General (Steering System): Troubleshooting
TROUBLESHOOTING
| Symptom | Probable cause | Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| Excessive play in steering | Loose yoke plug Loose steering gear mounting bolts Loose or worn tie rod end |
Retighten (See REASSEMBLY
) Retighten Retighten or replace as necessary (See CHECKING STATIONARY STEERING EFFORT ) |
| Steering wheel operation is not smooth (Insufficient power assist) | V-belt slippage Damaged V-belt Low fluid level Air in the fluid Twisted or damaged hoses Insufficient oil pump pressure Sticky flow control valve Excessive internal oil pump leakage Excessive oil leaks from rack and pinion in gear box Distorted or damaged gear box or valve body seals |
Readjust (See CHECKING POWER STEERING BELT TENSION
) Replace Replenish (See CHECKING POWER STEERING FLUID LEVEL ) Bleed air (See CHECKING POWER STEERING FLUID LEVEL ) Correct the routing or replace Repair or replace the oil pump (See OIL PUMP PRESSURE TEST ) Replace Replace the damaged parts Replace the damaged parts Replace |
| Steering wheel does not return properly | Excessive turning resistance of tie rod end Yoke plug excessively tight Tie rod and/or ball joint cannot turn smoothly Loose mounting of gear box mounting bracket Worn steering shaft joint and/or body grommet Distorted rack Damaged pinion bearing Twisted or damaged hoses Damaged oil pressure control valve Damaged oil pump input shaft bearing |
Replace (See TOTAL PINION PRELOAD
) Adjust (See page REASSEMBLY ) Replace (See CHECKING STATIONARY STEERING EFFORT ) Retighten Correct or replace Replace (See INSPECTION ) Replace Reposition or replace Replace Replace |
| Noise | Hissing Noise in Steering Gear There is some noise with all power steering systems. One of the most common is a hissing sound when the steering wheel is turned and the car is not moving. This noise will be most evident when turning the wheel while the brakes are being applied. There is no relationship between this noise and steering performance. Do not replace the valve unless the "hissing" noise becomes extreme. A replaced valve will also make a slight noise, and is not always a solution for the condition |
|
| Rattling or chucking noise in the rack and pinion | Interference with hoses from vehicle body Loose gear box bracket Loose tie rod end and/or ball joint Worn tie rod and/or ball joint |
Reposition Retighten Retighten Replace (See CHECKING STATIONARY STEERING EFFORT ) |
| Noise in the oil pump | Low fluid level Air in the fluid Loose pump mounting bolts |
Replenish (See CHECKING POWER STEERING FLUID LEVEL
) Bleed air (See CHECKING POWER STEERING FLUID LEVEL ) Retighten |
NOTE:
A slight "grinding noise" may be heard immediately after the engine is started in extremely cold weather conditions (below-20°C). This is due to power steering fluid characteristics in extreme cold conditions and is not an indication of a malfunction.