Hey all. Need a little help. I recently had the power steering pump replaced in my Envoy XL. Been driving it the past two days and the wife calls me tonight and tells me it feels like something is wrong with the steering. I'm thinking it may be low on fluid. When she gets home I check the fluid and the level is good (hot) but I noticed the color of the fluid is reddish in color, not the brownish color I thought should be in there. So did the mechanic put the wrong fluid in?
Power Steering Fluid Color
- Thread starter TNEnvoyXL
- Start date
Mooseman
Moderator
Sounds like the mech used tranny fluid instead of power steering fluid, which was common practice like 30 years ago. It should be a yellowish clear colour. I'd take it back, have him flush it with proper PS fluid and see what happens. If stuff got broken, he's on the hook for it.
Mooseman said:
That's what I was thinking but I wanted to be sure before I go back in there to ask that it be fixed again. Do you think it would be ok to drive it? I only live about half a mile from the service shop.
Mooseman
Moderator
Whatever damage it may have, it's not 1/2 a mile that will make it worse. If it's just whining, maybe just a good flush will take care of it. Still pretty hackish to have used tranny fluid instead of PS fluid.
BTW, welcome!
BTW, welcome!
Well I didn't fair as well today as I thought I might. The guys at the shop tried to replace the pump again with one from another manufacturer (don't know the manufacturer). They said it seemed to work well but after they let it sit for a while and went back to check the steering again it was difficult to turn the steering wheel. They said they noticed metal particles in the fluid so it looks like I will also be getting a new rack and pinion. So now I am wondering if the rack and pinion failed causing the original pump to fail or because the pump failed it caused the rack and pinion to eventually fail. Either way it sucks.
Mooseman
Moderator
I have never heard of a pump failing and damaging the rack and pinion but anything is possible. Same for the other way around. I have not heard of many failures of our racks except for leaks.
What was the original symptoms before you had it replaced the first time?
What was the original symptoms before you had it replaced the first time?
Mooseman said:
Wife was at a friends house. She had to cut the wheel sharp to keep from hitting another car parked near by. When she cranked the wheel she said she heard something pop, then something started making a noise, and then the steering got stiff. I checked it when she got home and the noise was coming from the power steering pump. From what I red the shaft had broken off in the pump. Moving forward, the pump was replaced three times and failed three times (including the one from another manufacturer). When they started to work on it this last time they did notice small metal particles in the fluid so they figured the metal was coming from the rack and pinion. When they pulled the rack and pinion they said they found metal partices in it too. They replaced the rack and pinion and the pump again and all seem to be good right now.
I asked the mechanic what he thought had happen. He said he wasn't exactly sure. All we know is one failure caused the other to fail too. I asked if the rack and pinion could have been damaged while we were driving it without the power steering pump working. He said it could be possible since there was no fluid being used to assist the rack and pinion so more force was exerted on the rack and pinion while driving. I don't know. Maybe someone else on here has had problems with the power steering pump and driven it without the pump and had no problems with the rack and pinion failing. What I do know is it's fixed and momma is happy.
