Power steering fluid blew out.

[Wesla]

-45C coldest place on the planet killed my power steering

Plugged it in (battery warmer & block heater) and it started and drove around like normal for most of my 30 minute drive to work.

After a bunch of highway driving I made a turn off to exit highway and noticed the steering wheel started wobbling and the front end was making a popping/knocking sound. I stopped off somewhere and thought it was a wheel coming off, or 4x4 related since I was in 4Hi, or a balljoint/tie rod maybe let go. I didn’t see anything detached and lug nuts were tight, but some fluid was dripping toward the front mainly around the steering bellow/boot on passenger side. Steering also has been a bit loose feeling and now has no power to it.

I can still drive it but it’s heavy steering obviously. Once moving it’s easy and lots of snow/ice so that also helps. I’ll be parking it soon.

After searching I want to say that it’s steering rack, but I may check through the simpler stuff first…like the lower pressure line? Either way it’s too cold here to do work to this, but I’m going to start looking for parts. Might just overhaul entire steering system since lots of stuff has to be removed to work on the system anyway from the looks of what I can dig up.

Also at 250k miles.

 

[Trainmaster]

The steering hoses are the weak link on these, and it's hard to see down there to locate the leak. Usually it's where the hose is crimped onto the connector. I worried about the rack and it was just the hose. Changed the two hoses and pump. Not a job for the cold though.

 

[tommudd]

any looseness in the steering now ?
Just sitting , can you hear any abnormal noises

as far as the P/S hoses being weak, never heard that one and have been wrenching on these since 04
with 230,000 on one of mine 170,000 on another etc
Out of over 100 and some that have been in my shop, only replaced one P/S hose
Now the rack, been a few of them that went bad ( not on any of mine , ....yet LOL ) but then some of them was the owners fault in how they drove , parked etc

 

[Wesla]

any looseness in the steering now ?
Just sitting , can you hear any abnormal noises

as far as the P/S hoses being weak, never heard that one and have been wrenching on these since 04
with 230,000 on one of mine 170,000 on another etc
Out of over 100 and some that have been in my shop, only replaced one P/S hose
Now the rack, been a few of them that went bad ( not on any of mine , ....yet LOL ) but then some of them was the owners fault in how they drove , parked etc

I drove it the other day while there wasn't much traffic, last time before parking it, and yeah it was kind of "wandery" on the highway. Super heavy steering at slow speeds but still manageable. Just sitting - there are no noises whatsoever, not a whine/peep from the power steering pump. I don't recall it ever being noisy either. I really want to fix this. Last year I made it through the thick of winter, then the water pump impeller blew apart and drained most of the coolant. I tackled that and redid most of the cooling system and its been amazing, now its the power steering's turn.

The steering hoses are the weak link on these, and it's hard to see down there to locate the leak. Usually it's where the hose is crimped onto the connector. I worried about the rack and it was just the hose. Changed the two hoses and pump. Not a job for the cold though.

Yeah I'll definetly make sure its not a hose first when its warm to do so. Looks like the fluid came out from the lower area, not anywhere up near the pump. Would be awesome if its only a $100 or less DIY fix.

 

[Trainmaster]

When my hose was leaking, it very much looked like the rack, because it drips right down. Was very hard to tell.