I've checked the faq and searched but found nothing useful. I have a persistent leak in my power steering on the drivers side. I have the .pdf version of the nissan shop manual. I checked every connection that was suggested in the manual and cannot find the leak. Does any one else suffer this same leak? I can post the diagrams in the shop man. if needed.

 

you can't find the leak? Manual won't help.
Go uinderneath around about where your right foot sits and look at the steering rack and see if you find any there. There has to be a leak if you loose fluid.
How often u have to top up?

 

If it leaks overnight, would you be able to park over a big piece of cardboard? The area of the stain might help narrow down where the leak is coming from.

 

I've been under the car 3 times searching for it already. I've checked all the connections from the resevior to the rack. I've cleaned all the connections and rechecked but could not find the exact location of the leak. I have to refill about once a week. I'm not sure if the fluid is able to leak out of the rack and if so then where should I check for it. Could the fluid come leak out of the boots? One bad thing about the leak is that where ever it's coming from it's dripping into the rear cross member (holds the rear of the engine) first and then it drips to the ground. So I just cant go under the car and pinpoint where the fluid is dripping out at. It hasn't caused any problems yet but the oil spot on my drive way is getting bigger each night.

I suspect the rack is the culprit but i'm not sure where the seals are, I'm 80% sure that it's not coming from the connection from the resevoir though.

 

there is a large bolt type adjuster in the middle of the rack. You might see that by crowling underneath if you don't have a hoist from behind the l/f tire . Place your body underneath driver's floorboard and look in between the subframe and the firewall. You will see it, it's by the anti-sway bar

 

power steering pump seal?
the pulley seal on the power steering pump of my 00 went bad. starting dripping over a few weeks. then it completely gave out on the highway. i heard the seal pop and my power steering went out. when i opened the hood, there was fluid all over the engine bay.

 

wow never seen one before. Not too comon anyways on our cars

 

well my belts had gone out a few weeks earlier. a piece of the rubber got stock between the pulley and the seal. i guess it rubbed the seal and wore it out.

 

My '02 also started leaking at the power steering pump a few months back.

 

I don't think it's the pump, because there's no fluid leakage on that side of the car. I'll check the adjusting bolt as suggested by Nistech. I'm not gonna be able to do it until next weekend I have several exams to study for this coming week. But thanks for all the suggestions.

 

Still can't find the leak!!

 

Why don't you take it to a shop and have it diagnosed. You can then ask them what they suggest and decide to replace it yourself or pay to have it fixed.

 

yeah thats a good idea... if you have it diagnosed but fix it yourself, you can still feel half manly.. lol.. but yeah, my fluid was leaking.. i used to have to refill my steering fluid like once a week.. nissan during that 100 point courtesy inspection told me that i had a leak on the power steering pump return hose under the car... i got home and checked it out myself.. and the area where that first clamp is right under the fluid resevour (however u spell that damn word.. lol) was wet.. and it the entire hose was wet leading down.. so i moved the clamp up to tighten around the hose better.. the hose has stayed dry, and the fluid hasnt gone down in weeks.. so im proud of myself