I've read a few old posts on steering moan, but I'm wondering if anyone has figured them out. I just replaced the power steering pump and of course the fluid. I put in generic Dextron/Mercron type III ATF fluid. This is what the manual calls for I believe... but I still have that DREDDED MOAN!!! Anyone have a solution for this??

I don't know if it's something with the steering rack or not, the hoses look ok...this is for a 93 SE

thanks

 

yea i posted up a similiar question a month or two ago. and like you steering pump, etc have been changed but the moan remains. i just kinda gotten used to it. it only moans when i do hard turns in either direction @ slow speeds.

 

You put ATF into your power steering pump???
What manual told you to do that!!!
ATF is for the transmission... your power steering pump should only be filled with power steering fluid...
I hope you didn't do that...
I'm not sure if putting ATF into the ps pump is some trick, I've never heard of it.

 

If I remember correctly, you can put ATF in the PS, but not the other way around... I don't remember exactly, but I do know for a fact that you can NOT use PS fluid instead of ATF... It eats the seals away... At least in Chevy's...

 

Actually, the Nissan Factory Shop Manual specifies using ATF in the power steering system!! For your info, there are a number of cars out there that use ATF in the power steering.

 

i think even the car manual that came with my 89 max says to use ATF dexron fluid for the PS.

 

Moan is normal at low speed and being stopped. There is a lot of effort being exerted by the pump for 2 reasons .. 1)the low engine rpm, thus low pump rpm and 2)the high tire asphalt friction at low /stopped speed. As well wide performance rubber adds to 2). Low tire pressure also compounds the problem.

 

Mine didnt do this until I had a shop replace the leaking hi pressure pws hose! I tried to bleed it by raising the front two wheels off the ground and turning wheels quickly from one side to the next. You should have seen all the air bubbles burp out of the pws resevoir. It continued to do this for like 15 until my friend and I gave up and didnt see any more bubbles. This helped reduce the moan but its still there. I had them put the ATF fluid in as is called for.

Hope you find a cure,

 

Ok... I'm stoopit!
I just added a little PS fluid instead of ATF...
Can somebody tell me how I can flush my PS system out? or how much it would cost if I must bring it to a mechanic?

 

If I were you I would drain the Auto tranny fluid even though the manual calls for it use power steering fluid please. Because now they're finding out the AT Fluid eats through the seals in the power steering system it;s nothing to immediately woory about but I would change it be 4 too much longer.

 

WRONG...

the Maxima's power steering system was designed to use ATF, and NOT power steering fluid. if you pour power steering fluid in it, it will eat the hoses and seals and ruin the system. stick with ATF. it's much cheaper and it's what nissan designed the system to use.

 

Yeah, what Matt93SE said.

Also, the moan is caused by air in the power steering system. To get rid of it, do this:

1. With your car parked somewhere and the engine running;
2. Turn the steering all the way to the left, hold it there for a few seconds.
3. Turn the steering all the way to the right, hold it there for a few seconds.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for a about a minute and the moaning should eventually go away.

You're welcome

DW

 

hopefully it'll go away. I've changed everything but the steering rack itself on my car and the noise is still there. it got a lot better when I changed the pump, but it's back.

 

My 98 Max SE used to do that. It sounded like Chewbacca from Star Wars was my power steering system

DW

 

It's gotta be something more then just bleeding. I've done the bleeding like a million times, it still moans. The pump is new, and I've tried like 3, thinking when I still had the moaning that I got a bad pump (lifetime warranty from Advance Auto Parts). I'm pretty much at the end of my rope... and I don't wanna pay $200 for a new rack.