If your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s steering wheel is groaning when you turn it, there could be a problem with the power steering pump or the ball bearings. J&S Auto Repair is going to discuss the symptoms of a faulty power steering pump below. Don’t worry. If the power steering pump needs to be replaced, we can do that for you. In fact, we can be your full-service auto repair shop.
Strange Noises When Steering
Groaning noises are the most common sound that a malfunctioning power steering pump will make. This being said, your power steering pump may also squeal, moan, or click. These sounds get louder when you turn the steering wheel tighter. It’s important to have the pump inspected as soon as possible to avoid the additional problems we are going to discuss next.
Difficulty Turning the Wheel
One of those problems is difficulty turning your automobile’s steering wheel. This can happen if the power steering pump is unable to circulate the steering fluid through the power steering system. This fluid is what makes turning your steering wheel easy when you have power steering. If you’ve ever driven an automobile with manual steering, you know what we are talking about.
Unresponsive Steering
Your steering may also get unresponsive if the power steering pump goes bad. In other words, you may end up stuck on the road unable to turn your vehicle. This is not only scary but also dangerous. This is why we recommend that you have the power steering pump inspected at the first sign of trouble.
Power Steering Fluid Leaks
For example, the power steering pump may start to leak power steering fluid onto the garage floor. Power steering fluid is red in color and you can check the level of the fluid in the reservoir in the engine. Naturally, if you have red spots or puddles on the garage floor and the fluid level in the reservoir is low, it’s a safe bet that the power steering pump is leaking power steering fluid.
Silver Flakes in the Fluid
One definite sign that you need to replace the power steering pump is if you see silver flakes in the power steering fluid. This is a sign that the pump is dissolving. Unfortunately, there’s no way to repair this problem. In this case, we will need to replace the power steering pump.
J&S Auto Repair in Warwick, RI, is here to help, so call us today to schedule an auto service appointment. As we said above, we can replace your power steering pump if it needs it.
