Cars are designed to drive smoothly with every little piece working properly. Some parts, that need to work in synergy to keep the car moving, are lubricated with fluids that help them function optimally while on the road.
Maintaining the different parts of any automobile is key so as not to allow any part to malfunction. One of those malfunctions is a power steering fluid leak.
This could easily escalate into something serious as it could hamper the driver’s ability to turn the steering perfectly.
And to avoid the danger of being ignorant about the cause of a leak in a power steering, take some time and find what’s responsible and how to fix it below.
What Causes a Power Steering Fluid Leak?
Different components of a vehicle are built to different life spans. Lifespan of the various units are depended on wears and tears. Wears and tears may demand that we replace some worn out part apart from our ongoing maintenance.
So, if your power steering fluid is leaking real fast, chances are that the seals are falling victim to natural wears and tears associated with long term use. Power steering can also suffer from unfiltered, impure power steering fluids.
It is quite easy to tell that you might be having impure power steering fluid in your car’s steering system. Regular steering fluid is usually pink or red in color, but can also be clear. When contaminated, however, the fluid will turn to either black, or brown in color.
Therefore, to ignore the color of the fluid used in a car’s power steering system can turn destructive for the system in the long run. Contaminated fluid must never be tolerated, or put to use at any time in your vehicle.
Is It Safe To Drive With A Leaking Power Steering Fluid?
Safety must not be compromised anytime when driving a car; sometimes a slight malfunction can be disastrous. Some slight malfunctions might not be seen until later and are dangerous in the long run.
So, with respect to driving with a leaking power steering fluid, the symptom might continue and not affect the proper running of a vehicle.
However, once a steering pump runs dry on a vehicle due to continuous leakage of fluid, this will make the process of “turning the steering from left and to right” very difficult.
If serious care is not observed in handling the difficulty in turning the steering (due to a steering fluid leak), an accident can be the result. So, in summary, it is unsafe to drive with a leaking power steering fluid.
Symptoms Of Power Steering Fluid Leak
It does not need a professional to identify there is a problem with a vehicle’s power steering fluid. A vehicle’s power steering fluid leak will always display a number of symptoms. They include:
#1. Fluid on the garage floor.
If your vehicle’s steering system becomes faulty due to a fluid leak, you will notice all the time fluid beneath your vehicle engine area on the floor in your garage. Such a thing will often be noticed in the morning when you want to drive out and start your car.
So, be on the lookout around your garage if there are any stains on the floor due to power steering product leakage when the car is off. And that could just mean that your car’s steering system is leaking fluid.
#2. Ignition noise.
This is another common symptom. You will notice how the leaking vehicle steering fluid will affect the vehicle ignition process. This is why you will always notice a squealing coming out of the steering pump when the ignition is turned ON in case of steering fluid leakage.
And once in a while the dashboard warning light comes up after this squeal. If that has ever happened to you, then it is most likely you have leaking steering fluid.
#3. Grinding or whining noise.
The steering system of a vehicle is such that you can easily turn to the left or right without any noise at all. But a malfunction such as is caused by fluid leaking will make all the difference.
If the vehicle’s steering leaks fluid constantly for such a long time, the fluid will be reduced drastically and that results in the steering making whining or grinding noises when turned left
#4. Delayed steering wheel response.
It can be highly frustrating if you want to make a U-turn, and it looks like you have just been stuck on the other side of the road moving back and forth because the steering wheel is not making any movement smoothly; the steering wheel response is delayed.
That is usually due to the leaking power steering pump. You should contact an expert mechanic to fix your car’s power steering problem there and then to avoid the consequences that could set in due to your inability to turn a corner while driving.
How To Fix Leaking Power Steering Fluid
Just remember that waiting too long to address your car’s steering fluid leak issue can seriously damage it beyond repair in the long run.
In some situations, the steering fluid leak may just need you to adjust the steering to back to normal operation—little wonder that most of the things we face now-and-then got worsened in the first place by refusing to fix them.
And correcting the leaking power steering fluid that can’t be fixed with a mere adjustment in the steering system will require the services of a professional auto mechanic.
With a little luck you can fix it yourself with basic knowledge. So, you may want to go over the following procedures to fix the issue in no time.
#1. Flush/clean the power steering.
Debris or dirt could just be the reason for this power steering sketchiness. Therefore, flushing or cleaning the power steering is your best way of getting dirt or debris out of the system.
This would take some minutes to a few hours.
#2. Replace worn-out parts.
If you discover that it is a case of some loose nuts, then the solution will be to tighten the nuts. If it is the hoses that are worn, changing them out for new hoses will do.
If there is any defect in their caps that helps to stop the fluid from spilling out, then replace that too. If the power steering fluid circuit needs a change, go ahead.
#3. Put on power steering stop leak.
If there seems to be holes around the power steering system area, then you’ll need to use a power steering stop leak product to fill the opening to stop the leaks. You may want to learn how to use a power steering stop leak in that case.
Don’t trust yourself to do any of these? Then it is recommended that you call upon a professional auto mechanic to do the job. You may need to slip this into your budget for this weekend or next week.
FAQs.
Q: How much does it usually cost to fix a power steering leak?
Fixing a power steering leak does not cost so much; it will take only a few bucks to do. The estimated cost of fixing a steering leak is between $100 and $220. The total cost as usual includes manual labor.
But, the estimated cost of fixing a steering leak as stated above can be determined by the repair location and the automotive personnel that will do the operation. However, the cost of power steering fluid leak cannot be compared to the cost of fixing some other faults that may occur in a vehicle.
Q: How serious is a power steering fluid leak?
A power steering fluid leak is pretty serious and should be treated as urgently as possible. You cannot do without the power steering fluid in your car if you want your car’s power steering working as it should. Without the fluid, the steering will not properly respond as it ought to.
If you are facing the challenge of a power steering fluid leak, you already know that it will be difficult to turn your car’s steering. You may experience delay in turning the car from a straight road to a corner. When this happens, an accident may be imminent.
So, if you have a power steering fluid leak, it would be best to contact a professional auto mechanic to fix it immediately; else you may be risking your and your car’s safety.
Q: How long can you drive with a leaking power steering fluid?
Power steering failure is a consequence of a leaking power steering fluid. This will not happen immediately after a steering fluid leak has been detected; so it is possible to drive with a leaking power steering fluid.
But, would you wish to imperil your life to a deadly accident in waiting, courtesy of your power steering fluid leak, or get it fixed promptly? Most times a car can contain whatever technical or mechanical problem for driving it, but it doesn’t always end well.
So, if you suspect that your car has a leaking power steering fluid, drive on a straight path to meet a qualified auto mechanic. After having known what may be wrong, fix afterwards ASAP!
Q: Is the power steering worth fixing?
If you are asking, “Is power steering worth fixing?” maybe the question should be this way, “would you prefer it to be a faulty power steering, or better off than have an unexpected accident?”
Undeniably, a good vehicle steering partly determines the destination the driver goes to. So, if you joke about the car power steering fault, then you are joking about an imminent crash. It will not end well for you.
If you have a faulty power steering or leaking power steering fluid, you should and must do everything possible to schedule a time-out with a qualified auto mechanic to get it repaired. It will only cost you some few dollars.
Q: Is the power steering stop leaking any good?
Sure, power steering stop leaks are okay in helping to stem the tide of a leaking power steering fluid. But they are designed to work optimally on tiny holes. In that case, if you own a huge hole to fill, then it will take more quantity of power steering stop leak you apply.
The power steering fluid leak stop products do a great justice to leaking power steering fluid; and it is the way vehicle owners apply it to their cars to fix problem with power steering leak issue.
You may want to find out how much it will cost to get a container of power steering stop leak applied to the leaking area of your car power steering.
Q: Is it easy to fix a power steering leak?
Repairing a leaking power steering fluid isn’t rocket science. The procedure isn’t difficult, time-saving, and less expensive. DIYers will find repairing their cars’ faulty power steering more fun than those trying for their first time.
Therefore, if you are a DIYer or whatever, replacing your car’s leaking power steering won’t take the whole day. With the appropriate tools and equipment, you can be done in no time.
Meanwhile, if you are not a DIYer or you’re not sure of rectifying the issue on your own, please contact an expert auto mechanic to do the job for you. It’ll call for some bucks for the repair; you may want to add that to your spending budget.
Q: Can I mix old with new power steering fluid?
Mixing both of them while topping up your fluid content isn’t a bad idea; just ensure the right type of the fluid is used for the car.
So, whether an old or new fluid is at your disposal, stored up somewhere, or one you just bought, it doesn’t matter. Just make sure, the type of fluid is not different from what the manual specifies.
If you are in doubt, you may wish to consult professional auto mechanic for advice.
Final words
Power steering fluid leak is one mechanical issue that you can’t afford to trivialize, in a car. What may go unnoticed for a while, can cause disaster, in the long run. So why don’t you correct such a problem before the worst set in?
Whereas, a leaking power steering is fairly easy to fix, if only you know what to do. The causes, symptoms, and how to rectify the problem, have been covered in this article.
So, you may not want to take this kind of problem for granted or stretch it. It’s better tackled; where discovered, rather than waiting till the defect has grown worse. Remember, it’s easier and cheaper to fix problems at the early stage.