power steering SCREAMING! HELP!
 

Hi All,

I have a 2001 Elantra and when its cold out, maybe50 degrees or below, I start my car and the power steering screams very loudly. It can last anywhere from 20 seconds to 2 minutes. I dont even have to be touching the steering wheel and it screams. After that 2 minutes, I turn my wheel and it screams even more. SometimesI lose steering too. When the engine warms up (driving for about 15 minutes), it stops.

One day I started my car and it started to scream. I got out and I looked under the hood, and the power steering belt was turning faster than the pully for the power steering pump while it was screaming. Nobody was touching the steering wheel. I tightened the belt real good, almost to the point where the pully is bending. (Its not bending though) Basically I tightened it has much as it will tighten. IT STILL SCREAMS and the belt still slips.

Like I said, this happens only in cold weather.

Nobody has ever opened the system, the fluid level is fine, and the belt is tight AND ITS NEW. The car has 103,000 miles on it.

Could the power steering pump be seizing up when its cold out, making the belt slip and also making it seem like the belt is lose? (basically making the pully hard to turn, thus making the belt scream)

Also, at night, I turn the car on, of course it screams, then after 2 minutes it stops, and then I turn on my headlights and I hear a little bit of noise coming fromthe steering pumpagain. Then I try to turn my steering wheel, making it scream some more, sometimes my battery light comes on and then everything goes dim. AfterI stop turning the wheel, the lights go back to normal and the battery light goes out.

It just seems to me that the power steering pump is starting to seize up. Could that be true?

What the heck could be happening???

Please Help!!!
Thanks
SG

RE: power steering SCREAMING! HELP!
 

It could simply be a plugged screen in the power steering reservoir. See attached TSB recently issued by Hyundai.

[IMG]local://upfiles/4972/93A04C50440F4828A44724F90949AD02.jpg[/IMG]

RE: power steering SCREAMING! HELP!
 

I actually came here to post the exact same thing as the original poster. I suppose I won't be getting a follow-up from him, but does anyone else have any other opinions? I can talk to the mechanic about that plugged screen thing, but I want to make sure I get it right because I'm a starving college student and don't exactly have the time or money to keep going back and trying to fix the problem. I have to drive back home in a week and it needs to be fixed.

Alternatively, if I let the car warm up for a while, will it prevent the steering wheel from seizing up? Because it has gotten very bad lately and the battery light comes on so much to the point where it's hard to pull into a parking space. I'm just hoping it's because the temperature dropped about 50 degrees in one day and the car went into shock.

Thanks for any help. Just trying to get home for Christmas without my steering wheel locking up on me!

RE: power steering SCREAMING! HELP!
 

Sorry to tell you this but it's probably theseals in the steering rack are leaking. If the sound and hard steering go away when warm then it's probably the rack. The P/S fluid warms up and that warms the seals getting them to seal better.

Bottom line: time for a new steering rack.

RE: power steering SCREAMING! HELP!
 

before you go putting new pumps in, try a new belt. You may have tightened yours as much as it will go, but try a new belt. New belts will grab so much harder. If that dosnt help, go to the junk yard and grab a new pw st pump..

I dont think its the rack, if it were the case, than the fluid level would be low, but he said the lv is good. but wtf do i know, im just a doit your selfer...

RE: power steering SCREAMING! HELP!
 

Thank you guys, I really appreciate it. Sounds like two very good possibilities that can be narrowed down one way or another. I've got a good starting point now.

RE: power steering SCREAMING! HELP!
 

I'm also having very similar problem. Although I have already replaced, the belts, replaced the fluid, rechecked the belts, and when cold and turning the steering wheel the pump still locks up causing a very loud squeal. I've been told by several mechanics that its the alternator belt is loose. Very hard to believe but today i'm going to try to tighten it. Let you guys know how I make out.Any other suggestions if this doesn't work.

RE: power steering SCREAMING! HELP!
 

Hard steering and squealing when cold that goes away when it warms up is usually the fluid seals in the rack itself. Check the belt first and if it's tight, it's prpbably the pump or the rack.

RE: power steering SCREAMING! HELP!
 

Just wanted to update everybody. Tightened the alternator belt up so that it will only flex with good pressure. No more squeal and no more pump locking up on a full turn! I couln't believe it myself. I havn't heard of any rack problems with this car which is why I didn't change, sure glad I didn't. Tried it several times no noise.

sgreiner and bus1239, my car was doing, from what you said, the exact same thing, except for the battery light. Makes sense that you may want to tighten your alternator belt. Let me know if it works.

RE: power steering SCREAMING! HELP!
 

Glad to hear it was just the belt. Good job.