'98 Deville, bad power steering pump?

[clutterking]

Hello. I am the proud new owner of a '98 Deville. I purchased the car last week from the original owner, the car has 63k miles and has only had tires, battery, motor oil, water pump, and brakes replaced throughout its life.

The car had been running fine for the last day or two, it survived a 100 mile trip yesterday. Tonight, as I made a sharp turn to maneuver around a building in my apartment complex, the steering wheel became very difficult to move, it made all the sounds of a bad power steering pump. After getting into my spot and putting it in park it stalled and shut off. I cranked it and it would shudder and stall. Cranked it while giving it gas and it would stay on, the moment I let off the gas it would stall.

I let the car sit for about 30 minutes and was able to turn it on and keep it on without pressing the accelerator, but the wheel was still difficult to turn and made noise. If I turn the wheel while giving it gas it turns easily but still makes noise, the noise gets lower then higher I rev the engine. I topped off the power steering fluid and that did not make a difference.

Can one sharp turn ruin a power steering pump? Do I need to replace the power steering pump?

Thanks for the help guys. So far I am loving all the useful information on this forum.

[Cadillac Jim]

First thing to do is to check the serpentine belt. If it's slipping that would cause your problem. If it's never been changed, it's due.

There are a lot of things that you should do with any used car when you first get it, including changing the oil, checking the transmission fluid, changing the coolant, checking the brake fluid and power steering fluid, and looking at the belts and hoses. Also, look at the brakes, the suspension, and of course the tires.

Also you should check the OBD codes. See the link in my signature block for instructions.

[clutterking]

Thanks for the prompt reply. I'll check the belt tomorrow and since I think it's still original I'll end up changing it soon.

First thing to do is to check the serpentine belt. If it's slipping that would cause your problem. If it's never been changed, it's due.

There are a lot of things that you should do with any used car when you first get it, including changing the oil, checking the transmission fluid, changing the coolant, checking the brake fluid and power steering fluid, and looking at the belts and hoses. Also, look at the brakes, the suspension, and of course the tires.

Also you should check the OBD codes. See the link in my signature block for instructions.

[KHE]

Tonight, as I made a sharp turn to maneuver around a building in my apartment complex, the steering wheel became very difficult to move, it made all the sounds of a bad power steering pump. After getting into my spot and putting it in park it stalled and shut off. I cranked it and it would shudder and stall. Cranked it while giving it gas and it would stay on, the moment I let off the gas it would stall.

It sounds like the engine is stalling and that is the cause of the lack of power steering. I wouldn't replace the power steering pump yet.

Press and hold the OFF and WARMER or OFF and PASSENGER WARMER buttons and see if there are any codes displayed on the information center that may provide a clue to the problem area.

[JohnnyG]

Isn't there a filter in the power steering reservoir or line? If someone can verify that, I'd change it too, as well as the fluid. I'm sure you've already checked to make sure the P/S fluid level is correct. Regardless of the existence of the filter, you should address the engine stalling issue first, as Kevin suggests.

[clutterking]

The car turned on fine this morning. Steering was smooth and there was no power steering whine. My theory is that the belt is expanding slightly as it warms and therefore there is slightly less force applied to an already struggling power steering pump. The steering became difficult and the whine returned when I got home and parked the car.

The belt didn't seem overly loose but it's hard for me to tell how it should feel normally. I'll also try the OFF and WARMER, and report any codes. This weekend I plan to change the fluid and belt and I'll report back.

Thanks for the help everyone.

[Caddyman]

The car turned on fine this morning. Steering was smooth and there was no power steering whine. My theory is that the belt is expanding slightly as it warms and therefore there is slightly less force applied to an already struggling power steering pump. The steering became difficult and the whine returned when I got home and parked the car.

The belt didn't seem overly loose but it's hard for me to tell how it should feel normally. I'll also try the OFF and WARMER, and report any codes. This weekend I plan to change the fluid and belt and I'll report back.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Have you checked the fluid? The belt should be rock hard, maybe the tensioner needs replacement?

[clutterking]

Fluid is topped off, but old. Belt is definitely not rock hard, I feel that I was able to press it down a bit but my judgment might be biased since I went looking for a loose belt.

If replacing the belt doesn't fix it I'll probably replace the tensioner. I've all but eliminated the possibility of a bad pump because it seems to be an intermittent problem.

[clutterking]

Hello Guys. Today I had my shade tree mechanic replace the belt and power steering pump but now it's even harder to steer! Does this offer any clues as to what the actual problem might be? Right now I'd be happy to get my steering back to the way it was.

[Cadillac Jim]

Please read out the OBD codes as KHE suggested and post them here. With that, we can do more than guess at something described in a few words of text.

[clutterking]

No new codes from when I last retrieved them here. I did fix a relay so B2471 is gone.

Today I raised the front wheels off the ground and turn the wheel full stop left to full stop right with the engine off approximately 50 times, did get some bubbles. The fluid is where it should be but the steering is still just as hard.

[Cadillac Jim]

Have you already checked to see if the power steering pump is slipping under the serpentine belt? One quick way is to park on rough concrete or asphalt or other really good traction surface (not smooth or coated, shiny concrete like most garage floors), then, with the engine idling and the hood up, turn the wheel left and right, quickly and hard. If you experience hard steering then, you should be able to hear a squeal or other noise from under the hood that tells you that the serpentine belt is slipping on the power steering pump. If in doubt, have a helper turn the wheel while you watch the power steering pump; watch for hesitation or stuttering of the spinning of the pulley.

[clutterking]

I don't hear any squeal that might indicate the belt is slipping, although I haven't done the particular test you mentioned. A few days ago I replaced the belt and it didn't seem to have any signs of unusual wear, just a little cracked, about what I'd expect a 13 year old belt to look like.

While driving in the city or highway you wouldn't ever guess there is a steering problem. However, at low rpms, like when parallel parking, it becomes very difficult to steer; I've resorted to putting the car in neutral so that i can press the accelerator and turn the wheel.

[Cadillac Jim]

If the serpentine belt is 13 years old, replace it. The serpentine belt is supposed to last 30,000 to 60,000 miles, which is about 5 years, maximum.

You won't hear the belt squealing on the pulley except possibly when the steering gets hard, and perhaps not then. That's why I suggested the test of letting the engine run at idle and spinning the steering wheel, which will cause power steering pulley slippage if anything will - and to look for yourself if you don't hear anything.

If putting the car in neutral and racing the engine solves the problem for parking, you have diagnosed your problem: it's the pulley slipping, unless the pump itself is bad which doesn't happen often. Since the serpentine belt is 13 years old, even with only 63,000 miles on it, then it's a miracle that the alternator turns when the car is idling, or even that the belt hasn't overheated on a stalled pulley and broken. Replace it, and while it's off, check the tensioner and its pulley.

[clutterking]

I replaced the belt and power steering pump, and the problem got worse. The belt doesn't feel loose either.

[Cadillac Jim]

Try the test I told you about, idling while your wife or friend spins the wheel, and watch the power steering pulley for hesitation or stopping, or strange noises. If that's what you see, change the tensioner.

[clutterking]

New pump took care of the problem. The first remanufactured pump was probably defective.