HELP!!! Dont know if its cold related...My

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

03-18-2002, 11:09 PM

crazy4maxima

Senior Member

Thread Starter

iTrader: (5)

Join Date: Dec 2001

Location: NYC NY

Posts: 6,273

HELP!!! Dont know if its cold related...My

power steering on my 1991 maxima was very stiff..

. this morning i moved the car but didnt let it warm up b4 i drove her... I tried to turn and leave the curb and it was really hard to move... as though i didnt have any power assistant.. After i drove a few feet it became loose..but when i stopped it was stiff once more... after 10 miles of driving it came back to normal... I also felt and heard a noise when turning.. probably the hydrolics.. Could all this be caused from all the cold weather from this morning..?

Or is it more mechanical...

If So How much for a new power steering pump and other parts and labor.????

anyone can help give me an answer?

03-19-2002, 04:13 AM

Taegost

Senior Member

Join Date: Feb 2002

Location: Tampa Bay, Fl

Posts: 605

Re: HELP!!! Dont know if its cold related...My

Quote:

Originally posted by crazy4maxima
power steering on my 1991 maxima was very stiff.. . this morning i moved the car but didnt let it warm up b4 i drove her... I tried to turn and leave the curb and it was really hard to move... as though i didnt have any power assistant.. After i drove a few feet it became loose..but when i stopped it was stiff once more... after 10 miles of driving it came back to normal... I also felt and heard a noise when turning.. probably the hydrolics.. Could all this be caused from all the cold weather from this morning..?

Or is it more mechanical...

If So How much for a new power steering pump and other parts and labor.????

anyone can help give me an answer?

I don't have an answer, but I do have sympathy... I get the exact same thing. When I first start up, any low-speed corners I have 0 power steering. Well, not ALL the time, only occasionally, and mostly when it's cold.
But as soon as I leave my driveway, it's fine, or if I let it warm up first.
Damn, and this whole time I thought I was the only one
I wonder if this could be thrown in with the locks/exhaust stud thing as a common problem or not? Guess we'll see, eh?

03-19-2002, 05:46 AM

rcrdps

Member

Join Date: Jan 2002

Posts: 56

Before you go spending all that money, you might just try changing the fluid. It could have some water in it or something. I think if it was pure powersteering fluid, it wouldn't freeze to easy. Actually, now that I think of it, it's more than likely air than water....just like when your clutch or brakes get mushy. It could be that the pump is allowing air in if it's leaking,....kinda like your water pump can do. But I would suggest just changing the fluid first and see if the problem goes away....at least temporarily.

Gene

03-19-2002, 06:33 AM

Taegost

Senior Member

Join Date: Feb 2002

Location: Tampa Bay, Fl

Posts: 605

Quote:

Originally posted by rcrdps
Before you go spending all that money, you might just try changing the fluid. It could have some water in it or something. I think if it was pure powersteering fluid, it wouldn't freeze to easy. Actually, now that I think of it, it's more than likely air than water....just like when your clutch or brakes get mushy. It could be that the pump is allowing air in if it's leaking,....kinda like your water pump can do. But I would suggest just changing the fluid first and see if the problem goes away....at least temporarily.

Gene

I'll do that. For me, it's not really a big problem, during the summer if it happens, if I fill the reservoir all the way to the top, it's fine for the entire summer... But I did notice about 2 weeks ago that I was totally out of fluid, which I noticed because the pump started making a noise... When I get it back from my bro I'm going to check it again... I hope it's something simple like a hose leaking if it is that at all