2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission No steering, no brakes

[tpoag]

I went out yesterday morning to start my truck and let it run a little to clear my windshield. (about 30 degrees outside) The truck ran for about 5 minutes before I got in and put my foot on the brake, placed the truck in gear (auto), released the parking brake, and to my surprise, the truck took off down the hill towards my house!! No brakes, No steering either. I hit the parking brake to stop the truck. I tried it again and still no change.

By this time, I had run out of drive, so I backed the truck up. When I reved the motor up to back up, I felt the steering get easy and the brakes started working.



This is the first time this has ever happened.



Anybody else have this problem and is it normal?



Thanks



Terry



01 2500 4x4 automatic

 

[Jeff Knight]

Terry, Have you checked your power steering pump for fluid? Both the steering and the power brakes use the pump for pressure. Jeff

 

[RJ2]

look inside the cab where the plunger rod goes to the brake pedal and see if power steering fluid is running under the mat.

 

[RBallard]

I had it happen on 3 occasions. Usually when it happens you will find a puddle under the truck where it sent fluid out of the reservoir. I added Havoline synthetic fluid to top it off and the problem went away. I have since replaced all of the fluid with Royal Purple Synthetic using the turkey baster method.

 

[tpoag]

Thanks for the info. I will check the fluid and see what is going on.

The funny thing is, after the steering and brakes started working, I took the truck on a 300 mile trip without ever having any more problems.



Terry

 

[RustyJC]

Those of you who have found a puddle of fluid on the ground, refilled the reservoir and the problem went away... . try this. When you shut the truck off, wait about 5 seconds and step on the brake pedal. Do you have any boost? If not, your nitrogen accumulator went Tango Uniform - when it puked the nitrogen into the hydraulic system, it pushed it out of the reservoir fill tube. Adding the hydraulic fluid brought the system back up to operation, but with no accumulator.



Better to know that the accumulator is gone now than to find out the first time you need brakes with the engine off!



Rusty

 

[Mac]

Rusty

Have you got any idea what the parts cost to fix this accumlator?

Thanks