If your car starts to “groan” when you’re turning a corner, your vehicle might be losing power steering fluid. YouTube mechanic Scotty Kilmer walks us through the steps of this moderate repair to eliminate that noise. More importantly, it saves you from a more costly power steering system repair later.
How does #savagescotty recommend fixing a power steering noise?
- Check power steering fluid levels
- Find the leak (in this case, the plug in the base of the “idle off” switch)
- Remove & replace the power steering plug
- Reattach power steering hoses
- Flush air from the system
Working on a power steering system sounds intimidating, but this particular fix only involves the plug in the pressure switch and not the power steering pump itself. That plug is one of the main culprits when it comes to a power steering fluid leak.
Scotty Kilmer breaks this job down into simple visual steps in the video, and we’re reproducing the steps in this handy guide that you can keep nearby. You’ll have that groaning sound from your steering system eliminated in no time.
How Do You Fix Power Steering Noise When Turning?
1. Check Power Steering Fluid Levels
If you open the hood and check your power steering fluid level, it should be getting low. A lack of fluid is the cause of that groaning sound when turning the car. Leave the cap off so that the remaining fluid can drain later (after you take the plug out).
2. Find the Leak
Jack the car up and check underneath to find the leak. The most common source, as #savagescotty shows, is likely to be a slow drip coming from the plug in the “idle off” switch. Follow the power steering hoses and you’ll find that switch.
Place a drip pan under your car to catch any excess fluid on the next step.
3. Remove & Replace the Plug
Pinch off the hoses with clamps and detach them from the idle off switch. As Scotty Kilmer explains, that switch allows more air into the engine to generate more power. This compensates for the power that the engine loses to run the power steering.
With the hoses detached, you will find a bolt underneath that holds the switch in place. Crawl under the car and unscrew the bolt (watch for dripping fluid!).
According to #savagescotty, the plastic part on the switch swells up over time and causes power steering fluid to slowly drip out. With a new idle off switch, attach some friction tape to the screw to get a nice seal when you install it.
You can hand-tighten the switch from above the car, but you’ll have to crawl underneath to fully tighten it with a wrench.
4. Reattach the Power Steering Hoses
The two power steering hoses can now be reattached to the switch. Once they’re attached, remember to remove the clamps that you used to pinch them off.
With the new idle off switch plug installed, you can refill the power steering fluid reservoir. However, leave the front end of your vehicle jacked up for the moment, to complete the last step.
5. Flush Air from the System
There will still be some air in the power steering system from the modest amount of tinkering you just did. Start the car and turn the wheel back and forth several times. This flushes the air out of the system.
Bonus: You should immediately notice that the groaning noise from turning has been eliminated.
DIY Mechanic Jobs Help You Save Money
Not every car repair requires an expensive trip to the shop. Thanks to excellent YouTube mechanics and the tips here at Vehicle History, there are many inexpensive repairs you can do on your own to keep your car running.
