14
Part number 89020661 has now been replaced by 89021182. The description of the newer fluid is (from Amazon.com - same in other places):
Amber-colored, light-bodied mineral oil
Contains a specially developed additive
Anti-corrosive and non foaming
Formulated for automotive use
For use in vehicles with regular hydraulic power steering systems
Typically, when ...
13
My first thought is that the belt(s) that drive the accessories (alternator and power steering) slipped due to being wet. As for the check gauges light that came on later, I don't know. When it came on, did you catch which gauges where high or low?
12
The answer to this question is NO. It is not bad. It's just harder to steer. But that's how people used to drive for many decades before the advent of power steering. Do, however, make sure that your power steering pump is mounted properly onto the engine block and the serpentine belt because the belt has to have all the pulleys mounted on and tight.
10
The 'foaming' you describe is almost certainly air getting into the system. The power steering pump will cause a suction effect in the pump and then pressurise the system. Look for loose hose clips, damaged piping, and leaking seals on the pump body between the pump and its fluid reservoir.
10
Yes, a lot of power steering pumps call for automatic transmission fluid (ATF) instead of traditional power steering fluid. The difference between the two fluids will vary between brands, but has to do with a difference in cleaning, lubricating and hydraulic characteristics. Often if the wrong type is used, the fluid will eat the seals in the power steering ...
10
You do not need to use "Genuine Honda" power steering fluid. You do, however, need to use power steering fluid made for Hondas/Acuras. If you look at any manufacturer specific manual, you'll see they will specify "genuine" this or that. This is a means to get you to purchase their products. Most often there are alternatives.
You cannot use just any power ...
9
What's the difference between the two in terms of how they work?
In both cases, the power steering simply adds some force to the steering when it detects the driver is trying to turn the wheels. Simply, in one case there is an electric motor to add this force, while in the other hydraulic liquid is used.
Is one more efficient at steering than the other?
...
9
tl;dr: Winter tires are different and you are sensitive enough to tell.
It doesn't sound like you have a problem. It seems that you are detecting exactly what I detect when I put my winter tires on after the summer. Quoting from the Tire Rack article:
New winter tires begin with deeper tread depths and more open tread
designs than the tires used ...
7
You can damage power steering pump when driving without having fluid in it, if it´s leaking just check it every few miles and you are ok, when there is fluid, it has to work, it´s just leaking right?
7
tl;dr: Steering feedback means different things to different people. Ultimately, however, it's about using the steering wheel as both an input and an output device.
At a very high level, the concept of steering feedback has to do with the user interface of the car. If we restrict the discussion to just the wheel in front of you, it's easy to imagine that ...
7
Drive by wire systems have no mechanical connection between the input decive (like a throttle/gas pedal) and the output device (like the engine). They use only electrical signals. To my knowledge there aren't any cars that use this system for steering.
Your steering wheel is mechanically connected to the front wheels but is assisted by an electric motor. ...
6
So, do power steering hoses just leak randomly like they are claiming? Or is there a reason to be suspicious?
I will bet the problem lies with the nylon seal which needs to be replaced with the pump (it's a real PITB to install) and they didn't do it with the pump install. It's the seal which allows movement out of the high pressure side (out flow of fluid)....
6
I would never ignore a worn tie rod; you could be driving down the road, hit a serious bump, and suddenly lose your ability to steer in a straight line, or worse. If you have the the tie rod replaced, I doubt that any reputable mechanic would tackle that without also repairing the power steering rack. I personally would never ignore any kind of steering ...
6
You seem to be describing the weight of the steering, which varies from vehicle to vehicle.
It isn't something to be concerned about.
Many factors influence the lightness (or heaviness) of steering feel, including:
steering/chassis geometry
amount of hydraulic (power-steering) assist
tire size
I would be concerned if you cannot or struggle to turn the ...
6
Based upon the information you've provided I can think of two things that may create the "medium frequency whirring" sound.
1. Low Power Steering Fluid
When your power steering fluid is low the fluid cannot absorb sound and what you hear is the pump possibly going bad as a result. Sometimes, when the fluid is just low there will be audible component ...
6
Here is where I would start. First check the tension of the belt, just a quick push on the belt and you'll be able to tell, if its firm it's good, but if the belt has slack you'll need to tighten a tensioner pulley, or tighten down the pump or other pulley somewhere. Also while the car is running, go check the serpentine belt and watch it to make sure it isn'...
6
The brakes should still work, but without power assist so they take more force. Same for steering. I would shift to N and then brake while heading to the shoulder. I had a K1500 Blazer of about this vintage, and the steering wheel would not lock until the key was rotated all the way back to the "Lock" position, where you can take the key out. If the ...
5
Make sure the power steering pump has fluid in it. If it runs dry it can cause your pulley to seize and your belt to break.
5
If replacing the power steering pump triggers a fault code, all you need is one of these to reset it:
http://www.amazon.com/Autel-MaxiScan-MS509-Scanner-vehicles/dp/B0056VHZD8/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1355944663&sr=1-2&keywords=EOBD+reader
Someone can feel free to come along and prove me wrong here because I'm not 100% sure how ...
5
Not knowing the exact state of the power steering fluid in the first place, I would be hard pressed to tell you it was a scam. I'm sure they performed the service for which you paid, so at least that portion of it is not a scam.
With that said, you and everyone else should know, this is a typical way that places like Jiffy Lube (or other quick oil change ...
5
My first thought is to use a good penetrating oil, Sea Breeze or my personal favorite PB Blaster. Wrap a small piece of rag around the fitting and soak it twice a day for 2-3 days. If it is still stuck, cut the tube off the fitting. I like to use a midget tubing cutter. If you cut almost all the way through it should snap if you bend it. This will minimize ...
5
Reseal the pump inlet fitting. It lets air in here but will leak very little or no fluid out. It is a short plastic fitting with an o-ring seal on the pump end.
In the unlikely case that this does not resolve the symptom, next replace the inlet hose. If it is still doing it after that then reseal the pump. Honda sells all the parts to reseal the pump; the ...
5
I'm unsure if it would actually pinpoint a leaking fitting/seal.
Using a hand vacuum pump with a reservoir you fill the system and apply ~20inHg. Repeat until you stop seeing fluid entering the reservoir. Leave the vacuum on the system and walk away for 5 or so minutes. If pressure doesn't drop you're good.
Generally if you don't see a fluid leak, look at ...
5
When buying a used car it's usually a good idea to change all fluids, just so you know exactly when they were changed, and can start your own fresh service history. This may be part of the reason why the dealer recommended these services.
Like almost any other fluid used in a car, time, environment, and use will eventually cause degradation and decreased ...
5
I don't know which specific fluid VW uses for power-steering, but many manufacturers use automatic transmission fluid, or something closely related to it.
Unlike the engine and transmission, the power steering pump will not heat up it's fluid to extremes, the only significant heat the fluid will received is from being in the engine bay.
Therefore, power-...
5
Honda genuine power steering fluid is different than other available choices. The formula is proprietary and not published. It was developed in the early 1990's to solve a significant chatter symptom in Honda power steering rack and pinon units. This problem was caused by incompatibility between the old fluid and the sliding seals on the rack sliding seals. ...
5
I don't know exactly what it's for, but usually they'd put these in there for one of two reasons.
They need a hard place to mount the hose so what's holding on to it doesn't wear on it.
They are putting two pieces together for some stupid reason.
I'm thinking it may be the first reason, but who knows why Honda does anything.
As for your replacement hose ...
5
Replace the battery and those issues will stop.
Reason? The bad battery is so discharged after starting the engine the alternator takes a few seconds to bring the system voltage high enough for some electronics to work properly.
5
It depends on why the power steering "went out", but if there's something wrong with the pump or a leak caused the pump to run dry there is a possibility the pump could fail catastrophically and make the serpentine belt come off. I wouldn't say that is very likely, but then again, you've been driving it for months. When I was young my dad drove a truck for ...
4
One of the first things to consider is the aeration of fluid. A better way to 'bleed' the system is to fill the reservoir to its full mark, and allow the engine to idle. Top up the fluid as it drops in level. When the fluid level stabilises, SLOWLY turn the steering wheel lock to lock, topping up any fluid drop if it drops. The pump noises you are hearing, ...
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