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[Car Trouble] Power steering making buzzing sound.
DisruptedCapitalist
I swear!Registered User regular
I swear!Registered User regular
Hey, Automotive question here. I've got a 2005 Toyota Highlander with 128k miles. Recently the steering has been getting noisy. I assume that this is probably a sign that the power steering is failing, but my questions are threefold:
- Will emptying out the power steering fluid and refilling it with new fluid help?
- If not, how long can I go before it might become a problem?
- How much does a power steering pump cost anyway?
"Simple, real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time." -Mustrum Ridcully in Terry Pratchett's Hogfather p. 142 (HarperPrism 1996)
DisruptedCapitalist on
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2. I went 2 years exchanging fluid and it didn't totally die; I eventually sold it as-is. I was only getting noise when I turned the wheels while stationary.
3. Depends how much you want or need replaced. I see remanned parts for the pump at $105-140, resevoir for $80, seal kit for $10-20, hose for $65, and then you need fluid and there's labor and shop materials. It's going to be more for new factory parts. And then there is labor and shop fees to consider but maybe for that maybe $200-400 for doing it all at once? Or a lot more if you try to just replace piecemeal to figure out the minimum number of parts to replace. Labor charges vary greatly based on the shop and your relationship.
Look for directions at a forum specific to your car - its usually as simple as disconnecting the hose returning the fluid to the reservoir and sticking it in an empty soda bottle - then turning the wheels once or twice till its dry. Refill, turn the wheels a few more times to check the level and you're done.
Then, if you want to keep your car longer you can tackle the other neglected fluids like brake fluid and coolant
(just kidding.)
So the whole thing was fixed for a whopping $4.50.
Thanks for the help guys.
Yep, turns out you're right, here we are about a month later and my power steering is making noises again. That explains the spots I've been seeing on the driveway lately.
So can anyone explain to me how I can find the leak and what I can do to fix it? Or is it a monumental pain to do at home and I should just get a mechanic to fix it? I tried looking around for messy spots under the hood, but it's an 8 year old car and there are lots of messy spots.
best bet is to trace the hoses and see if you can find an area where there is a lot of residue, follow it upward until you find the crack. You can also fill it up with fluid, and watch the hose as your turn the wheel. Careful though, power steering fluid is corrosive.
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