POWER STEERING TROUBLESHOOTING

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 Troubleshooting information is to provide a list of common causes to problem symptoms. For model-specific Troubleshooting, refer to SUBJECT, DIAGNOSTIC, or TESTING articles available in the section(s) you are accessing.

BASIC POWER STEERING TROUBLESHOOTING 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