My GF's 03 Sorento has very hard steering. Almost like it has no power steering. This problem started a few monts ago. There is no leaking and it is full on fluid. No noises just hard to steer all of the time. I have seen other articles on here about intermitant problems of hard steering due to a faulty speed sensor but like I said this is all of the time. Should I replace this sensor or should I look for a differnet problem. The sensor and harness I think run about $80.
I also have an 03 with the exact same issue I did a search but didn't find any answers.I had the speed sensor replaced some time ago. I noticed that there is fluid but doesn't look clean.
Should I get the power steering system flushed? Could the pump be going bad?
Replacing the fluid (if not done recently) certainly could not hurt. A pump or rack could also be the problem. Start with the easy DIY stuff first.
Thanks toolman. It hasn't been done in a while. I'll start with that and keep my fingers crossed. I just had a rebuilt engine installed last week on this Sorento I inherited form my wife. Its going to be my only car now, so its my "new baby"
Bad news. mechanic says its the rack. $1500.00 installed after -market part, $2100.00 with OEM part. Local wrecking yard has one used for $150.00 I found out doing a little search.That wasn't an option the shop gave me but I may pursue it. I suppose most of the cost is labor tho.Bummer for a guy who lost his job and still has a daughter in college.
rip off
the mechanic thinks yer cute & purdy tell him dinner first $200 to $400 for new unit at rockauto the rest is bend over fee should only take 2 ta 4 hours labor
2-4 hours labor, figure a couple quarts of fluid, all said and done it should be under a grand, but in that ballpark, say 100 an hr for labor (the average rate around here at an independant shop) then at most 20 bucks for P/S fluid, figure worst case scenario 400 for a rack, and then 80 for an alignment (DO NOT LET THEM REPLACE IT WITHOUT DOING ONE) i'd say worst case scenario 900ish including the part and an alignment. One thing you may want to consider is having the outer tie rods replaced while its being swapped out. They also require an alignment after replacing and if you are having the rack replaced, you're already taking them out to begin with. So if the tech is removing them, may as well have him put new ones back in. They are cheap so it makes sense to do them.
Also, you can usually have your existing rack rebuilt. I've only done 3 of them, two of them being while i was in college as an assignment for my steering/suspension 102 class. There are places that rebuild them though. Just like you can have a caliper, or a transmission, or a c/v axle rebuilt, you can have a steering rack rebuilt. You can also buy pre-rebuilt ones. I would get a couple quotes from other shops in your area. 2 grand is ALOT of money for a steering rack replacement.
You could, just for fun, call your local napa or autozone and see what they would even charge you to purchase the part. Its still generally more expensive than rock auto or other online retailers but it will give you a better idea of what you are up against.
I would not advise getting a rack from a junkyard. Some junkyard parts are ok if you are able to do the work yourself, however, that's a junkyard part, that sat in a vehicle that was moved around with a forklift, potentially dropped, and anytime the front wheels were hit, that thing took the impact, sat under the vehicle while it was on the ground, in the mud, then pulled out by a parts monkey. (I grew up broke and spent at least a few hours a week at the junkyard trying to piece my cars back together, I've seen it all) Say that part fails, you are out the $$ in labor to replace it. If you did it yourself, its worth the gamble because you may save a few bucks, however if you loose, you are going to loose hard. A steering rack also isn't something that you can easily inspect from the outside, or inside for that matter. If you were buying an oil pan, or a door skin, or a rim, you could visually inspect it for defects before you pick it up. Even if they put a warrenty on the part, you still have to sawp the thing out a second time and if they dont have another one on the shelf, you may end up having to buy a new one anyway. However, with a steering rack, you cant really tell how good condition the part is in until its in and in service. By that point you are already out the money for the replacement. I'm a big advocate in junkyard parts but for something you cant do yourself, and something you cant inspect, I'd avoid it this time around.
Just for grins i googled it, jcwhitney has one for 300. That, on a worst case scenario should put you in the 800 range.
I have a related question. The power steering fluid was at the very lowest level over a year ago. I could see the nearly empty P/S fluid reservoir. But it' had no problem with the steering. I poured the STP (with Leak Stop) fluid and I don't see any fluid loss ever since. Is the fluid supposed to be dark and smelly?
Yes, it is supposed to be pretty nasty, however its also normal to have a little bit of seepage, if you've only lost that much over a year, you may have a hose that is seeping (bad crimp) a little bit but it is certainly nothing I would worry about.
The power steering reservoir holds the fluid on the return side of the system, you'll have an issue steering if it runs dry, other than that you should be ok. Where it is a hydraulic system, you will have the level rise and fall a little bit as the rack is moved left/right. Stop leak can be snake oil, and other times it can save your A$$.