Does this sound like a steering pump starting to fail???

[MillerR]

Upon starting cold, I hear a sort of moan/wine and feel a slight vibration in the steering wheel. Once it's warmed up, the noise and feel goes away. Oddly enough, it's more noticeable when in reverse gear??? Not sure why a steering pump would be under more load when in reverse, but those are the symptoms... Any thoughts or inputs? Thanks, Trey

 

[Crunch]

I wouldn't try to diagnose it from the cab. Pop the hood and stand next to it on the driver's side while someone moves the steering wheel back and forth. Another thing would be to stand next to it while it is rolling slowly in a parking lot and someone is turning the steering wheel to make a full circle turn. If it's the pump you'll know it.

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

I don't know if it's an issue with the 3rd gens (I would assume it is) but with the 2nd gens the power steering fluid attracts water over time and then groans just like this in winter when it gets cold. The solution is to change out the power steering fluid - I do mine every couple of years and I use Valvoline synthetic P/S fluid. I use a turkey baster like thing and suck out all the fluid I can and then fill with with the valvoline. Start the truck up and run the steering through several cycles to circulate the fluid and then suck it out and refill - I do that 2 or 3 times until the fluid looks good. It comes out pretty nasty at first.

 

[goodguys75]

if it is whining, it might be time to change?????

 

[steved]

Mine did that for a short while, then quit... its currently got 234k on it.



One of those things that could be signs of impending failure or mean/be absolutely nothing...

 

[MarkRobinson]

Mine moaned when I made right turns for a couple of years then started to lose fluid so I changed it out with one from Schucks auto with a lifetime warrenty. it was not very hard to do aslong as you have the pitman arm removal tool. good luck!!!