Thread: PS Pump Symptoms?

Sup guys. My 04 is making a grinding sound when i'm either braking and turning left slowly or if i'm stopped and turning my wheel left but won't make the sound if I turn the wheel to the right. It's also not a metal to metal grinding sound, it's more of like that sound you make when the struts are bad I think. Not sure exactly how to describe it exactly. Now I do need to do my suspension in the front (tie rods, LCA's, sway bar bushings and struts) but my question is how or what are some noticeable symptoms of a PS pump going out? Idk why but my gut feeling is telling me that it's the pump for some reason. Sound like it?

Could be that or the rack. Is the PS fluid full? All PS pumps will groan a bit when you turn the wheels while stopped. Puts a lot of strain on things. If the fluid is low they can complain at parking lot speeds when turning.

my power steering doesn't work because I unplugged the abs module, but I can still hear the power steering pump running, at least I think that is what it is.

ALLLLLLLL power steering pumps whine on these damn cars. The one I took out in November was leaking and whining put new one in its still whining but not leaking so screw it.

I figured it was something like that

the stealership has the tech 2 tool, right?

Originally Posted by 98ICLovinVet

ALLLLLLLL power steering pumps whine on these damn cars. The one I took out in November was leaking and whining put new one in its still whining but not leaking so screw it.

Mine doesn't whine, at least not that I can hear in the car. OEM pump with 320K on it and a genuine Delco magnasteer rack/all new lines that I threw in a while back when the old rack tried to kill me, lol... I bled the crap out of the PS system when I put the rack in and it's been quiet ever since.

I have a feeling my car would feel a lot better if I put a rack in it and when I do ill put another ps pump in it. About to take off for another deployment its just not a priority at the moment.

Thanks for the replies guys. It doesn't whine at all. I've heard it before when it was a little low on fluid but I have not checked the fluids yet. I'm planning on doing it this saturday but just wanted to get all the info beforehand. I was even thinking maybe the wheel bearing but last time when it went out, it would make that grinding sound while driving but it was a completely different sound. I hope it's not the rack and pinion. Isn't it a PITA to change out? I did have a few questions though.

1. If I jack the car up and take the wheel off, left to right play means bearing and up and down play means ball joint or cv? I can't remember.
2. What was the advantage of replacing the LCA's with the 97-03 style vs the 04+? I know there was a reason but I can't remember what it was.

The 97-03 sway bars are thicker than 04+ right?
And was there not also a reason as far as lowering the car as well?

Update guys. Haven't had a chance to check just yet but now I have noticed that it does it at a particular spot. If the wheels are straight, parked, it only makes the sound at a 1/4 of a turn to the left but no noise anywhere after that even if I turn the wheel over to the right. Does that help isolate anything? If it was strut related, I wouldn't hear anything while I was parked right? Or would the strut mounts cause that kind of noise?

Thanks scottydoggs. That will be the first thing I'll check saturday

Is it worse when it is cold? Mine wails away when it is cold (below 32 F) but goes away after a few minutes. I still want to shove the engineer's hand down to check the fluid level on a hot day when the engine is turning 3500RPMs! Who the hell thought up the location of the Gen III power steering pumps anyway?
Dumbest engineer thing I have ever seen in a long time!