Without the right levels of fluid, your power steering won't work correctly, and if it stops working correctly whilst you are in the middle of driving, it could cause an accident. Because of that, it's important to know the signs of low power steering fluid. Let your sense guide you.
Smells
If you see spots of fluid on the ground underneath where your vehicle has been parked, that is a sign that something is leaking. You may want to get down on the ground and smell the liquid. Power steering fluid smells like burnt oil, and it's often amber, but it can be different colours depending on its age and the brand.
Sounds
When your power steering is low, you may also notice squealing — it tends to be typically prominent when you are making a sharp turn with your vehicle. In some cases, you may hear thumping or rattling sounds coming from your pump. The pump is connected to the power steering system, and it helps translate movements from the steering wheel to the wheels of your vehicle. If you've got low levels of power steering fluid, the pump won't just make noise when you're steering; rather, you may hear noises under the bonnet as soon as you start the vehicle.
Feelings
The largest sign that your power steering fluid is low is difficulty steering. If you have ever used a vehicle without power steering, you may know that those vehicles require you to manually crank the wheel around just to get the vehicle to go around a corner. When the power steering fluid is low, the steering wheel will start to act like this, and you will get a lot of resistance as you steer. You may also notice the steering wheel vibrating.
Sights
In addition to paying attention to the above signs, you may also want to look at the power steering fluid levels in your vehicle. Most vehicles have a dipstick going into the power steering reservoir --- just as they do for other types of fluids. Using the dipstick, check to see if levels are low. If the fluid is low, top it up. Then, check it again in a day or two. If the level has dropped again you have a leak.
If you have a leak, take your vehicle into a power steering specialist. They can help you find and repair the leak.
Share5 April 2017
My name is Donna, and I love my toys! I have an ATV, a caravan, a boat and a range of other "toys". I find that there is a lot of information online about auto service but not that much about servicing fun types of vehicles. Inspired by the phrase "be the change you want to see in the world", I decided to start a blog full of information that is usually hard to find online. I will write about servicing toys, vintage cars, sports cars and a range of other topics. I hope that you like these posts and that you learn from them. Thanks for reading and enjoy your toys.