Serious steering problems.
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 955
Likes: 4
From: Silver Spring, Md.
Serious steering problems.Please help I recently purchased a 99SS with high mileage. The car was kept in excellent shape but there are a couple problems. The power steering doesn't want to work after the car warms up. On grooved streets, the car is pretty unsafe. I have to drive with both hands firmly on the wheel, just because a large enough rut in the road will yank the wheel out of my hand. Without the power assist, every rut makes it feel like there's someone else in the car just tugging at the wheel. I've replaced the pump but that didn't work. The steering is fine when the car is cold. The fluid hasn't changed color and doesn't have any strange odors. I've spoken to a few folks about this and most seem to think it's the high pressure hose coming from the pump. I'm hoping it's not the rack. What do you guys think?
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 634
Likes: 0
From: VA
Grooved roads and directional tires makes for a scary ride. My power steering is working fine but the second i hit grooved pavement or a grated bridge its time to hang on. Good way to test your power steering is to try and turn the wheel with the car sitting still. If it cant be done with one hand then its not working.
Thread Starter
11 Second Club
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 955
Likes: 4
From: Silver Spring, Md.
It isn't the tires. As stated, when the car gets hot, the steering gets extremely tight. It is especially hard to turn the wheel when the car is parked. I've since replaced the high pressure hose hoping that maybe it was being clogged when hot. That didn't work. Unfortunately that doesn't leave much else besides the steering rack.
