The Most Prevalent Power Steering Problems

Power to the People, Power to the Steering

You’ve probably heard the slogan “Power to the people.” When it comes to your vehicle, power steering is indeed the power to the person driving the car. This feature that’s now an expected standard on nearly every modern automobile provides both comforts for the driver and better control. Gone is the problem of having to be in prime physical shape to turn a corner at slow speed or risking a lack of vehicle responsiveness in an emergency evasive steering maneuver. If you’re like most drivers, therefore, you want your automobile’s power steering to work as it’s intended. To keep it at its best and for all your steering and suspension repairs, rely on the ASE certified technicians at AutoStream Car Care Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Most Common Culprits

Although we’ll need to check out your vehicle to determine the exact nature of any trouble you’re experiencing, we can share some of the most common culprits that are often underlying power steering difficulties. The power steering system relies on fluid and hydraulic principles. It multiplies a small amount of driver action on the steering wheel so that the auto’s wheels move with relative ease. If the power steering fluid begins leaking out, at some point, there will be too little to properly operate the system. When this happens, you’ll notice difficult steering and a grinding whine when turning the wheel. If you let it run dry, you can kill the power steering pump. The power steering fluid passes through hoses–one under high pressure to carry the fluid from where it’s stored to where it’s needed and another under low pressure to return the fluid back to the reservoir. As with all hoses, these can wear over time. If one of those hoses frays, cracks, or develops a pinhole, fluid can leak. Also, these lines hold to other components with couplings. If one of these vibrates or is jarred loose over time, you can lose fluid. If your auto has a leak, you’ll likely notice this on the driver’s side. The power steering pump operates using a belt. If that belt slips off, the pump won’t be able to help you change the vehicle’s direction. Finally, the pump itself can give up. As it ages, the internal parts and seals wear. You’ll begin having more difficult steering and may hear squealing sounds.

Reliable Power Steering Repair

AutoStream Car Care Center can help you keep your power steering feature monitored through routine preventive maintenance visits. We’ll keep an eye out for leaks and other trouble as we perform general service. Should you detect a problem, bring in your vehicle sooner for all your steering and suspension repair needs.