | |
| Worn shaft serrations | See STEERING COLUMN article | |
| Growl in Steering Pump | ||
| Excessive pressure in hoses | Restricted hoses, see POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Scored pressure plates | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Scored thrust plates or rotor | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Extreme wear of cam ring | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Rattle in Steering Pump | ||
| Vanes not installed | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Vanes sticking in rotor | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Swish noise in Pump | ||
| Defective flow control valve | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Groan in Steering Pump | ||
| Air in fluid | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Poor pressure hose connection | Tighten and check, replace if necessary | |
| Squawk When Turning | ||
| Damper "O" ring on valve spool cut | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Moan or Whine in Pump | ||
| Pump shaft bearing scored | Replace bearing and fluid | |
| Air in fluid or fluid level low | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Hose or column grounded | Check and replace if necessary | |
| Cover "O" ring missing or damaged | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Valve cover baffle missing or damaged | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Interference of components in pump | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Loose or poor bracket alignment | Correct or replace if necessary | |
| Hissing When Parking | ||
| Internal leakage in steering gear | Check valved assembly first | |
| Chirp in Steering Pump | ||
| Loose or worn power steering belt | Adjust or replace if necessary | |
| Buzzing When Not Steering | ||
| Noisy pump | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Free play in steering shaft bearing | See STEERING COLUMN article | |
| Bearing loose on shaft serrations | See STEERING COLUMN article | |
| Clicking Noise in Pump | ||
| Pump slippers too long | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Broken slipper springs | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Excessive wear or nicked rotors | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Damaged cam contour | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Poor Return of Wheel | ||
| Wheel rubbing against turn signal | See STEERING COLUMN SWITCHES article | |
| Flange rubbing steering gear adjuster | See STEERING COLUMN article | |
| Tight or frozen steering shaft bearing | See STEERING COLUMN article | |
| Steering gear out of adjustment | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Sticking or plugged spool valve | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Improper front end alignment | See WHEEL ALIGNMENT article | |
| Wheel bearings worn or loose | See FRONT SUSPENSION article | |
| Ties rods or ball joints binding | Check and replace if necessary | |
| Intermediate shaft joints binding | See STEERING COLUMN article | |
| Kinked pressure hoses | Correct or replace if necessary | |
| Loose housing head spanner nut | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Damaged valve lever | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Sector shaft adjusted too tight | See ADJUSTMENTS in POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Worm thrust bearing adjusted too tight | See ADJUSTMENTS in POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Reaction ring sticking in cylinder | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Reaction ring sticking in housing head | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Steering pump internal leakage | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Steering gear-to-column misalignment | See STEERING COLUMN article | |
| Lack of lubrication in linkage | Service front suspension | |
| Lack of lubrication in ball joints | Service front suspension | |
| Increased Effort When Turning Wheel Fast Foaming, Milky Power Steering Fluid, Low Fluid Level or Low Pressure | ||
| High internal pump leakage | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Power steering pump belt slipping | Adjust or replace if necessary | |
| Low fluid level | Check and fill to proper level | |
| Engine idle speed to low | Adjust to correct setting | |
| Air in pump fluid system | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Pump output low | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Steering gear malfunctioning | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Wheel Surges or Jerks | ||
| Low fluid level | Check and fill to proper level | |
| Loose fan belt | Adjust or replace if necessary | |
| Insufficient pump pressure | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Sticky flow control valve | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Linkage hitting oil pan at full turn | Replace bent components | |
| Kick Back or Free Play | ||
| Air in pump fluid system | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Worn poppet valve in steering gear | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Excessive over center lash | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Thrust bearing out of adjustment | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Free play in pot coupling | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Steering gear coupling loose on shaft | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Steering disc mounting bolts loose | Tighten or replace if necessary | |
| Coupling loose on worm shaft | Tighten or replace if necessary | |
| Improper sector shaft adjustment | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Excessive worm piston side play | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Damaged valve lever | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Universal joint loose | Tighten or replace if necessary | |
| Defective rotary valve | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| No Power When Parking | ||
| Sticking flow control valve | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Insufficient pump pressure output | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Excessive internal pump leakage | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Excessive internal gear leakage | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Flange rubs against gear adjust plug | See STEERING COLUMN article | |
| Loose pump belt | Adjust or replace if necessary | |
| Low fluid level | Check and add proper amount of fluid | |
| Engine idle too low | Adjust to correct setting | |
| Steering gear-to-column misaligned | See STEERING COLUMN article | |
| No Power, Left Turn | ||
| Left turn reaction seal "O" ring worn | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Left turn reaction seal damaged/missing | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Cylinder head "O" ring damaged | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| No Power, Right Turns | ||
| Column pot coupling bottomed | See STEERING COLUMN article | |
| Right turn reaction seal "O" ring worn | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Right turn reaction seal damaged | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Internal leakage through piston end plug | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Internal leakage through side plugs | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Lack of Effort in Turning | ||
| Left and/or right reaction seal sticking in cylinder head | Replace, see POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Wanders to One Side | ||
| Front end alignment incorrect | See WHEEL ALIGNMENT article | |
| Unbalanced steering gear valve | See POWER STEERING GEAR article | |
| Low Pressure Due to Steering Pump | ||
| Flow control valve stuck or inoperative | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Pressure plate not flat against cam ring | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Extreme wear of cam ring | Replace and check adjustments | |
| Scored plate, thrust plate or rotor | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Vanes not installed properly | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Vanes sticking in rotor slots | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |
| Cracked/broken thrust or pressure plate | See POWER STEERING PUMP article | |