vodoo-chile Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Now that the colder weather is upon us, I have been hearing a whining sound when turning. I checked the PS fluid and it was a bit low (Cold Min level). Topped it off but the sound persisted. After about 1 week of driving , it has become annoyingly loud and the steering wheel jerks a bit when turning. Doing some searches on our board, many people have been saying that their similar problems were not their pump, but the steering rack. I have not noticed any leaks and the fluid level has maintained the correct level but the sound and jerkiness of the wheel are still prevelant, and getting worse. Now, when driving, when I hit a rut or pothole, the wheel jerks a bit. Since both parts are roughly the same price ($200-$250 ) I can only afford to do. Is there a way to determine which it is? When I'm at idle sitting still, I can turn the wheel a bit and the whirring sound increases and the wheel is harder and jery to turn if this helps. I can perform the pump replacement but have never done a steering rack. Any DIY's or walk throughs out there? Any and all help is appreciated, Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubyShop.com Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 My PS pump whines a little bit when turning the wheel while stopped, but it's not bad. It sounds to me that your PS pump is probably on its way out, especially since you say that the wheel is harder to turn as you start to turn it. The bump steer from hitting a rut or pothole is not uncommon. Ever driven a car without power steering? yeah it takes a lot of muscle to turn the wheel at slow speeds -Franz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodoo-chile Posted December 14, 2009 Author Share Posted December 14, 2009 Well, without doing anything to the car, the whining has subsided considerably. The wheel has gotten easier, almost stock like again, and only hear a slight whining noise when turning. Maybe air in the pump systme somewhere that has now worked it's way out? In regards to the steering wheel jerking when hitting a rut or pothole, it never did this in the 4+ years I have owned the vehicle. I did put on a different set of wheels and tires recently but they are both stock sized and have been on the car previoulsy with none of the jumping around. Any ideas? Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubyShop.com Posted December 14, 2009 Share Posted December 14, 2009 Yeah keep an eye on the fluid level for your power steering for a little while. Maybe your lower control arm bushings are shot? That could influence the steering when hitting a rut or pothole. If you are on the stock steering rack bushings, they might be a part of it too. -Franz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViscousSquirrel Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I know this is old...very old... but I had this same problem and the PS quit completely the other day. I replaced the pump, and the whining is gone and there's power steering as long as the car is moving...BUT the shuddering and PS loss when the car isn't rolling are still there. The car had the rack replaced at 30k miles at the dealer (car is at 75k now), and I crawled around under the car...there's no leaks that I can see. Thought? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrennanLGT05 Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 This post is very old, but I just replaced my steering pump in my 05 LGT because it had been shuddering and cutting power assist in and out for about a week or so. All of the sudden the pump started seizing up and stalled my car every time I made a sharp turn on the way home one day. So I put a remanufactured pump from Auto Zone on, bled it out, and I have power steering again, but it feels almost like there is a hesitation in the power steering. It doesn't feel like it's a mechanical issue (though very well could be, as I haven't had time to inspect due to the rain starting) but rather a hydraulic issue. I don't see any leaks from the pump, so now I'm starting to think it's the rack. As a side note, my car also has bump steer when it hits a pothole or chatter bumps and I JUST had my lower control arm bushings replaced. Are these issues related or are they two separate issues? My LGT has 89k miles on it right now and it's done the bump steer since I bought it with 75k miles. The issues with the power steering have only been for about 1000 miles or so, if even that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gto7419 Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Bump steer is actually a term used to describe what happens when poor steering geometry is used and the front wheels turn as a result of the suspension compressing or extending. You are experiencing what I would guess to be internal seal failure in your rack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fahr_side Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Rebuilt pumps never seem to have the full power of a new one, and never seem to last as long either. I have seen racks show signs of wear and play with the kind of mileage you have. Do you have play in the steering? This usually manifests most clearly at the center position, you move the steering wheel some but the front road wheels do not move. Obligatory '[URL="http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/2008-gh8-238668.html?t=238668"]build thread[/URL]' Increased capacity to 2.7 liters, still turbo, but no longer need spark plugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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