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elfin_odalisque
Literotica Guru
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The macho guys will be here soon with proper answers, but for an idiot like me, it sounds like you have a minor prob with the hydraulics of the power steering. An erratic leak of non-lubricant could be overfill. Get a check.
Don't trust me, but these unexpected, unwanted leakages are often just normal things. That's why the guys think cars are feminine, doh.
Don't trust me, but these unexpected, unwanted leakages are often just normal things. That's why the guys think cars are feminine, doh.
voluptuary_manque
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I think you have a small leak in the power steering that let a bubble into the lines and is now letting hydraulic fluid out. This is not good but it shouldn't be expensive. You probably just need a new hose or perhaps a new seal. Of course, replacing that will require that you get all the hydraulic fluid replaced, too. Anyway, unless you have a generally handy relative or neighbor, it needs to go into the shop. Sorry.
Fortunately, it shouldn't be that terribly expensive. Perhaps the car is still under warranty?
Fortunately, it shouldn't be that terribly expensive. Perhaps the car is still under warranty?
Emperor_Nero
Ever have 1 of those days
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Definitely not an expert either, but the description of the leaking liquid you gave definitely sounds like power steering fluid. Whatever led to the leak probably caused a drop in pressure in that system, making it hard for you to steer until the pressure came back up.
Power steering fluid levels are easy enough to check on your own, and you should find easy instructions in the owners manual for the car. If it's low (and it probably is), you probably should consider getting it checked out by a professional -- as you don't want the steering seizing up again when you need to make a move at high speed.
Power steering fluid levels are easy enough to check on your own, and you should find easy instructions in the owners manual for the car. If it's low (and it probably is), you probably should consider getting it checked out by a professional -- as you don't want the steering seizing up again when you need to make a move at high speed.
Safe_Bet
No she's not back I'm Amy
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I'll need more information to be of help...
Were you in front of an IHOP when this started? Did you find yourself mumbling "Rooty Tooty Fresh n Fruity" to yourself? Did you have breakfast before going out? All important questions...
TxRad
Dirty Old Man
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When you say left side, I'm assuming you mean the drivers side.
A couple of things. Transmission fluid and power steering fluid are basically the same thing. Reddish and thin but it is an oil. Normally if you lose fluid, you have to add more for things to go back to working normal. Since yours got tight, lost fluid and then worked normal again, it sounds like it may have been over filled.
Check the level of the power steering fluid. If it is normal or a little high then it was probably over filled.
If it is low, refill it to the cold mark and start the car. Let it run for a few minutes and then turn the steering wheel all the way to the left and then all the way back to the right. Listen for any squeaking or chattering. Center the wheels and look for any leaking or leaked fluid under the car or under the hood.
If there is a leak, turn the car off before doing anything else. Then check to see where the fluid is coming from. A leaking hose is easy to replace or it may just be a loose fitting. If the leak is on the tank part of the power unit, then it will probably need to be replaced.
Then there is the power steering unit itself. Older cars have them on the frame in front of or right behind the left front wheel. Newer cars have rack and pinion steering which is under the engine and runs across the whole front end. in either case a leak here is dangerous.
A couple of things. Transmission fluid and power steering fluid are basically the same thing. Reddish and thin but it is an oil. Normally if you lose fluid, you have to add more for things to go back to working normal. Since yours got tight, lost fluid and then worked normal again, it sounds like it may have been over filled.
Check the level of the power steering fluid. If it is normal or a little high then it was probably over filled.
If it is low, refill it to the cold mark and start the car. Let it run for a few minutes and then turn the steering wheel all the way to the left and then all the way back to the right. Listen for any squeaking or chattering. Center the wheels and look for any leaking or leaked fluid under the car or under the hood.
If there is a leak, turn the car off before doing anything else. Then check to see where the fluid is coming from. A leaking hose is easy to replace or it may just be a loose fitting. If the leak is on the tank part of the power unit, then it will probably need to be replaced.
Then there is the power steering unit itself. Older cars have them on the frame in front of or right behind the left front wheel. Newer cars have rack and pinion steering which is under the engine and runs across the whole front end. in either case a leak here is dangerous.
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SimonBrooke
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Laughing. Out. Loud.
As a matter of fact I did a little schedule juggling this afternoon - we're at the hospital now, me and kids, I cancelled my rescheduled teeth cleaning - and then we're going to go straight home.
A friend is coming by our house when he gets off work at the shop (yay mechanics!) and if possible, will fix this for us. Here's hoping he can!
I refuse to let this minor annoyance bother me. I wish I didn't have to mess with it right now, but this I can manage.
And mmmmmm, pancakes.
Hey, Sarah, verily your troubles come not single spies....
Bad things, they say, happen in threes. Here's hoping this was your third (but after your first two this is almost a damp squib)
elfin_odalisque
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Laughing. Out. Loud.
As a matter of fact I did a little schedule juggling this afternoon - we're at the hospital now, me and kids, I cancelled my rescheduled teeth cleaning - and then we're going to go straight home.
A friend is coming by our house when he gets off work at the shop (yay mechanics!) and if possible, will fix this for us. Here's hoping he can!
I refuse to let this minor annoyance bother me. I wish I didn't have to mess with it right now, but this I can manage.
And mmmmmm, pancakes.
With a
to SafeBet, this girl did good - despite lack of knowledge.Getting the power steering checked is not a humungous expense, but seems to be your problem.
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JAMESBJOHNSON
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From what you describe I think one of your disc brakes locked up on you. The symptom explains the location of the fluid (around the tire) and the difficulty turning (the caliper-piston is pressing against the disc pad).
Most of the time brake shops only replace the disc pads. Pads are easy to get at and remove/replace. The calipers and master cylinder need to be serviced, too. And most of the time they arent. Its how shops make easy money.
I suspect a leak around the problem caliper. When fluid gets around the piston, it leaks onto the tire/wheel, and it cooks into goo around the surface of the caliper cylinder. The goo can hold the piston in or out.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/brakes/brake-types/disc-brake5.htm
DISC BRAKE DIAGRAM
Most of the time brake shops only replace the disc pads. Pads are easy to get at and remove/replace. The calipers and master cylinder need to be serviced, too. And most of the time they arent. Its how shops make easy money.
I suspect a leak around the problem caliper. When fluid gets around the piston, it leaks onto the tire/wheel, and it cooks into goo around the surface of the caliper cylinder. The goo can hold the piston in or out.
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/brakes/brake-types/disc-brake5.htm
DISC BRAKE DIAGRAM
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Saucy_Sage
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1. Maple Syrup
When a sickeningly-sweet odor begins to emanate throughout your car-or even on the outside-it's time to take a look under the hood. In most cases, a maple syrup smell inside the car indicates a faulty heater core, while smelling it outside might be a leaky radiator. What you are smelling is leaking coolant, which can never be good for your vehicle. Ask your mechanic to check out cylinder heads, gaskets and heater hose.
http://www.zoombak.com/community/autos/featured-articles/45/
I might have known there's a website called "What's That Smell" for car repair. Ain't the 'net great?
When a sickeningly-sweet odor begins to emanate throughout your car-or even on the outside-it's time to take a look under the hood. In most cases, a maple syrup smell inside the car indicates a faulty heater core, while smelling it outside might be a leaky radiator. What you are smelling is leaking coolant, which can never be good for your vehicle. Ask your mechanic to check out cylinder heads, gaskets and heater hose.
http://www.zoombak.com/community/autos/featured-articles/45/
I might have known there's a website called "What's That Smell" for car repair. Ain't the 'net great?
Katyusha
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If it's not green, then it's not coolant. When your steering got tight, was it just difficult to turn the wheel or was there this awful whine or groan when you did so? If it was JUST difficult to steer but there weren't any unusual sounds, I'd say it's most likely just a leaky hose or seal, or an overfull reservoir. If there were these bad sounds that accompanied the steering issues, you most likely have a problem with the pump itself, and it would probably need to be replaced.
Keep in mind, the pressure created by overfilling CAN blow a hose (I've done it), so be careful if this is your problem. Power steering fluid is flammable and you don't want it all over everything under your hood.
Keep in mind, the pressure created by overfilling CAN blow a hose (I've done it), so be careful if this is your problem. Power steering fluid is flammable and you don't want it all over everything under your hood.
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Weird Harold
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Newer vehicles use an enviromentally safe coolant that is Orange instead of Green. It still smells sweet when spilled but it doesn't poison animals that lick up the spills.
SSS, the problem does sound like a power steering failure, although the return of function doesn't really follow the script.
I have had similar symtoms -- minus the leak -- from a slipping power steering drive belt.
If you have the newer orange coolant, a pinhole leak in the radiator that sprayed coolant on the power-steering belt could account for the symtptoms, including both the puddle of fluid and return of function when the car had a chance to cool down.
Pinhole radiator leaks often only show up when the cooling system is running at full temperature and (full pressure) on a hot day and can be tough to find when the ambient temperature cools down.
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Safe_Bet
No she's not back I'm Amy
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Okay - drum roll -
Water pump. He showed me the constant leak.
He says do not drive it - too much aluminum in engine, imminent overheating will warp important things and cause more damage.
He called in the parts. I'll need to buy the pump, which should cost around $25, and two gallons of antifreeze. He said it'll take him half an hour. And he won't take any money.
As to the brakes? We only had the rears done, and at that time they said we'd want to do the fronts in the next six months or so, so I imagine what you said about that is accurate. I am hearing a kachunk sound now that I didn't hear before, even though they aren't mushy. But we'll probably have to get those done sooner rather than later.
But - check this one off my list.
Thanks, everyone!
Water pump... Waffles... Close enough! Yay, ME!!!!
DesertPirate
Sailing from the desert
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- Mar 20, 2006
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Water pump... Waffles... Close enough! Yay, ME!!!!
Suzy, you are sonething else!
Someday we may figure out what
sookie80
Really Experienced
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- Nov 16, 2008
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Hey...a similar thing happened to me a couple of months ago... I got home and heard a constant drip as I was walking to the front door, it was around midnight so I couldn't realy tell what it was. I grabbed a paper towel and dabbed at the puddle and it was brown and oily. I also.
The next morning I opened the hood and noticed my antifreeze was completely empty. I refilled it before work, and when I parked, everything seemed fine...til I looked out the window and saw a brownish green river pooling, it was practically streaming out. I called my mechanic and they said it sounded like I had a leak from one of the radiator hoses. They were awesome, they came and picked it up from work and it was ready for me to pick up when I got off. I had a small hole in my lower radiator hose....and I also needed a radiator flush (hence the brown antifreeze) and a new radiator cap. Total repair cost was $140. They told me it had probably been a small leak for a while, and I was lucky I was just making short trips around town at the time. If I had been driving further I would have overheated and.....my steering would most likely would've frozen up!
The next morning I opened the hood and noticed my antifreeze was completely empty. I refilled it before work, and when I parked, everything seemed fine...til I looked out the window and saw a brownish green river pooling, it was practically streaming out. I called my mechanic and they said it sounded like I had a leak from one of the radiator hoses. They were awesome, they came and picked it up from work and it was ready for me to pick up when I got off. I had a small hole in my lower radiator hose....and I also needed a radiator flush (hence the brown antifreeze) and a new radiator cap. Total repair cost was $140. They told me it had probably been a small leak for a while, and I was lucky I was just making short trips around town at the time. If I had been driving further I would have overheated and.....my steering would most likely would've frozen up!
