I have recently been having some trouble with my power steering. It has never caused me any trouble while driving at any speed but recently I have lost my power steering while parking. I checked my fluid level and it was low. I topped it up, drove for a while and then changed the fluid. It seemed fine and then about a week later the problem came back, but the fluid level was still full. I also lost my power brakes, but only once, again while parking. When the P/S fails I just have to wait for 1 - 2 seconds and it comes back. I can't see any leaks and there is no fluid on the ground where I park.

Does this sound like the pump is failing? How long can I run it like this?

How hard is it to change the pump?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

Is there anyone that has had this problem?

 

I switched to ATF+4 and seem to get better response. ATF is current fluid in steering system. Brakes and PS are both operated by PS pump. Sometimes use of one will interfere with operation of other. Brakes have slight pirority.

 

My PS pump went out twice. Both times under warranty.

I do turn it lock to lock quite a bit to get in tight quarters.

Curious, is yours the same as an 06? What I mean is, is it belt driven or gear driven?

..........Jim

 

The 03 should be belt driven, the same as the 06 (I had an 03 before I got my 06).

In the service manual there is a procedure about applying vacuum with a special cap, to bleed air out of the power steering system...

 

UPDATE: Ok, so I took it to the dealer and they diagnosed it as a faulty PS pump. They changed the pump and found that it was still not working properly. They then changed the vacuum pump and found that it was also not the problem. They finally changed the steering box and that seems to have solved the problem. They put my original parts (PS and vacuum pump)back in and didn't charge me for their misdiagnosis.