somnoboy

Hi folks. Appreciate your help if anyone can figure this out. The car has a little over 100,000 miles. A few weeks ago, in the middle of the severe cold spell, I thought I sensed, ever so slightly, some slight "kick back" on the steering wheel when making 90 degree turns at low speeds (such as at local street corners). At about the same time, I noticed a sort of slight belt-type whine sound (as if a belt was rubbing on something somewhere) under the hood. Finally, I noticed that when making low speed 90 degree turns, there is some sort of low mechanical laboring sound. Still slight, but all these things have been increasing ever so slightly over the past few weeks.

Is my power steering system about to go bad? If so, does it go bad all at once catastrophically, or will the symptoms mentioned above simply get progressively worse until I can't turn the wheel anymore?

Thanks in advance. You guys have been an enormous help previously.

steve2006

It sounds like a power steering problem,have you checked the fluid level and the drive belt?

flaco1801

yeah i have a 91... mine was kind of intermitant, would be good for awhile then it wouldnt get any better... kind of get used to it... i had it repaired at the station so i cant give any advice... just be happy it isnt leaking....

somnoboy

I haven't yet checked the fluid level, although I can report that there are no apparent leaks on the garage floor. The drive belt was looked at last summer when a mec looked at it and deemed it ok.

If/when the power steering fails, will the car still be driveable?

somnoboy

Definitely happy that it isn't leaking. Yet. Yeah, I'm getting used to the thought of just sort of driving around in this state, allowing it to get progressively worse. Unless of course it's a safety issue, in which case I'll have this fixed immediately. This is just the sort of thing that if possible, I'd rather wait until it got a bit warmer out.

deanshark

It sounds like maybe the bearing is starting to go on the PS pump. The only thing I could suggest on how to check it would be take the belt off and see if you can jiggle the pulley to see if it wobbles a little. If your "kick back" feeling is intermitent it might be b/c of it wobbling. If it is then that's also your whine noise, the belt hitting the grooves differently. Your low moan noise could be low fluid level. You should check that bearing asap.

somnoboy

Thanks deanshark. I think I will get it looked at asap.