Power steering failing during cold but fine warm

[James]

I have a 06 rsx base. The power steering stops working when the temp is below freezing. I let it warm up and after 30 mins it works fine. I just replaced all the fluid with genuine honda power steering fluid. Is my pump going bad?

Topic

[Wyr Twister]

If you have been driving it after replacing the fluid , I am guessing tou have the air burped out of the system , by now .

Did the fluid change improve things ?

Belt tight ?

God bless
Wyr

[James]

Yes the belt is tight and the air is out of the system. When I replaced it, it made the steering alot easier. The reason for replacing it was the same problem, I tried to go to work but I couldn’t steer. I read online that it was probably bad fluid. We’ll I go home and started it back up and it was fine. The next morning the same thing happened. So last weekend I changed the fluid and everything was fine. Of couse it hasn’t been below freezing since I changed it out until today. It was 25 out when I started it and after 30 mins it was working again.

[James]

I was driving it today while it was 50 out and it was fine until I turned into a parking lot and it became very hard to steer. So I decided to look at the fluid while the car was on so I took a turkey baster and sucked up some of the fluid. It was all foamy and filled with bubbles. I also noticed that it was also over filled by about 1/2 an inch. Could that cause a problem?

[mckrishes]

Air is getting in somewhere. Probably the power steering hose seals. I would check/replace those.

[Wyr Twister]

I would think over full could cause a problem . Do not know how much over full it would take to cause that problem ?

Are you suppose to check the fluid cold or hot ? That probably makes a difference .

As far as air getting into the system via a hose . I would think it would not be the high pressure hose , leaving the pump .

I would think , if air is entering the system via a hose , it would the low pressure hose that returns fluid to the pump .

Pump is bolted up solid & belt is not slipping ?

This is a real shot in the dark , but , is the pulley slipping on the pump shaft , at least at some times ?

God bless
Wyr

[James]

I think I will replace the seals today if I can get some, and see what happens. The belt is tight and not slipping. I watched it run for half an hour yesterday to make sure. There was no squealing like from a loose belt and I never saw any slippage. And I checked all the bold last night just to be sure and everything was fine. It’s whining now and its about 30 out. I’m waiting for it to warm up so I can drive it to work.

I just drove it to work and everything was fine until I made a sharper turn at my exit off the interstate, the pump started whining and my steering became very difficult. I continued driving and it was fine again. Then I pulled into the parking lot and it was ok until I made a 90 degree turn to park, I could hardly steer at all and the pump was really loud. How can you tell if the pump is going out?

[Wyr Twister]

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/acura,2006,rsx,2.0l+l4,1432639,steering,power+steering+filter,7296

I see a power steering filter

http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/acura,2006,rsx,2.0l+l4,1432639,steering,power+steering+hydraulic+filter,7292

and a Power steering hydraulic filter .

You may wish to check them ?

God bless
Wyr

[James]

Well o called the acura dealership to see if I could get the seals that I need and he said they do not sell them because they are an ‘inactive part’. I don’t know what that means but I can’t purchase that from them but I found them online. And they said that the filters are aftermarket add-ons and not stock with the car. I guess I’ll order the seal and replace it and see if that helps anything.

[James]

I just finished changing the seals at the hoses and it didn’t change anything. The whining is getting louder and the steering stiffer. I don’t know what else to do besides change the pump.

[Wyr Twister]

Best of luck . 🙂

Please report back .

God bless
Wyr

[mckrishes]

Pump is probably bad. If it’s the original pump, then it’s probably failing. Those pumps were known for failing.

[zero]

Especially in cold climates, power steering fluid will pick up contaminants and lose it’s viscosity when cold. Meaning it will get thicker than it should when cold and reducing performance yada, yada. The only thing you can really do, and you did, is to change the fluid or otherwise “flush” the power steering fluid. By simply visually comparing the old fluid to the new, you can see just how much garbage the old fluid picked up.

You did the only thing you could do to solve the issue. If your power steering system is working fine now, I would suggest that you have zero issues with your pump and not to even bother touching it until such a time that it shows specific signs of failure.

[James]

So I changed the pump and It didn’t fix anything. I bled the system but it still whines. I don’t know what to do next. I guess I’ll take it to a mechanic unless someone else has a something to check. I also replaced the seals again because the pump came with new ones. I’m very confused.

[Wyr Twister]

Sounds like you have replaced everything except the actual steering rack / box ?

If so , you might as well replace that to . I suspect is what a garage will do & it will be cheaper to do it yourself .

Best of luck . 🙂

Wyr
God bless

[mckrishes]

anyway you can provide a video of what is happening?

[Author]

Replies