Groaning sound from steering

[ChrisZang]

Originally Posted by landrovered

Yes when I say "topped it off", I mean I overfilled it.

Hmmmm, so far so good, no more groaning this morning

[Fluellen]

So, I (2001 S) have this same groan / creak coming from the front when I turn the steering wheel. It's not doing it all the time, so that's what makes it more challenging to diagnose.

However, yesterday I had a diagnostic breakthrough: the noise appeared when I came back from a drive. I jacked up the front of the car, and there was no noise when turning the steering wheel. Back on the ground, the noise was back.

To me, this indicates the noise has nothing to do with the steering rack, or low/high p/s fluid. It must be something in the front suspension that gets stressed when the wheels turn. I am thinking control arms, perhaps struts.

Anyone have an idea based on this information?

[blue2000s]

Originally Posted by Fluellen

So, I (2001 S) have this same groan / creak coming from the front when I turn the steering wheel. It's not doing it all the time, so that's what makes it more challenging to diagnose.

However, yesterday I had a diagnostic breakthrough: the noise appeared when I came back from a drive. I jacked up the front of the car, and there was no noise when turning the steering wheel. Back on the ground, the noise was back.

To me, this indicates the noise has nothing to do with the steering rack, or low/high p/s fluid. It must be something in the front suspension that gets stressed when the wheels turn. I am thinking control arms, perhaps struts.

Anyone have an idea based on this information?

It is probably still the pump. The resistance from the tires on the road build pressure in the fluid, which is what stresses the pump, which is what makes it groan.

[Fluellen]

Blue,

The sound comes clearly from the area right next to the front wheels. I stood outside the car, turning the steering wheel through the open window. No mistake possible. I don't see how the p/s pump could be responsible for the noise coming from that area?

Also, it is a very mechanical sound. Like a rusty old spring, or a creaking door hinge opened very slowly. A low metal-on-metal scraping sound.

Thanks!

Edited: the more I think about it, the sound is probably what I would imagine a dry ball joint would sound like.

[RandallNeighbour]

I experience creaking/groaning from my lower control arm (the one with the ball joint) and I've replaced one side three times now and the other side once up front. These go out frequently on our cars.

Fill the power steering reservoir and then see if the creaking still exists, if it does I'm confident you have a worn lower control arm. If you remove it and the ball joint flops around and grinds with aluminum on steel, you know you found the culprit.

[blue2000s]

Agreed with Randall. Vertex auto has rebuilts and just ball joints (for the already rebuilt arms) that will save a little $.

http://www.****************************************.com/SubCategory/Steering%20and%20Suspension/Control%20Arms%20and%20Related%20Parts.aspx

[Fluellen]

A solution, hopefully -

I put the car on ramps and investigated more closely where the sound comes from. It seemed to come from near the top of the struts. There is a rubber "bearing" there. I sprayed that bearing with teflon silicone lubricant from above and below. The sound is gone for now

Time will tell how well this fix worked...

[willd]

To add my tuppence/knowledge, if it helps at all;

When the fluid is low due to age/leaks/whatever reason, not only does the steering get affected slightly, but the pump itself gets damaged - this is because the power steering fluid is actually lubricating the pump as well as working the steering.

When fluid runs low, the pump *will* get damaged to some extent - so if you know you have low liquid, STOP driving immediately, and fix/top-up. I know a guy who thought he would just have a difficult to steer car whilst he got home, and drove 5 miles or so and completely knackered the pump.

One way to check for power steering pump damage is to start the car, and turn the wheel to full lock and hold it there. If you get the groan, it's damaged. *However*, providing you fix the leak/top-up, you can keep a partially damaged pump going for years/ever. As long as you can live with the sound!

If I had an old Ford with the noise, I'd just ignore it, but not sure I would be able to with a porker

[TimAustinW]

Where is the power steering reservoir on our cars? And what are you filling it with? I have this same issue on my 02. Lower speeds in a turn like pulling into a parking spot I'll hear a low groan from what seems to be my front left wheel. I just recently had my sway bar links replaced (which had gone bad) and thought that would have fixed the issue.

[Verhag]

Originally Posted by TimAustinW

Where is the power steering reservoir on our cars? And what are you filling it with? I have this same issue on my 02. Lower speeds in a turn like pulling into a parking spot I'll hear a low groan from what seems to be my front left wheel. I just recently had my sway bar links replaced (which had gone bad) and thought that would have fixed the issue.

Also needing an answer to above questions ...

[stephen wilson]

It's under the engine top cover, at the very top/front of the engine on my 987 . Pentosin fluid, though there may be a suitable replacement. I must have a small leak I can't find, mine was slightly low, causing a noise while turning and accelerating.