Steering System: General: Troubleshooting
TROUBLESHOOTING CHART
| Symptom | Probable cause | Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| Excessive play in steering | Loose yoke plug | Retighten |
| Loose steering gear mounting bolts | Retighten | |
| Loose or worn tie rod end | Retighten or replace as necessary | |
| Steering wheel operation is not smooth (Insufficient power assist) | V-belt slippage | Readjust |
| Damaged V-belt | Replace | |
| Low fluid level | Replenish | |
| Air in the fluid | Bleed air | |
| Twisted or damaged hoses | Correct the routing or replace | |
| Insufficient oil pump pressure | Repair or replace the oil pump | |
| Sticky flow control valve | Replace | |
| Excessive internal oil pump leakage | Replace the damaged parts | |
| Excessive oil leaks from rack and pinion in gear box | Replace the damaged parts | |
| Distorted or damaged gear box or valve body seals | Replace | |
| Steering wheel does not return properly | Excessive turning resistance of tie rod end | Replace |
| Yoke plug excessively tight | Adjust | |
| Tie rod and/or ball joint cannot turn smoothly | Replace | |
| Loose mounting of gear box mounting bracket Worn steering shaft joint and/or | Retighten | |
| Worn steering shaft joint and/or body grommet | Correct or replace | |
| Distorted rack | Replace | |
| Damaged pinion bearing | Replace | |
| Twisted or damaged hoses | Reposition or replace | |
| Damaged oil pressure control valve | Replace | |
| Damaged oil pump input shaft bearing | 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 | Reposition |
| Loose gear box bracket | Retighten | |
| Loose tie rod end and/or ball joint | Retighten | |
| Worn tie rod and/or ball joint | Replace | |
| Noise in the oil pump | Low fluid level | Replenish |
| Air in the fluid | Bleed air | |
| Loose pump mounting bolts | Retighten | |