While there’s nothing that physically stops you from driving your car if you have a power steering fluid leak, once the level drops, your pump runs dry. This causes increased friction and heat and can quickly cause expensive damage. If you need to drive your car with no power steering fluid, try to avoid extreme turns to the left or right, and replace your fluid as soon as possible. Thankfully, with the help of Bar’s Leaks, repairing a power steering fluid leak is quick, easy and affordable. The last and most common power steering fluid leak happens in the actual steering gear or rack.
That being said, power steering fluid leaks can appear from time to time. And you have to figure out what causes such an issue before you try to address it. Thankfully you can do that if you pay attention to the situation. The good news is power steering leaks aren’t all that common, particularly on newer, modern cars.
The lifespan of the hydraulic pump, rack, and seal can often be well over 100,000 miles depending on vehicle usage and weather conditions. If you are topping up the power steering fluid, be sure not to mix synthetic fluid with silicone-based fluid, as this could cause a lot of damage to the hydraulic system. Not all power steering systems use the same type of hydraulic fluid.
It won’t be as noticeable when the car is moving because there is less tire surface touching the road. But if you are having difficulty parking in a tight space or turning the steering wheel when stopped, then there is a problem with the power steering system. While you are doing this, get a friend to keep an eye on the power steering reservoir. If they can see bubbles in the reservoir fluid, then you have air in the system. Air can sometimes get sucked in through a leaking joint or hose. You can easily spot a leaking power steering reservoir as it will have dried, flaky fluid around the source of the leak.
These seals may even break up into little chunks that circulate in the fluid. These vital components cannot do their job properly, and the precious fluid seeps out. If it were easy to replace these seals, like it is with spark plugs, that’s exactly what what does a white spider mean mechanics would do to prevent this problem. Power steering affects every aspect of handling, whether it’s turns and curves or just staying on the straight and narrow. Power steering fluid is as vital to safe driving as oil is to continued engine prowess.
Since power steering fluid comes in different viscosities, it’s important to use the one that’s recommended for your car; your manual can advise on the fluid to use. Also never ignore a problem that concerns how your car handles, as power steering fluid leaks can cause dangerous variance in steering performance if left untreated. Of course, the power steering leak fix may also be as simple as pouring a low-cost additive into the fluid reservoir.
If the problem is diagnosed and dealt with quickly, it could be much easier and cheaper to repair. Power steering fluid is a type of hydraulic fluid that’s used to transfer energy from the steering wheel to the wheels. Power steering fluid has an important role to play in maintaining safe handling while making sure your car is easy to manoeuvre at low speed. So if it leaks it’s bad news for your car, your driving experience and your wallet. I have the same the leak just got done replacing the high pressure hose as it was leaking noticed a small leak and it appears to be leaking at the same spot as yours.
To truly fix a leak for good, you will need to take the car to a mechanic to get a better understanding of the leak. Many products allow you to pour the liquid in without emptying the contents beforehand. However, there are some brands of power steering stop leak fluid that will have you empty the previous liquid before filling it with the new solution. Check to make sure the solution you get is designed for your specific car, as mentioned above. Not all power steering stop leak products are universal.
Now is working much better, but I am still having the problem from the reservoir cap. Hi Patrick, since we are not able to assess it in person, we suggest taking it to a professional mechanic. Head to the Prestone help centre for more tips and advice. Or if you’re looking for recommendations on the best fluid to use in your car, find out more about high-performance Prestone Power Steering Fluid. Next time you have a “how-to” car question, please check back here at the Tips in a Jiffy blog.